Despite pandemic, NASCAR Cup Series is now back on schedule
NASCAR reached an important milestone on Saturday for its Cup Series, one that didn’t seem possible five months ago












With the completion of Saturday’s first of a doubleheader weekend of Cup events at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, NASCAR’s premier series is now back on its original 2020 schedule for the remainder of its season.
In other words, the Cup series has now made up every race that it missed when the COVID-19 pandemic put a two-month hiatus on the sport in mid-May.
Sunday’s second race of the Dover doubleheader will be the season’s 25th race – exactly where the schedule should be had the pandemic never took place.
There is no other professional sport in the country which was underway when the pandemic started that can boast it has made up every missed event.
“It’s been a huge deal for all of us,” said driver Martin Truex Jr., who finished runner-up to Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin on Saturday. “To think we took off two months of the season, with the playoffs coming up in just two weeks, we’ve made up the whole schedule, two months’ worth of races.
“I think it’s been great to not have to extend the season and go further on into the winter. Just hats off to everyone. It’s not easy, I don’t think, to prepare cars and turn them around for two, three races a week, doubleheaders, all that.
“The teams have really done a good job, mine included.”
Adjusting to the new normal
In the three months since NASCAR restarted its season a lot has changed.
In all three of its national series – Cup, Xfinity and Trucks – no practices or qualifying are held on a race weekend. The primary goal is to get the races in, and that’s been accomplished thanks to doubleheaders and mid-week races.
When local health authorities have allowed, small numbers of fans have been allowed to attend some races with social distancing protocols in place.
The sport and its teams continue to operate under protocols enacted before the restart of the season, which limits large groups at race shops and has reduced the number of team personnel allowed at tracks.
There are still important elements of NASCAR races that remain absent – such as sponsor/fan interaction, large crowds and driver appearances.
“It’s great actually for all the teams, all the ownership, the pressure of trying to meet sponsor demands, things like that,” Kyle Busch said of the Cup series being able to make up all its races. “There are a lot of things coming down the pipeline for I guess just the economics of it all.
“Joe Gibbs is doing a great job of working all of his sponsors, myself included with M&M's, Interstate, Toyota, Rheem, Sport Clips. Matter of fact, they’re not here enjoying the races as much as we are, being able to wine, dine, have their customers here. That’s a bit unnerving.
“Also, it’s great the fact we’re able to get on TV, have the revenue of that to keep ourselves going, to have the paychecks for all the employees to keep them employed back at the shops, making sure that we can finish out the season, get onto the next season hopefully with normal conditions.”
Over the next several weeks, the Xfinity and Truck series will also finish making up their respective schedules’ missed races.
Barring the pandemic situation changing over the next 2½ months, all three series should conduct their championship races at Phoenix Raceway in early November as scheduled.
Five months ago, that seemed more dream than reality.
Read Also:
Related video

Previous article
Denny Hamlin claims first Dover Cup win with late pass of Truex
Next article
What time and channel is the Sunday Dover NASCAR race?

About this article
Series | NASCAR Cup |
Author | Jim Utter |
Despite pandemic, NASCAR Cup Series is now back on schedule
From the archive: Dale Earnhardt’s final Autosport interview
The death of Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500 shocked NASCAR to the core. At the Daytona 24 Hours, two weeks before his fatal accident, ‘The Intimidator’ shared his expectations of challenging for an eighth Cup title with JONATHAN INGRAM, in an article first published in the 15 February 2001 issue of Autosport magazine. Little did we know then what tragedy would unfold…
The lasting NASCAR legacy after Dale Earnhardt’s death
On February 18, 2001, seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt – the fearless ‘Intimidator’ – was in his element at Daytona International Speedway. While his own DEI team’s cars ran 1-2 towards the finish line, his famed #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo was playing rear gunner to block any late runs from the chasing pack. As the cars tore through Turns 3 and 4 on that fateful final lap, Earnhardt maintained the strongarm tactics that encapsulated his persona… but his actions in those moments sadly proved to be his last.
Inspired by Pitbull, the “revolution” sweeping through NASCAR
The NASCAR Cup Series is changing. Whether it be the gradual morphing out the seasoned drivers of yesterday as the next generation step up, a radical calendar shake-up featuring more road courses than ever before and the prospect of an all-new car on the horizon, stock car racing’s highest level is nearing the end of a huge facelift.
The NASCAR storylines to watch out for in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season…
Why Kyle Larson can't blow his big shot at redemption
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a chance of redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Effectively replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith...
Why Roger Penske is an American motorsport icon
In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Roger Penske reveals the inner drive that has made him not only a hugely successful team owner and businessman but also the owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar. He spoke to David Malsher-Lopez.
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future…
Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture
“You can’t hear me? Hey n*****” Those fateful words uttered by Kyle Larson, spoken into his esports headset on April 12, were directed at his sim racing spotter – but instead they quickly became amplified around the world via social media, including his own Twitch stream.