William Byron has voiced concerns about the lengthy gap between the NASCAR Cup Series events at Homestead-Miami Speedway, specifically from the 2025 race weekend until the 2026 championship event. Following the official release of NASCAR’s 2026 calendar for all three national series, Byron reflected on how this timing could impact drivers‘ preparation and rhythm, making
“William Byron concerns NASCAR Homestead gap”
an important topic for teams and fans alike.
Driver Perspectives on Scheduling Challenges
Before the Cup Series regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron shared his immediate thoughts on next season’s schedule. His main worry centered on the long stretch drivers now face before returning to Homestead-Miami Speedway, a cornerstone event moved to the end of the 2026 championship season. Byron explained that the evolving rhythm of the season presents unique challenges, especially in terms of how drivers prepare for different tracks and weather conditions throughout the year.
Byron questioned the environmental factors that could come into play, asking if extreme temperatures would be a concern at certain tracks, particularly North Wilkesboro, where summer events could experience soaring heat. Byron observed that, living in Charlotte, North Carolina, he knows firsthand how tough such conditions could be, and highlighted the need to adjust preparation accordingly, especially when high heat is anticipated.
And I think I just look at the rhythm, like I said, just kind of like – where are we going to be in this part of the year? And then you look at where am I going to be at the end of the year, so how do I need to prepare for that?
—William Byron, Driver
Homestead’s Return to Championship Spotlight
Homestead-Miami Speedway is set to host the NASCAR championship finale in 2026, its first such event since 2019, when Kyle Busch clinched victory and his second championship trophy at the venue. With this return, the event marks a significant shift away from Phoenix Raceway, which has served as the championship site for the past six years. According to Byron, having an extended gap of over a year and a half since their last experience at Homestead presents a steep learning curve for drivers.
Unfortunately, like Homestead, our last true learning experience with Homestead has passed us,
—William Byron, Driver
With so much time between Homestead races, Byron emphasized that teams and drivers will need to rapidly adapt, possibly relearning track nuances under competitive conditions with little recent reference data. He raised the possibility that an official test at Homestead could help level the playing field by giving all competitors additional seat time before the high-stakes championship showdown.
Maybe we’ll have a test or something that everyone can kind of get some added experience. But yeah, I think you kind of look at stuff like that.
—William Byron, Driver
Why NASCAR Is Changing the Championship Venue
Starting in 2026, the NASCAR Cup championship race will rotate among various tracks, a departure from the previous era where Phoenix Raceway exclusively hosted the climactic event. Both Homestead-Miami Speedway and Phoenix Raceway will remain integral parts of this new championship rotation. Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovation officer, outlined the intent behind this change, highlighting the desire for unpredictability in the playoffs and a variety of championship storylines for teams and fans.
Having the playoffs be more unpredictable every year, the championship venue to be at a different location, I think gives you the ability to see different teams and drivers kind of rise to the occasion to be able to be crowned a champion,
—Ben Kennedy, Executive Vice President & Chief Venue and Racing Innovation Officer
According to Kennedy, market factors, favorable weather conditions, and the quality of facilities all influence venue decisions. He pointed to investments like the $100 million redevelopment of Phoenix Raceway, which helped establish the West Coast as a worthy championship host, and indicated that Homestead-Miami Speedway will receive similar attention before its championship return.
Input from All Sides Shapes NASCAR’s Decisions
Kennedy also described the collaborative effort that informs these choices, involving not only the racing industry but also broadcasters, team representatives, drivers, corporate partners, and fans. This feedback loop ensures that the championship race remains compelling and relevant year after year.
The racing product, I think, is another big part of this. And then overall, it’s just the entire industry’s feedback on this. So we collaborate with our broadcast partners, our teams. We hear from our drivers what they think, a lot of our corporate partners, and then ultimately the fans, and the fans have a large voice in this, and we get their perspective on it every single year.
—Ben Kennedy, Executive Vice President & Chief Venue and Racing Innovation Officer
Anticipating How the Schedule Shakeup Will Impact the Sport
William Byron’s input reflects a broader sense of uncertainty and the unique challenges drivers will face with an extended gap between events at Homestead-Miami Speedway. For drivers like Byron and teams such as Hendrick Motorsports, preparing for the season’s closing races may demand new strategies, particularly with limited data and evolving temperatures at different tracks. Meanwhile, NASCAR’s commitment to rotating championship venues signals a new era for the sport—one that aims to foster unpredictability and fairness, while engaging stakeholders at every level, from drivers and teams to the fans whose voices help shape the series’ direction.
As the NASCAR community looks ahead, the effectiveness of these changes will depend on how drivers adjust their preparation, the ongoing collaboration between all key entities, and the ability of venues like Homestead-Miami Speedway to deliver memorable championship moments after significant gaps in the calendar.
