NASCAR is putting the finishing touches on its 2027 Cup Series schedule, an intricate process in which one change can create a ripple effect necessitating several other adjustments. While there are still some things that need settling and last-minute tweaks could still be made, there is a good sense of what the final version of the schedule will look like. Based on conversations with more than a dozen sources across the industry briefed on the schedule’s development who spoke on condition of anonymity because it has yet to be finalized, here is what The Athletic is hearing regarding some of the most noteworthy changes to the 2027 schedule.Corey Heim wins 2026 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Which tracks will be in the Chase and which won’t?As NASCAR typically does, it will rotate some tracks in and out of the 10-race Chase. Next year’s slate is expected to see six tracks effectively swap around (three in, three out), including one very notable change. Bristol Motor Speedway’s revered night race will no longer be part of the Chase and will go back to a regular-season slot in August — where it was from 1976-2019 before it was moved to the playoffs.There, the Tennessee track was positioned as an elimination race in the old postseason format. Without elimination as a selling point, and wanting to avoid competition with the Tennessee Volunteers and the rest of college football, it makes sense for the race to go back to its highly popular August date.Other tracks expected to bump out of the Chase next year are Darlington Raceway in South Carolina and World Wide Technology Raceway (commonly known as Gateway) outside of St. Louis. Darlington’s annual Southern 500 is entrenched on Labor Day weekend, and that race sliding back as the regular-season finale is solely due to how the calendar falls next year.Expected to replace Bristol, Darlington and Gateway as Chase races in 2027 are Richmond Raceway in Virginia, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International in New York. Watkins Glen’s move was already announced in May.Bristol’s popular night race is likely to move back to a regular-season August date. (Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)A return trip to San Diego?NASCAR’s first foray into racing on an active military base, June’s event on Naval Base Coronado, earned widespread praise across the industry. This was particularly true amongst teams, not always easy to please, who were largely happy with the logistics surrounding the event and sponsor interest in the Southern California market. It is increasingly likely that in 2027 NASCAR will again stage a race at the base, even with the risk of diminished returns in the second year of the spectacle. At this point, it would be highly unlikely for NASCAR not to go back — though the race date is anticipated to be in August.Where in the Windy City?NASCAR will be racing somewhere in the Chicago area next year, though it is still being sorted out whether it is on a purpose-built street course downtown, at the Chicagoland Speedway oval in Joliet, Ill., or both — with the last option considered less likely.As The Athletic reported in mid-May, the league and the city of Chicago had highly productive negotiations that had both sides feeling confident NASCAR would be back racing in downtown after a one-year hiatus. (The league raced there from 2023 to 2025.) This was followed by the Chicago Tribune reporting in early June that NASCAR would return.Nothing has been finalized, however, as funding for the event remains an issue. If NASCAR and the city of Chicago agree to terms, expect the Chicago Street Race to be slotted in during Amazon Prime’s June portion of the schedule, where it would be positioned as a signature event. NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race still has a chance to return after a one-year hiatus. (James Gilbert / Getty Images)Which track will land the All-Star Race? Dover Motor Speedway will not host the non-points All-Star Race for a second consecutive year, with the track expected to have a points-paying race in 2027 — just as it did from 1969-2025. How to accommodate Dover’s points race has been a challenge that has seen NASCAR and track owner Speedway Motorsports evaluate numerous options. One of those is a potential date swap in which NASCAR would get the SM-controlled All-Star Race and Dover would get a points date from NASCAR’s inventory. But the idea was tabled, putting the onus on SM to decide where it wants the All-Star Race next year.North Wilkesboro Speedway is considered the leading candidate to host the All-Star Race, based on talks with our industry sources, as it did from 2023-2025 before it was then awarded a points race for this season, its first in 30 years. The exact reasoning behind this decision is unclear, but SM’s portfolio has limited viable options. Giving the All-Star Race back to the track that made its Cup Series return via the event, rather than taking a points race away from another track, is likely SM’s cleanest path.Rockingham facing uncertain futureAlthough Rockingham Speedway is no longer technically a Cup track, its future is worth including here.The resurrection Rockingham has experienced over the past two years has been a welcome development, with the once-dormant track hosting races for the O’Reilly and Truck Series. These races were widely popular, and the track looked to be on course to host its first Cup race since 2004.Now, ownership instability, the same issue that has plagued Rockingham for so many years, is once again casting serious doubt on its future. Its current owner, Darryl Cuttell, is facing a financial crunch that has caused him to close down several other racetracks. This uncertainty has made it untenable for NASCAR to go back. The league’s leadership would love to see the league continue racing at Rockingham, but it also wants to see steady ownership committed to the track’s long-term future.At this juncture, barring a dramatic change in the ownership situation, the likelihood is that Rockingham won’t have a NASCAR national series race next year.