The 2027 Daytona 500 will depart its long-held Presidents Day weekend slot, moving to Sunday, February 21, 2027, the NASCAR Cup Series’s “Super Bowl” of stock-car racing at Daytona International Speedway.
The change was announced as part of NASCAR’s effort to avoid a scheduling collision with the Super Bowl LXI, set for Sunday, February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. “It’s a very crowded sports landscape in February of ’27, including the Super Bowl,” said Frank Kelleher, President of Daytona International Speedway. He added the decision was made “to allow for [the Daytona 500] to stand on its own.”
The 2026 edition remains on its traditional date — Sunday, February 15 — giving fans advance notice of the adjustment. Kelleher emphasized the importance of timing to the loyal NASCAR audience: “Our fans are the most loyal, and we know many of them make their travel plans over a year in advance … when they’re here talking about renewing or extending their VRBO or Airbnb … they’ll know the dates they are looking at for the following year.”
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Kyle Busch, driver of the #8 zone Chevrolet, Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet and Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 McDonald's Toyota race during the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The shift marks the first time the Daytona 500 has moved off Presidents Day weekend since the early 2010s. Historically, the race debuted on the weekend after Presidents Day in 1959 and from 1971 to 2011 maintained a consistent slot before returning there in 2018. The 2027 change underscores how league-wide schedule moves—particularly the National Football League’s addition of a 17th regular-season game in 2021, which shifted the Super Bowl into February’s second Sunday—have rippled into NASCAR’s calendar.
Fans reacted across social media and forums with a mixture of frustration and acceptance. One fan wrote: “President’s Day weekend is for stock cars not the NFL also that is Valentine’s Day.” Another posted: “Thank you NASCAR for confirming the NFL adding 18 games and having the Super Bowl Presidents’ Day weekend.” Others voiced dismay but noted the change was unavoidable.
With the 2026 date confirmed as part of the announcement for Feb. 15 and the 2027 date locked in, NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway have given attendees ample lead time — a move that reflects the high travel and lodging commitments tied to The Great American Race.
As NASCAR prepares for 2027’s season opener, all eyes are on how this calendar adjustment will affect Speedweeks, fan travel patterns and the overall shape of the Cup Series schedule. The move may also open opportunities for new event timing, broadcast windows and promotional tie-ins as NASCAR seeks to maximize its marquee event’s impact.
