I don’t know how I missed this one but back on August 19th, NASCAR released it’s 2009 schedule.  A couple of things that I noticed, the Truck Series is still un-named for 2009 and, sadly, Kentucky Speedway doesn’t have a Sprint Cup date as of this release.  Until I saw this, I still had a little hope.  One thing that does give me hope is the very last line of the release that says all days subject to change.  Yea, I know, they put that on every year but, you never know…

For Immediate Release

* NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule Has Realignment Involving Atlanta, Auto Club, Talladega Tracks

* NASCAR Nationwide Series Includes Date At Iowa Speedway

* NASCAR Truck Series Realigns Date To Chicago For Night Race

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 19, 2008) – NASCAR announced today its national series schedules for the 2009 season, which features realigned dates for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Truck Series.

In the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series there will be a three-way date swap between Atlanta Motor Speedway, Auto Club Speedway (formerly California Speedway) and Talladega Superspeedway.

• Atlanta’s second 2009 race will be held on Sunday, Sept. 6, taking the Labor Day weekend slot now held by Auto Club Speedway.

• Auto Club Speedway’s second race will be Sunday, Oct. 11 – the fourth week of the “Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup,” a slot formerly held by Talladega.

• Talladega’s second event will move to Sunday, Nov. 1, making it the seventh Chase event – the slot formerly held by Atlanta.

“The 2009 schedule reflects realigned dates that are good opportunities for everyone involved in our sport – fans, sponsors, tracks and teams," said NASCAR President Mike Helton.

The season begins with a tripleheader weekend at Daytona International Speedway capped by the running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15.

In addition to that season-opening event for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Truck Series starts its season on Friday night, Feb. 13, followed the next afternoon by the NASCAR Nationwide Series opener.

For all three series, the season will conclude with another tripleheader weekend, at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 20-22.

Other key NASCAR Sprint Cup dates in 2009:

• The 31st annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona – a non-points event – will be held on Saturday, Feb. 7.

• On the evening of Saturday, Sept. 12, Richmond International Raceway will again host the “Chase cut-off” race, affording the last opportunity for drivers to qualify for NASCAR’s championship playoffs.

• New Hampshire Motor Speedway will host the first races in both the “Race to the Chase” (Sunday, June 28) and the Chase (Sunday, Sept. 20).

There also will be an additional off-week for NASCAR’s premier series in 2009, prior to the Labor Day weekend event, giving teams a final break before a 12-week stretch that will end the season. Because of the way the calendar falls, NASCAR Sprint Cup teams will have a total of four off-weeks during the 2009 season.

2009 NASCAR NATIONAL SERIES SCHEDULES

The NASCAR Nationwide Series will have a 35-race schedule. Changes from this year include a new event at Iowa Speedway on Aug. 1, replacing Mexico City; a switch of the Atlanta Motor Speedway event from March to September; and moving the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve event in Montreal to Sunday, Aug. 30.

The NASCAR Truck Series in 2009 again will have 25 races, with one realigned date: The series’ late-season race at Atlanta will be replaced by a night event at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday, Aug. 28.

(The 2009 schedules follow on subsequent pages. Starting times and television information will be announced at a later date.)

For more information contact:

Herb Branham, NASCAR Public Relations

2009 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES SCHEDULE

Date Site

Feb. 7 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, Daytona International Speedway*

Feb. 15 Daytona International Speedway

Feb. 22 Auto Club Speedway

March 1 Las Vegas Motor Speedway

March 8 Atlanta Motor Speedway

March 22 Bristol Motor Speedway

March 29 Martinsville Speedway

April 5 Texas Motor Speedway

April 18 Phoenix International Raceway

April 26 Talladega Superspeedway

May 2 Richmond International Raceway

May 9 Darlington Raceway

May 16 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Lowe’s Motor Speedway*

May 24 Lowe’s Motor Speedway

May 31 Dover International Speedway

June 7 Pocono Raceway

June 14 Michigan International Speedway

June 21 Infineon Raceway

June 28 New Hampshire Motor Speedway

July 4 Daytona International Speedway

July 11 Chicagoland Speedway

July 26 Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Aug. 2 Pocono Raceway

Aug. 9 Watkins Glen International

Aug. 16 Michigan International Speedway

Aug. 22 Bristol Motor Speedway

2009 NASCAR NATIONAL SERIES SCHEDULES

Sept. 6 Atlanta Motor Speedway

Sept. 12 Richmond International Raceway

Sept. 20 New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Sept. 27 Dover International Speedway

Oct. 4 Kansas Speedway

Oct. 11 Auto Club Speedway

Oct. 17 Lowe’s Motor Speedway

Oct. 25 Martinsville Speedway

Nov. 1 Talladega Superspeedway

Nov. 8 Texas Motor Speedway

Nov. 15 Phoenix International Raceway

Nov. 22 Homestead-Miami Speedway

* – Denotes non-points event.

2009 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES SCHEDULE

Date Site

Feb. 14 Daytona International Speedway

Feb. 21 Auto Club Speedway

Feb. 28 Las Vegas Motor Speedway

March 21 Bristol Motor Speedway

April 4 Texas Motor Speedway

April 11 Nashville Superspeedway

April 17 Phoenix International Raceway

April 25 Talladega Superspeedway

May 1 Richmond International Raceway

May 8 Darlington Raceway

May 23 Lowe’s Motor Speedway

May 30 Dover International Speedway

June 6 Nashville Superspeedway

June 13 Kentucky Speedway

June 20 Milwaukee Mile

June 27 New Hampshire Motor Speedway

July 3 Daytona International Speedway

July 10 Chicagoland Speedway

July 18 Gateway International Raceway

July 25 O’Reilly Raceway Park

Aug. 1 Iowa Speedway

Aug. 8 Watkins Glen International

Aug. 15 Michigan International Speedway

Aug. 21 Bristol Motor Speedway

Aug. 30 Circuit Gilles Villenueve

Sept. 5 Atlanta Motor Speedway

2009 NASCAR NATIONAL SERIES SCHEDULES

Sept. 11 Richmond International Raceway

Sept. 26 Dover International Speedway

Oct. 3 Kansas Speedway

Oct. 10 Auto Club Speedway

Oct. 16 Lowe’s Motor Speedway

Oct. 24 Memphis Motorsports Park

Nov. 7 Texas Motor Speedway

Nov. 14 Phoenix International Raceway

Nov. 21 Homestead-Miami Speedway

2009 NASCAR TRUCK SERIES SCHEDULE

Date Site

Feb. 13 Daytona International Speedway

Feb. 21 Auto Club Speedway

March 7 Atlanta Motor Speedway

March 28 Martinsville Speedway

April 25 Kansas Speedway

May 15 Lowe’s Motor Speedway

May 23 Mansfield Motorsports Park

May 29 Dover International Speedway

June 5 Texas Motor Speedway

June 13 Michigan International Speedway

June 19 Milwaukee Mile

June 27 Memphis Motorsports Park

July 18 Kentucky Speedway

July 24 O’Reilly Raceway Park

Aug. 1 Nashville Superspeedway

Aug. 19 Bristol Motor Speedway

Aug. 28 Chicagoland Speedway

Sept. 12 Gateway International Raceway

Sept. 19 New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Sept. 26 Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Oct. 24 Martinsville Speedway

Oct. 31 Talladega Superspeedway

Nov. 6 Texas Motor Speedway

Nov. 13 Phoenix International Raceway

Nov. 20 Homestead-Miami Speedway

Note: All dates subject to change.