Overview
- Watkins Glen International said its NASCAR weekend will return to September in 2027 and will be part of the 10-race Cup Series Playoffs, with the exact date still to be set.
- Track president Dawn Burlew delivered the announcement at a fan event at Glenora Wine Cellars, confirming the end of this year’s one-off May date.
- The addition forces one current playoff race off the calendar, and NASCAR has not announced which event will lose its spot.
- Fans and some coverage point to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway as the likeliest cut, citing lower 2025 playoff TV ratings on USA Network, intense late-summer heat in St. Louis, and less eventful racing.
- Beyond Watkins Glen, early projections for 2027 include the Daytona 500 shifting one week later, the Chicago Street Race likely returning on a different weekend, and Homestead–Miami expected to remain the championship venue.