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Iconic tracks get new dates on 2020 Cup schedule

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NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O'Donnell joined Splash & Go to explain what went into the changes in the schedule for the 2020 season.

Historic tracks Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway will have new dates on the 2020 Cup schedule NASCAR revealed Tuesday.

Daytona, which has hosted a Cup race either on or near July 4 every year but once since 1959, will move to Aug. 29 and be the regular-season finale.

With the date change, Daytona will be the final chance for teams to earn a spot in the playoffs in 2020. The track has had nine different winners in its last 10 races. The only repeat winner during that time has been Denny Hamlin, who won this year’s Daytona 500 and the 2016 Daytona 500.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway will take Daytona’s date and have its race to July 5.

This marks the third date change for Indianapolis since 2017. The race was held in July 2017 but moved to September in 2018 to be the playoff opener in hopes that cooler temperatures and would help attract a larger crowd. Indy will be the playoff opener again this year before making its move back to July next year.

That will put the NASCAR race at Indy six weeks after the track hosts the Indianapolis 500.

Martinsville Speedway will see its first race, which has been held in March or April, move to May 9 and be a Saturday night race on Mother’s Day weekend.

Martinsville’s fall race will be Nov. 1 and be the final race before the championship race on Nov. 8 at ISM Raceway.