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NASCAR makes significant changes to 2020 Cup schedule, puts Phoenix as new finale

Kyle Busch (18) and Kevin Harvick (4) lead the field to the green flag on a restart during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at ISM Raceway, Sunday, March 10, 2019, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
ISM Raceway is the new site of the NASCAR season finale. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)

Homestead is no longer the site of NASCAR’s Cup Series title race.

NASCAR announced a host of changes to the 2020 Cup Series schedule on Tuesday including the revelation that Phoenix will be the site of the championship race next season.

Phoenix, which was recently given a $178 million makeover, will replace Homestead as the last race on the NASCAR calendar. Homestead, meanwhile, moves to the sixth race of the season.

The fall Phoenix race will be again held on the second Sunday in November, meaning the season will end a week sooner in 2020 than it does in 2019.

Many other changes too

The finale is not the only significant change to the playoff schedule. The Bristol night race, traditionally held in August, moves to September as the final race of the first round of the playoffs. The final race of the second round will be at the Charlotte road course/oval hybrid and the final race of the third round will be at Martinsville.

[The good and the bad of NASCAR’s many 2020 schedule changes]

Indianapolis replaces Daytona as the July 4 weekend race. Daytona, which has typically held a 400-mile race around the holiday, will move its second race to the final race of the regular season. Indianapolis’ date moved from July to September in 2018.

Pocono will hold a Cup Series doubleheader on July 27 and July 28. Instead of having two different dates in the summer the track will have two races over one weekend. That move allows NBC to have a two-week NASCAR break for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Martinsville will host its first night race in May.

2020 schedule

Feb. 16: Daytona 500

Feb. 23: Las Vegas

March 1: Auto Club (Fontana)

March 8: ISM Raceway (Phoenix)

March 15: Atlanta

March 22: Homestead

March 29: Texas

April 5: Bristol

April 19: Richmond

April 26: Talladega

May 3: Dover

May 9: Martinsville

May 16: All-Star Race

May 24: Charlotte

May 31: Kansas

June 7: Michigan

June 14: Sonoma

June 21: Chicago

June 27: Pocono

June 28: Pocono

July 5: Indianapolis

July 11: Kentucky

July 19: New Hampshire

Aug. 9: Michigan

Aug. 16: Watkins Glen

Aug. 23: Dover

Aug. 29: Daytona

Sept. 6: Darlington

Sept. 12: Richmond

Sept. 19: Bristol

Sept. 27: Las Vegas

Oct. 4: Talladega

Oct. 11: Charlotte Roval

Oct. 18: Kansas

Oct. 25: Texas

Nov. 1: Martinsville

Nov. 8 ISM Raceway

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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports

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