NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series 2006 Schedule Announced
Nationwide slate to again feature 36 races at 22 tracks in 19 states
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 6, 2005) – The 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series schedule was announced today, a 36-race slate starting with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 19 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the Ford 400 on Sunday, Nov. 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
In addition to those 36 “points” events, there also will be two “non-points” events – the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona set for Feb. 11 and the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge on May 20 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Also, the two 150-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500 – the Gatorade Duel at Daytona – will be held on Thursday, Feb. 16.
There are no schedule changes from 2005 in terms of sites. Two tracks, though, have “swapped” race weeks.
* Next season, Richmond International Raceway’s spring race will be held on May 6, with Darlington Raceway’s event on May 13; this season, Darlington preceded Richmond. * Also, Kansas Speedway’s 2006 event will be held Oct. 1, followed by Talladega on Oct. 8; this year, Talladega precedes Kansas.
New Hampshire International Speedway again will host the initial event in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, the 10-race stretch that ends the season – and determines the series champion. The third annual “Chase” will commence Sept. 17 at NHIS.
The 2006 schedule follows below. Starting times and television information will be available at a later date.
2006 NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES SCHEDULE
Date Site
Feb. 11 Budweiser Shootout – Daytona International Speedway*
Feb. 19 Daytona International Speedway
Feb. 26 California Speedway
March 12 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 19 Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 26 Bristol Motor Speedway
April 2 Martinsville Speedway
April 9 Texas Motor Speedway
April 22 Phoenix International Raceway
April 30 Talladega Superspeedway
May 6 Richmond International Raceway
May 13 Darlington Raceway
May 20 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge – Lowe’s Motor
Speedway*
May 28 Lowe’s Motor Speedway
June 4 Dover International
Speedway
June 11 Pocono Raceway
June 18 Michigan International Speedway
June 25 Infineon Raceway July 1 Daytona International Speedway
July 9
Chicagoland Speedway
July 16 New Hampshire International Speedway
July 23
Pocono Raceway
Aug. 6 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Aug. 13 Watkins Glen Aug.
20 Michigan International Speedway Aug. 26 Bristol Motor Speedway
Sept. 3
California Speedway
Sept. 9 Richmond International Raceway
Sept. 17 New
Hampshire International Speedway
Sept. 24 Dover International Speedway
Oct.
1 Kansas Speedway
Oct. 8 Talladega Superspeedway
Oct. 14 Lowe’s Motor
Speedway
Oct. 22 Martinsville Speedway
Oct. 29 Atlanta Motor Speedway Nov.
5 Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 12 Phoenix International Raceway
Nov. 19
Homestead-Miami Speedway