When Does NASCAR Come Back?

When Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott won the Cup Series Championship on Nov. 8, racing [...]

By John Newby

When Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott won the Cup Series Championship on Nov. 8, racing fans immediately began looking forward to the 2021 season. They have spent months waiting to see drivers in new rides, but now that time has come. Here is when NASCAR officially returns.

While the Daytona 500 on Feb. 14 officially kicks off the season, there will be other races that serve as warmup sessions for the drivers. The first event is the 75-lap Busch Clash at Daytona International Speedway, which will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Two days later, the drivers will take part in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 and 2, which determine where the majority of drivers will line up during the Daytona 500.

Heading into the 2021 Cup Series season, there will be many changes to the lineup. Bubba Wallace will no longer drive for Richard Petty Motorsports after joining a new team created by Michael Jordan and fellow driver Denny Hamlin. He will drive the 23XI Racing No. 23 Toyota Camry while Erik Jones replaces him in the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro.

Similarly, Kurt Busch will have a new teammate on Chip Ganassi Racing. Ross Chastain, an Xfinity Series driver who temporarily replaced Ryan Newman following last year's Daytona 500, will drive the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro. He will take part in the full Cup Series season while pursuing a spot in the postseason.

Kyle Larson, the former driver of the No. 42 CGR Camaro, is back in the Cup Series after serving a suspension and completing sensitivity training for his use of a racial slur. Larson will now join Hendrick Motorsports, filling a spot left by the retired Jimmie Johnson. He is bringing back the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro while teammate Alex Bowman replaces Johnson in the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro.

The driver changes continue with Daniel Suarez joining a music sensation. Pitbull recently became co-owner of Trackhouse Racing, marking his foray into motorsports. He will partner with co-owner Justin Marks while striving for success amid a stacked field of competitors.

In addition to the driver changes, the 2021 Cup Series schedule will feature major changes in the tracks. Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, will host a NASCAR event for the first time, while Indianapolis Motor Speedway will put the drivers on the road course instead of the oval. The drivers will also head to Nashville Superspeedway in June to kick off the schedule's back half.

One of the most significant changes on the schedule is the addition of dirt at Bristol. The iconic short track will host a dirt race for the first time in 50 years. Not all drivers have expressed excitement about this change, but they will try to show off their dirt skills during a unique event in late March.

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