NASCAR reveals 2009 calendar
NASCAR has announced the 2009 Sprint Cup schedule, which features minor changes in dates but keeps the same venues and the same number of races as this year
The build up to the new season will start with the non-points Budweiser Shootout on February 7, followed by the Daytona 500 a week later. The first half of the season will be identical to this year in terms of the sequence of races, with some changes coming in the second half of the year.
The first novelty is at the end of August with an extra weekend off, adding a much-needed fourth and final break before the season enters a streak of 12 consecutive races, including the final ten that make up the Chase.
Following that break, the series will compete at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which has moved its second race from Labour Day weekend to October, becoming the fourth race in the Chase for the championship.
Meanwhile, Talladega Superspeedway, which previously held that slot, has moved its second race of the year forward to early November, becoming the seventh race of the series' playoff.
The Chase will start once again at Loudon, New Hampshire and will end with the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
"The 2009 schedule reflects realigned dates that are good opportunities for everyone involved in our sport - fans, sponsors, tracks and teams," said NASCAR President Mike Helton.
As in the past few years, the calendar will consist of 36 points races and two non-points events, including the All-Star Challenge on May 16, a week prior to the 600-miler at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
2009 Sprint Cup calendar
Date Venue Feb. 7 Budweiser Shootout, Daytona International Speedway* Feb. 15 Daytona International Speedway Feb. 22 Auto Club Speedway March 1 Las Vegas Motor Speedway March 8 Atlanta Motor Speedway March 22 Bristol Motor Speedway March 29 Martinsville Speedway April 5 Texas Motor Speedway April 18 Phoenix International Raceway April 26 Talladega Superspeedway May 2 Richmond International Raceway May 9 Darlington Raceway May 16 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Lowe's Motor Speedway* May 24 Lowe's Motor Speedway May 31 Dover International Speedway June 7 Pocono Raceway June 14 Michigan International Speedway June 21 Infineon Raceway June 28 New Hampshire Motor Speedway July 4 Daytona International Speedway July 11 Chicagoland Speedway July 26 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Aug. 2 Pocono Raceway Aug. 9 Watkins Glen International Aug. 16 Michigan International Speedway Aug. 22 Bristol Motor Speedway Sept. 6 Atlanta Motor Speedway Sept. 12 Richmond International Raceway Sept. 20 New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sept. 27 Dover International Speedway Oct. 4 Kansas Speedway Oct. 11 Auto Club Speedway Oct. 17 Lowe's Motor Speedway Oct. 25 Martinsville Speedway Nov. 1 Talladega Superspeedway Nov. 8 Texas Motor Speedway Nov. 15 Phoenix International Raceway Nov. 22 Homestead-Miami Speedway * = non-points event
Share Or Save This Story
Montoya's memories of a lost rival and rising star
Montoya: Vettel F1 2019 issues more likely technical than mentality
Leclerc reminds ex-Ferrari president di Montezemolo of young Lauda
Verstappen and Sainz urge FIA “to be tough”, but F1 manufacturers must look in the mirror
Why any 12th team project would face an uphill battle amid BYD rumours
How Mercedes has worked to solve its F1 weakness
Inside Le Mans' groundbreaking new Motorsport Museum
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments