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What Comes After the NASCAR Championship Finale? The 2027 Schedule, Silly-Season Moves & When the Daytona 500 Starts

After this weekend, NASCAR will go to slumber for about three months. Kyle Larson already has one hand on the 2026 Cup Series championship with a 67-point lead entering the Homestead-Miami finale. All he needs is a clean finish to…

By Megha Sapre · Essentially Sports

Published: Friday, 6 November 2026 at 12:15 PM

Key Things to Know

NASCAR has detailed the 2027 Cup Series schedule along with upcoming driver lineup changes for the new season.
The 2027 season officially begins with the Daytona 500 scheduled for Sunday, February 21.
Jesse Love will drive full-time for Wood Brothers Racing, while Corey Heim joins 23XI Racing.

The Story in 60 Seconds

NASCAR has outlined key details for the upcoming 2027 Cup Series season, including a revised 36-race calendar and notable driver transitions. The 2027 campaign will open with the Daytona 500 on February 21, following preliminary events at Daytona International Speedway starting February 13. The schedule features notable track adjustments between the regular season and the 10-race Chase playoffs, with Richmond hosting the Chase opener and Darlington serving as the regular-season finale.

Several driver movements will reshape the grid in 2027. Jesse Love is set to join Wood Brothers Racing full-time, while Corey Heim moves to 23XI Racing. Legacy Motor Club has added Josh Berry and Riley Herbst, leaving John Hunter Nemechek without a seat alongside Brad Keselowski, who split from RFK Racing. Additionally, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson will conclude his NASCAR career with a final race at the Daytona 500.

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