CONCORD, N.C. – Two more pieces of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule were revealed on Thursday.
For the first time since 2020, the traditional oval layout of Indianapolis Motor Speedway will return to the schedule. For the second straight season, North Wilkesboro Speedway will host the All-Star Race.
The 2.5-mile layout of the Brickyard will host the Cup Series race on July 21, 2024. From 1994 to 2020, Indianapolis' oval layout hosted Cup Series races. Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and Pittsboro, Indiana, native Jeff Gordon won the inaugural race in 1994. In fact, the organization has a series-best 10 wins in the crown jewel race. Gordon won a track-best five times (’94, ’98, ’01, ’04 and ’14), while Jimmie Johnson earned four victories (’06, ’08, ’09 and ’12). Kasey Kahne is the team’s most recent winner at the Brickyard, with a triumph in 2017.
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For the past three seasons, the Cup Series has raced on the Indianapolis Road Course, which utilizes the facilities’ infield road course and parts of the traditional oval.
Earlier on Thursday, it was announced that the All-Star Race would be back at North Wilkesboro for the second straight season on May 17-19, 2024. The 2024 All-Star Race will be held on Sunday, May 19. In addition, the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear will also be returning. The 2023 All-Star Race, which was won in a dominating performance by Kyle Larson, marked the first Cup event at the track since 1996. Larson's win marked Hendrick Motorsports' 11th win in the all-star event.
The 0.625-mile track hosted 93 NASCAR Cup Series races from 1949 to 1996 with Hendrick Motorsports’ sweep of the final season of points-paying races among its four wins at the facility. Gordon won the last NASCAR Cup Series race to date there on Sept. 29, 1996. Terry Labonte won the spring races in 1994 and 1996 and Geoff Bodine won the fall race in 1989. North Wilkesboro is one of five tracks to host the annual all-star event (along with Charlotte Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway). Ahead of the 2024 All-Star Race weekend, North Wilkesboro will be repaved for the first time since 1981.
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Pieces of the 2024 schedule have come into focus recent weeks. Ahead of its night race last week, Bristol announced that the annual spring race will shift back to being held on the concrete layout. The only other known pieces of the 2024 schedule are that the Clash will once again be back at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, Feb. 4. The DAYTONA 500 will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18, and the championship weekend will return to Phoenix Raceway for a fifth straight season.