NASCAR planning 'major' Talladega renovations and new tracks for 2027

NASCAR News Monday, February 9, 2026 at 3:03 PM ET •By Chris Deeley

NASCAR is planning a 'major' renovation for Talladega Superspeedway, in an attempt to bring the historic track up to date.

While details are sketchy, the Sports Business Journal's Adam Stern reported the development in a piece on Monday which held some fascinating details.

NASCAR Holdings Executive Vice President Ben Kennedy also told Stern that the sport is looking at adding 'a couple of potential new venues' to the calendar for the 2027 season and beyond, although again there is no clear answer as to where those may be.

It's possible that a return to the Chicago Street Race is on the cards, with NASCAR clearly embracing their ability to set up street courses, as shown by the addition of this summer's San Diego race to the calendar.

NASCAR set to keep evolving

Meanwhile, it's unclear exactly what the Talladega renovations will be – but it's unlikely that they will involve lights finally being installed at the 2.66 mile tri-oval to enable night-time racing, as Kaulig Racing pranked their drivers with last month.

Kennedy seemed typically optimistic about the future of the sport, and spoke about his willingness to be open and communicative with racing fans on social media at a time when many of the sport's biggest behind-the-scenes figures don't.

“Honestly, I don’t have a ton of time in the day to sit down and go through social media," he said, "but when I do, it’s good to see all the fans’ comments and responses. If I have a chance to have a conversation with them, I think it’s a good forum to do that.

"I’d say it’s also helpful to just have a personal voice, that may not necessarily be the league or the sport, where you can talk about some of the nuances that are happening behind the scene.”