Later start times, schedule changes announced by NASCAR for 2017 and beyond

We may not know exactly what the Cup series will be called in 2017, but we do know that many of the races will start later in the day, and that for 2018 the NASCAR season will start a week earlier.

NASCAR, FOX Sports and NBC Sports revealed the start times for the 2017 season Wednesday for the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series. The 2017 schedules had been announced in May.  A total of 17 national series events will start closer to primetime, a move that allows NASCAR racing to reach larger audiences.

In addition, a total of 17 NASCAR Cup Series points races will air on broadcast television, including the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on FOX. The Brickyard 400 and the NASCAR Cup Series championship race, the Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway, will be on NBC.

“It’s our responsibility, collectively as an industry, to ensure the sport is healthy, strong and growing by delivering great racing in a way that best meets the needs of our fans,” said Steve Herbst, senior vice president, broadcasting and production at NASCAR. “Earlier insight on start times benefits not only fans, but also our teams and tracks, as it provides more opportunities to plan travel and to purchase race tickets.”

As part of Wednesday’s announcement two dates were shifted since the initial release of the 2017 schedule in May. The NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Road America will move to Aug. 27 on NBC, and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park will now take place on Sept. 3, airing on FS1 prior to the NASCAR Cup Series event at Darlington Raceway on NBCSN.

Also revealed Wednesday, the 2018 Daytona 500 will move to Feb. 18 during Presidents Day weekend.  The season opener held a traditional Presidents Day weekend until 2011 when it was moved forward a week to avoid a potential conflict with the NFL Super Bowl.  NASCAR said it and its partners are still working on the rest of the 2018 schedule.

I’m certain this is how the start times were chosen for 2017. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/mxhD6E19ju

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) July 27, 2016

2017 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule

2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Schedule 

2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Schedule

All times eastern. Subject to change.

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Greg Engle

Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community.

Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.

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