NASCAR: 2021 Auto Club Race Moved to Daytona Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

NASCAR is shaking up the 2021 Cup Series schedule ahead of the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 14. Racing's sanctioning body swapped out the race at Auto Club Speedway for one on the Daytona Road Course due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the California guidelines. The race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, initially scheduled for the second weekend, will move to the end of February.

"Due to challenges resulting from the ongoing pandemic and the need for significant advance planning, NASCAR will adjust two race weekends immediately following the 63rd running of the DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 14," racing's sanctioning body said in a statement. "All three NASCAR national series will now remain in Daytona to run a tripleheader at the storied road course Feb. 19-21 before the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series head down to Homestead-Miami Speedway on Feb. 27-28." The season will then continue as planned after the Florida events with all three series heading to Las Vegas to begin March.

For the first time in 24 years, Auto Club Speedway will not host a NASCAR race weekend. Track officials will instead focus on the ongoing redevelopment project that will convert the Fontana, California speedway into a short track. There is no completion date for the project due to the pandemic, so there is a scenario where drivers return to the Auto Club Speedway in 2022 for one final go on the full-size oval.

With the races taking place early in the NASCAR season, the FOX Sports platforms will provide all TV coverage. The Daytona 500 will take place on FOX as the marquee event of the weekend while Mike Joy and Jeff Gordon call the action from the booth. A new figure will join the team in 2021 with Clint Bowyer retiring and making the move to FOX.

The season will once again begin at Daytona, but there will be a significant change. NASCAR is only allowing a limited number of fans to attend. There is no official number just yet, but the change will end the sellout streak that began in 2016.

The 2021 Cup Series season will feature several other changes. Seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson will no longer drive the No. 48 Ally Racing Chevrolet Camaro after retiring from full-time racing. Alex Bowman will replace him. Additionally, Kyle Larson will return to the sport after a 2020 suspension and join Hendrick Motorsports. Bubba Wallace, on the other hand, will drive for a new team created by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.