Daytona 500’s 66 YO Legacy Under Grave Threat as NFL Forces NASCAR Schedule to Reconsider Options

For more than six decades, the Daytona 500 has held its place on Presidents’ Day weekend. It has anchored NASCAR’s season opener to a nationally recognized holiday. That tradition, dating back to 1959, became entrenched between 1971 and 2011 before NASCAR briefly shifted away in 2012. This was to avoid clashing with the Super Bowl event of the NFL, and the race got to return to its second Sunday slow in 2018 again. The pairing of the Great American Race with a long weekend created a rhythm for fans and sponsors alike. But now, the latest NFL plans might be on the verge of breaking that rhythm once again.

The NFL is now considering a fundamental scheduling shift, and the stability of the entire NASCAR schedule faces its sternest test in years. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has openly floated the possibility of expanding the regular season to 18 games. This would be done by trimming the preseason to two contests and extending the regular season by a week. But that’s not it, the main concern is that the league would push the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend, the very same weekend when NASCAR hosts its biggest crown jewel of the year. So the main question is, would the mighty Daytona 500 shift? And if yes, then where?.

NFL’s Super Bowl expansion threatens historic NASCAR schedule

When talking about adding an 18th game to the NFL regular season and pushing the Super Bowl to the Presidents’ Day weekend, Goodell said, “I think 18 weeks would get you to that point, and I think it would be a really great move.” He cited the benefit of a built-in Monday holiday. If the NFL follows through, the Daytona 500 could be forced to go into unfamiliar territory.

The concern gained traction when veteran NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck highlighted the inevitable clash. “This isn’t going away, and obviously it would affect the NASCAR schedule. The Daytona 500 isn’t going to go up against the Super Bowl, so where would NASCAR put it?” he wrote on Twitter. His observation captured the gravity of the situation. NASCAR certainly cannot afford to split audiences with the single most-watched sporting event in America, especially with Super Bowl LIX drawing more than 126 million viewers. So, the balance of power is clear.

Inside NASCAR, the issue is not being ignored. Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Senior Vice President of Racing Development and Strategy, acknowledged the challenge. “Not really any big changes… long term, it is something that we’re mindful of because we don’t want to go up against the Super Bowl.” Kennedy’s remarks underline the tightrope NASCAR walks between tradition and survival.

Broadcasters and advertisers have already sold out Fox’s 2025 Daytona ad inventory at $500,000 per 30-second spot. They will demand a solution that safeguards both visibility and revenue. Many fans associate the race with Presidents’ Day weekend. For them, any move risks alienating a core base. And this also signals how much the NFL dictates the NASCAR schedule.

For now, NASCAR faces difficult choices. It could shift the Daytona 500 earlier, but then it would face cooler weather and potential rain delays. Another option is to move it late in February, the way it did from 2012 to 2018. A third option is to swap it with a mid-season race, and change the Daytona 500 slot to another long holiday weekend, or maybe into the playoffs. Else, it could keep it on the same weekend, but just play around with the timings and days to have a significant gap time from the Super Bowl.

Either way, each option carries consequences for teams, sponsors, and fans who have long counted on a February holiday centerpiece. What remains certain is that the NFL’s expansion ambitions will not account for NASCAR’s traditions. This will leave the sanctioning body to adapt once again.

The question is not whether the Daytona 500 can endure. After all, it has for 66 years. But can it maintain its identity while the NASCAR schedule bends under the weight of America’s most dominant sports league?

Meanwhile, as the Cup Series navigates its own scheduling challenges, a Daytona winner has also found an opportunity beyond NASCAR’s traditional borders.

Daytona 500 winner finds Australia calling

The motorsport world is set for a rare crossover, boldening its presence in international waters. 2022 Daytona 500 champion Austin Cindric prepares to make his Supercars Championship debut at Adelaide’s season finale this November. This marks the first time in over a decade that an active NASCAR driver will compete in Supercars. The news has created buzz that extends well beyond Australia. This development comes after several attempts to bring top NASCAR talent to the event failed, raising the stakes for Cindric’s upcoming appearance.

Both Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson were previously lined up for Adelaide wildcards. However, neither entry materialized due to different reasons. Busch withdrew from a proposed 2024 run with Triple Eight Racing. Meanwhile, Larson’s heavily backed 2025 deal with PremiAir Racing collapsed due to scheduling conflicts. Their absence left Supercars searching for a marquee American. And now, Cindric’s confirmed entry answers that void while keeping alive hopes of a NASCAR-Supercars connection.

Cindric will join the bp Adelaide Grand Final in a Ford Mustang fielded by Tickford Racing. He will be running three races across 600 km on the Adelaide Parklands Circuit. This feat will see him become the first fully international wildcard since James Hinchcliffe and Alexander Rossi appeared at Bathurst in 2019. Ford Performance, who helped broker the deal, called it “a fantastic opportunity to showcase the talent within our Ford Performance family on a global stage.”

The move caps a turbulent lead-up for Supercars organizers. By securing Cindric, they not only land a proven Cup driver but also strengthen motorsport’s international ties. His entry highlights a growing appetite for crossover events that test NASCAR’s stars in new environments. At the same time, it is giving Supercars a boost in global recognition.