NASCAR confirms third phase of schedule

The third installment of the revised 2020 NASCAR schedule has been announced, and it features doubleheaders, midweek races, and a new date for the All-Star Race.

According to the series, “NASCAR’s modified event procedures and protocols have been finalized in accordance with public health officials, medical experts and local, state and federal officials.” NASCAR has been running one-day shows for each of its series, without practice or qualifying.

Fox will wrap up its portion of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule with the All-Star Race held at Charlotte on July 15, and will finish its NASCAR Xfinity Series broadcasts a few days before with the July 10 race at Kentucky.

NBC Sports begins its portion schedule with the July 4-5 events at Indianapolis. The network will again carry both the Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series through the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Pocono and Indianapolis keep their original dates on the NASCAR calendar. Kentucky adds an Xfinity Series doubleheader to its weekend schedule while pushing the Cup Series race back one day to Sunday, July 12.

The Texas dates replace what would have been its spring weekend held in late March, and the same for the Kansas race dates. Kansas was to host its races the last weekend in May. The New Hampshire Cup Series race was pushed from its mid-July date to early August.

Also of note, the Xfinity Series race at Kentucky on July 9 has been shifted from New Hampshire, while the Kansas race on July 25 has been moved from Iowa Speedway. The Truck Series at Kansas on July 25 is realigned from Chicagoland Speedway.

NASCAR previously announced that fans would not be in attendance for any races through June 21. Pocono Raceway has now confirmed that fans will not attend its events at the end of June, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway has said the same for its July 4 weekend. Kentucky Speedway will also not have spectators, and shortly after the schedule announcement, Kansas Speedway tweeted that it does not expect to host fans either.

Unless restrictions change, it would appear that NASCAR races will remain fan-free through July.