Official 2005 realignment report

Realignment Announced For 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Schedule

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 14, 2004) -- Officials of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced today the next phase in the sanctioning body's schedule realignment process. Keeping pace with the increasing demands of NASCAR's nationwide growth in popularity, the 36-race 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series schedule has been adjusted to address that growth, via the following changes:

* New NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race dates have been sanctioned at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway. Texas Motor Speedway's new event will be held on Nov. 6; as the season's 34th event, it will be crucial in the 10-race "Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup" that determines the series champion. Phoenix International Raceway's new race will be on Saturday night, April 23. Texas retains its spring date (April 17), while Phoenix retains the next-to-last slot on the schedule (Nov. 13).

* North Carolina Speedway will not be on the schedule after this season.

* Darlington Raceway now will have one date on the schedule, with the track's fall race moving from November to the evening of Saturday, May 7.

* California Speedway will have the first of its two events on Feb. 27, one week after the season-opening Daytona 500 -- the date previously held by North Carolina Speedway. Thus, the series will now travel from the season's biggest race to the nation's second-largest market. California's other race will remain on Labor Day weekend (Sept. 4).

In January 2003, NASCAR announced "Realignment 2004 and Beyond." The plan calls for regular review of race dates and locations in order to continue bringing the most competitive racing in the world to the widest possible audience, and providing the kind of value that has proven NASCAR to be one of the very best sports properties.

"The 2005 schedule marks an important milestone in NASCAR's realignment efforts because it provides opportunities for more fans to experience first-hand NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events near their hometowns," said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France.

The schedule continues to reflect the increasing demand for races throughout the country. In 2005, the Southeast will continue to be well-served with great racing in Richmond, Charlotte, Atlanta, Daytona Beach and many others; additionally, NASCAR continues to reach out to new fans in the Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, and the West.

The 2005 season -- NASCAR's 57th -- will open on Sunday, Feb. 20 with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

In addition, NASCAR officials announced that the NASCAR Preseason Thunder test sessions will return to Daytona International Speedway in January 2005.

<pre> Tentative 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series schedule

Date            Site
Feb. 12         Budweiser Shootout -- Daytona International Speedway
Feb. 20         Daytona International Speedway
Feb. 27         California Speedway
March 13        Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 20        Atlanta Motor Speedway
April 3         Bristol Motor Speedway
April 10        Martinsville Speedway
April 17        Texas Motor Speedway
April 23        Phoenix International Raceway
May 1           Talladega Superspeedway
May 7           Darlington Raceway
May 14          Richmond International Raceway
May 21          NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge -- Lowe's Motor Speedway
May 29          Lowe's Motor Speedway
June 5          Dover International Speedway
June 12         Pocono Raceway
June 19         Michigan International Speedway
June 26         Infineon Raceway
July 2          Daytona International Speedway
July 10         Chicagoland Speedway
July 17         New Hampshire International Speedway
July 24         Pocono Raceway
August 7        Indianapolis Motor Speedway
August 14       Watkins Glen International
August 21       Michigan International Speedway
August 27       Bristol Motor Speedway
September 4     California Speedway
September 10    Richmond International Raceway
September 18    New Hampshire International Speedway
September 25    Dover International Speedway
October 2       Talladega Superspeedway
October 9       Kansas Speedway
October 15      Lowe's Motor Speedway
October 23      Martinsville Speedway
October 30      Atlanta Motor Speedway
November 6      Texas Motor Speedway
November 13     Phoenix International Raceway
November 20     Homestead-Miami Speedway

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