Kyle Busch makes case for speedway race in NASCAR playoff Championship round

NASCAR announced last week that Championship Weekend will return to Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2026 as part of a new yearly rotation model. Kyle Busch would like to see a three-race Championship round that includes a trip to a superspeedway, he said on Monday’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast.

“Is there a speedway race in the last three? Why not?” Busch said. “You race six speedway races, you race six road course races, you race eight intermediates. … Three races, Daytona kicks it off… Daytona, Texas, Homestead to finish the season.”

For now, the playoff format will stay the same. That means a singular Championship race at one venue. Homestead, which hosted the season finale from 2002-19, will return as host next season. Phoenix Raceway, Championship Weekend host since 2020, is expected to be included in the rotation.

Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive vice president, chief venture and racing innovation officer, said that three factors will be under consideration in determining which racetracks will host future Championship races: weather, market and facilities.

NASCAR executive reveals what they are looking for in Championship venue

“Weather is a big part of it,” Kennedy said. “Being in early November, we want to make sure we’re in a warm-weather climate and that it’s an atmosphere that a lot of our fans can come out and enjoy and not get the risk of a snowstorm or anything.

“We want to make sure that we’re in a big market, a large metro [area] that can really embrace us. We want to make sure it’s marketed and promoted the right way, that it feels like a world-class championship facility. And Phoenix was that for a number of years. We’re going to be putting some capital into Homestead-Miami as well.”

Kennedy added that the Championship venue needs to be one that produces traditional NASCAR racing. Sadly, for Busch, that takes Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway off the list.

“Never say never, but I think we’ve unanimously agreed that it needs to look and feel like what we would expect traditional NASCAR racing to look and feel like,” Kennedy said. “Short tracks, intermediate tracks, mile tracks are all on the board. Superspeedways, I think we all feel like right now we wouldn’t consider that as a championship venue, not that Daytona isn’t a championship caliber venue.”