Dates for 2017 Pocono NASCAR and different races released

KANSAS metropolis, Kan. — NASCAR has determined that unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway may not be an elimination race in next yr's championship Chase, in its place taking the pivotal stop to Kansas Speedway.

the two tracks swapped dates Thursday in the most large exchange to the 2017 schedule .

also, Pocono Raceway will host NASCAR Cup collection races on June 11 and July 30 and additionally welcome the NASCAR XFINITY sequence and the NASCAR camping World Truck series to 'The complicated Triangle," in 2017, NASCAR talked about today.

"here is incredible information for our lovers," mentioned Pocono Raceway President & CEO Brandon Igdalsky stated. "here's via far the earliest we've time-honored race dates and really feel it's going to advantage all racing stakeholders. Now, they shouldn't have to bet when our races are, they can plan. NASCAR did an important job in placing the time table together early and that's the reason a testomony to all of their hard work."

NASCAR Cup sequence can be run on the 2.5-mile raceway on Sunday, June 11 and Sunday, July 30.

The NASCAR XFINITY series is making its inaugural stop at Pocono Raceway on June four, 2016 and should return in 2017 on Saturday, June 10.

The NASCAR tenting World Truck series might be held as part of the 2d NASCAR weekend, schedule for Saturday, July 29.

"The only change truly from this yr changed into our first NASCAR weekend being moved lower back every week in 2017," observed Igdalsky. "we are hopeful this change will permit greater college students who could had been in school to get out to the racetrack and luxuriate in a huge adventure at Pocono Raceway."

To the frustration of many drivers, Talladega had been the third race within the 2nd circular of the Chase for the sprint Cup championship. The chaotic conclude remaining yr, when a break averted Dale Earnhardt Jr. from having a chance to race Joey Logano for the victory, most effective underscored those opinions.

Logano became already locked into the subsequent circular of the Chase, however Earnhardt essential a win to enhance. NASCAR's most general driver comprehensive 2d beneath warning and changed into eradicated from championship rivalry.

things have been just as chaotic at Talladega remaining weekend, when several multi-automobile accidents worried 35 automobiles. Some drivers opined that they'd fairly sit down at home than run at the restrictor-plate music.

"or not it's some thing that we have been speaking about, the Chase in its totality and the races within the Chase and making an attempt to discover the appropriate probability to maximise the ten routine," mentioned Jim Cassidy, NASCAR's senior vp of racing operations. "the way we looked at it, we have an incredible racing product at Talladega, and in order to maximize the agenda — we understand Talladega, no depend the place we region it within the Chase, is going to supply a really high stage of racing motion and it definitely stands by itself.

"We noticed the chance to make a change and put Kansas within the cutoff and we're excited about that."

Talladega turns into the 2nd race in the circular of 12 on Oct. 15. The greater predictable mile-and-a-half Kansas Speedway becomes the closing race earlier than the removing to eight drivers on Oct. 22.

"It actually adds a special layer of power for the opponents," Cassidy referred to. "at the same time, it does not take far from what the fanatics at Talladega are going to get."

Kansas Speedway president Pat Warren welcomed the change, pointing to the more desirable visibility and advertising and marketing alternatives that come with being the ultimate race in the quarterfinals of the Chase.

"each race is critical in NASCAR," Warren mentioned, "but having a cutoff race will make the competitors much more exciting at Kansas Speedway next fall."

the brand new season starts off Feb. 26 with the Daytona 500 and culminates Nov. 19 at abode-Miami Speedway, and will cover forty weeks. There are open weekends in April and August but none over the summer.

among different changes, Dover's spring date changed into moved from mid-may additionally to June four, the weekend following the customary Charlotte race. Michigan and Bristol swapped spots in August, while the Saturday night race at Texas within the spring has been moved to Sunday afternoon.

"The general sentiment is that [fans] preferred a Sunday race because it supplied a more expansive weekend of actions," Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage pointed out. "this is super for the tourism-linked groups in Dallas-fort worth and an excellent schedule for our lovers."

The Morning call contributed to this text.