NASCAR has been shaking up its schedule frequently in recent years, leaving fans guessing what comes next. The Charlotte Roval was cut from the 2026 playoffs, marking the first time in years that the 10-race postseason featured no road courses. Now, another change appears on the horizon.
Watkins Glen International confirmed Thursday that its NASCAR weekend will shift back to September starting in 2027, securing a spot in The Chase. This means that while one track gains a playoff position, another is likely to lose one.
President Dawn Burlew made the announcement at a fan event at Glenora Wine Cellars ahead of this weekend’s race. The update officially ends the one-year May experiment at The Glen, as NASCAR had never scheduled a race there before July 18 prior to 2026. Since returning to the Cup schedule in 1986, the road course had typically been a fixture in August.
Originally, the spring date was intended to spread road courses more evenly across the calendar. However, after witnessing fans struggling with cold temperatures, mud, and stuck trailers, officials changed their minds. The September slot will place Watkins Glen among the earliest Chase races of 2027, with Burlew calling it an opportunity to “set the stage for the rest of the playoff season.”
The case for Watkins Glen in September is strong. During its only previous playoff appearance on September 15, 2024, the track delivered one of the most dramatic finishes in recent NASCAR memory. Chris Buescher made a last-lap move on Shane van Gisbergen at the Bus Stop chicane, stealing victory in overtime and throwing the playoff standings into chaos. None of the 16 playoff drivers finished in the top five that day, breaking a streak that had held for 101 straight playoff races since the current format began in 2014. Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, and others left battered and bruised, proving the track delivers exactly what the postseason demands.
Now the big question emerges: which track will lose its spot?
Currently, the 10-race Chase lineup includes Darlington Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway as the finale.
With Watkins Glen squeezing in, one of these venues will have to bow out. Fans are already buzzing with theories about which track might be cut.