Did Phoenix fail as a NASCAR Championship 4 venue? Take a deep dive
NASCAR is reportedly set to return to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the 2026 season finale, featuring the fan-favorite 1.5-mile oval in a rotational format for the championship race. This indicates that Phoenix Raceway will no longer be the exclusive host of the season finale, a role it has held since 2020.
The Athletic's Jordan Bianchi reported that multiple sources have already been briefed on the plans to move the season finale to Homestead in 2026, with an announcement expected in the coming weeks. Bianchi confirmed that NASCAR will adopt a rotational format for the championship decider, with Phoenix in the mix for future season finales, along with a regular season date.
NASCAR's return to Homestead-Miami Speedway will be a homecoming of sorts, as the track hosted the championship deciders from 2002 to 2019. The 1.5-mile oval initially lost its coveted spot on the calendar to Phoenix Raceway, which underwent a $178 million renovation in 2018.
Although Phoenix Raceway boasts superior facilities compared to Homestead, which has yet to be renovated, the on-track product at the one-mile oval has been underwhelming. The Gen-7 car has struggled to deliver exciting races on short tracks, leading to declining ratings and dwindling fan interest in Phoenix races.
Since stage racing was introduced in 2017, NASCAR averaged 4.1 million viewers for the season finale at Homestead through 2019. After the finale moved to Phoenix, ratings have steadily declined, with the Cup Series championship decider averaging around 3 million viewers and failing to surpass that mark in the past two years.
Drivers also prefer Homestead over Phoenix, as the 1.5-mile oval offers multi-groove racing and allows drivers to make a difference. Phoenix, meanwhile, has become a stronghold for Team Penske in the Next Gen era, with Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney sweeping the championships over the past three years.
Although Phoenix Raceway has struggled in the Next Gen era, it remains one of the sport’s premier facilities and continues to attract sell-out crowds. The venue hasn’t definitively failed as a season finale host and is expected to remain part of the championship rotation in the coming years.
Driver opinion on Homestead hosting the NASCAR season finale
Homestead-Miami Speedway is loved by drivers and fans alike. NASCAR reportedly decided to move the season finale to the 1.5-mile oval in the sport’s best interest, despite no confirmed financial commitment from the city currently.
During the Cup Series' recent visit to Homestead-Miami Speedway, veteran driver Denny Hamlin hoped to see the track play a "bigger factor" in the championship. He said that drivers make the difference at the 1.5-mile oval.
"I certainly would like to see (Homestead) play a bigger factor in our championship. Whether it’s in the playoffs, just a part of the championship race or round, or whatever it might be, I’d like to see it be a part of that as, like we just talked about, the driver makes a bigger difference at this track compared to the car," he said. [via Catchfence.com]
Despite Penske's dominance at Phoenix, 2023 champion Ryan Blaney believes the championship race should rotate between a few tracks, including Homestead. He said:
"I think if you asked, some guys would love to come here twice, once in the spring and once in the fall, where that race in the fall lays, I don’t care. Do I think the championship race should rotate between a few tracks? Yeah. And this should be one of them. This place puts on a great show no matter what."
The previous two races at Homestead-Miami Speedway have been thrillers. Tyler Reddick's last-lap pass in the 2024 Fall race and Kyle Larson's late-race charge to win have strengthened the argument for the track's return as the championship decider.