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Daytona 500’s Iconic February Spot Threatened by NFL Plans

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Farah Ben Gamra | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 10:15 AM ET

The Daytona 500 is one of NASCAR's crown jewels and arguably its most prestigious race for year, with some refering to it as the “Super Bowl” of motorsports.

The race has been associated with Presidents’ Day Weekend, since the early 1970s, so Americans have grown accustomed to it being at that time of year. Fans know when February arrives, the first and most prestigious NASCAR event of the year, and of American Sports, will take place at Daytona International Speedway.

However, that iconic tradition could be at risk today.

The NFL, already the top of U.S. sports, is considering another change that could impact the Daytona 500’s timing. After expanding its regular season to 17 games in 2021, commissioner Roger Goodell has recently said they’re looking to expand to an 18-game schedule.

If that happens, it would push the NFL playoffs deeper into February and put the Super Bowl on the same Presidents’ Day Weekend the Daytona 500 has had for decades.

Goodell has already said that would “probably occur”, which would put the two biggest sporting events head-to-head.

Super Bowl vs Daytona 500

For NASCAR, competing against the Super Bowl would be a big problem. The Daytona 500 is the sport’s most-watched race, but going head-to-head with America’s biggest sporting spectacle would hurt TV ratings, sponsorship visibility and attendance.

NASCAR has already moved events during Speedweeks to avoid NFL playoff weekends before, but nothing of this magnitude has ever loomed over its biggest race.

Fans are already proposing solutions to the problem. Some say move the Daytona 500 a week earlier, when the NFL takes a break between the conference championships and the Super Bowl.

Others suggest running the race on Saturday night before the Super Bowl or earlier on Super Bowl Sunday to ride the coattails of the national party.

A more drastic option would be to move the event entirely, perhaps to another holiday weekend later in the year, but that would break one of NASCAR’s longest traditions.

For now, NASCAR says no changes are coming and the 2026 schedule still has the Daytona 500 on February 15.

But if the NFL expands its season, the collision may be inevitable. Then NASCAR will have a tough decision: keep Presidents’ Day weekend and get overshadowed or move the Daytona 500 and protect its crown jewel.

Either way, one of the biggest weekends in racing is up in the air.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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