Earning his fifth victory at Auto Club Speedway, Jimmie Johnson crosses the finish line in the No. 48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2010 Auto Club 500. (Photo: Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Dustin Long, one of the very best journalists covering NASCAR, has pieced together from assorted press releases what is most likely the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule. It must be noted this isn't official, as NASCAR itself has yet to release its itinerary for 2011. Instead, it is generating maximum publicity via a string of press conferences and PR bulletins by individual tracks, rolling in on pretty much a daily basis. Well played, NASCAR, well played. But I digress.
Here's what we know as of now. Confirmed dates are in bold type.
Feb. 12 -- Bud Shootout (Daytona)
Feb. 20 -- Daytona 500
Feb. 27 -- Phoenix
- This date is in lieu of the February race at Auto Club. Hopefully it'll enjoy better weather.
March 6 -- Las Vegas
- Much to dismay of many and the delight of their employers, this remains the only visit to Sin City for purposes of auto racing.
March 13 -- Off
March 20 -- Bristol
March 27 -- Auto Club
- The whiners get their wish -- only one race at the track formerly known as California. Because, you know, the racing at all the other cookie-cutter tracks is so much better...
April 3 -- Martinsville
April 9 -- Texas
April 17 -- Talladega
April 24 -- Off (Easter)
April 30 -- Richmond
May 7 -- Darlington
May 15 -- Dover
May 21 -- All-Star (Charlotte)
May 29 -- Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
June 5 -- Kansas
- See? This will be WAY better than Auto Club! Especially if the track turns into a road course halfway through the event when a tornado cuts it in half.
June 12 -- Pocono
June 19 -- Michigan
June 26 -- Sonoma
July 2 -- Daytona
July 9 -- Kentucky
- Okay, Kentucky. You got your Sprint Cup race. Better make it a good one with sold-out grandstands to boot.
July 17 -- New Hampshire
July 24 -- Off
July 31 -- Indianapolis
Aug. 7 -- Pocono
Aug. 14 -- Watkins Glen
Aug. 21 -- Michigan
Aug. 27 -- Bristol
Sept. 4 -- Atlanta
Sept. 10 -- Richmond
Sept. 18 -- Chicagoland
- And the Chase now starts... at a cookie-cutter. Running opposite Da Bears. That'll drive up fan interest...
Sept. 25 -- New Hampshire
Oct. 2 -- Dover
Oct. 9 -- Kansas
Oct. 15 -- Charlotte
Oct. 23 -- Talladega
Oct. 30 -- Martinsville
- Now the kids can go trick-or-treating for hot dogs!
Nov. 6 -- Texas
Nov. 13 -- Phoenix
Nov. 20 -- Homestead
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