NASCAR today announced its 2021 schedule, which will feature a new look in the state of Florida, with two consecutive weeks of racing as Homestead-Miami Speedway moves to the second race of the season on Sunday, Feb. 21.
As is tradition, the season will kick off with the running of the 63rd annual DAYTONA 500, The Great American Race, at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 14, before moving further south in the Sunshine State for the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which celebrated its 25th Anniversary this year.
“It’s going to be an incredible month of February for racing in Florida, taking us back to the storied past of the NASCAR Cup Series, plus having fans back to our facility,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Al Garcia. “Having back-to-back NASCAR Cup Series races in the Sunshine State to kick off the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season will provide two different kinds of incredible competition. A February race weekend here at Homestead-Miami Speedway affords us many unique opportunities to entertain the South Florida community and welcome fans from across the country, many of whom may be coming from Daytona.”
Fans wishing to attend the historic February Dixie Vodka 400 can take advantage of an early access pre-sale. Available online or by phone, tickets for the general public start at $35 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and younger. Fans who originally purchased tickets to the 2020 event can take advantage of even lower pricing when renewing by the deadline of Nov. 16. For information visit www.HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com or call (866) 409-RACE (7223).
With the 2021 DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway and Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, it marks the first time since 1952-54 that the NASCAR Cup Series season has opened with the first two events in the state of Florida. In both ‘52 and ‘54, the first three events kicked off the season in Florida – Palm Beach Speedway, the DAYTONA Beach/Road Course and Speedway Park in Jacksonville. The ’53 season began at the Palm Beach track followed by road course at Daytona. All three of the venues are no longer in existence.
“It is with great excitement that the City of Homestead looks forward to Homestead-Miami Speedway hosting the second NASCAR Cup Series race of 2021 next February,” said Homestead Mayor Steve Losner. “We can’t wait to hear the roar of the engines of the magnificent NASCAR machines at the track, which has been a mainstay in our community for a quarter century. With the return of guests in the stands for NASCAR races this past June, Homestead-Miami Speedway showed the nation its place in sports. February can’t get here quick enough.”
As part of NASCAR’s return to racing earlier this year, Homestead-Miami Speedway served as the first venue to have guests back to the track with local military personnel attending the Dixie Vodka 400 on June 14. The race, won by NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs contender Denny Hamlin, was originally scheduled for March 22 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Miami-Dade County and Homestead-Miami Speedway made a statement in June, setting the standard for following public health protocols at major sporting events,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “As we continue moving to normalcy, we anticipate the greatest racing in the world here in Miami-Dade County in February, and look forward to welcoming fans everywhere.”
From 1999 through last year (21 years), Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted NASCAR Cup Series races in November, including the series’ finale beginning in 2002. This season, the Cup Series race was moved to March, then ultimately to June as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last time one of NASCAR’s national series competed at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the month of February was in 2000 when the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series visited the beautiful, colorful palm-tree-lined, 1.5-mile venue.
After the competition at Homestead-Miami Speedway subsides in February, the ‘21 NASCAR Cup Series schedule shifts to the west coast for a trio of races. The full ’21 schedule can be found here or at nascar.com. Schedules for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2021 seasons will be announced in the near future. Start times and television networks for Cup Series races will be also announced at a later date.
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