3 things NASCAR got right in 2025

In any given NASCAR season, there are ups and downs regarding the quality of racing, new tracks being introduced, and other related aspects. Despite the hardships, there have been a few decisions in 2025 that NASCAR seems to have nailed.

While the sport isn't perfect and certain decisions leave fans and drivers disgruntled, there have been some things this year that NASCAR has gotten right. Let's take a look at some of them.

1. The return to Bowman Gray Stadium

Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium - Source: Getty

After the L.A. Coliseum served as the host for NASCAR's season-opening exhibition race, the sport decided to make a change in the location of the Clash. While the L.A. Coliseum provided a unique look and some beating-and-banging type of racing, it was time to rejuvenate the excitement for the Clash.

NASCAR certainly got that in 2025 with its return to Bowman Gray Stadium, otherwise known as "The Madhouse". With a rich history, the return to Bowman-Gray added excitement to the NASCAR world and resulted in an electric atmosphere perfect for a season-opener.

The on-track product delivered old school, door-to-door short track racing, and saw one of NASCAR's Most Popular drivers, Chase Elliott, take the win. The decision to return to Bowman-Gray has been nothing short of a resounding success.

2. The race-ending caution at Atlanta

NASCAR Cup Series Ambetter Health 400 - Source: Getty

Anytime there's a crash on the final lap, NASCAR has the difficult decision to make on whether to throw the caution flag and end the race or let the field race back to the finish line. This year at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the sport made the right decision by throwing the caution as the field crashed on the backstretch on the final lap.

The week prior to Atlanta, the governing body faced criticism from, among others, Kevin Harvick after failing to throw the caution on the last lap of the Daytona 500 after a major wreck on the backstretch. They faced similar criticism after not throwing the yellow flag in an Xfinity Race at Atlanta when a crash unfolded on the final lap.

So when a wreck broke out on the final lap of the Cup race at Atlanta, the association made the right decision to throw the caution and end the race. While it muddied what could've been a great finish between Christopher Bell, Carson Hocevar, and Kyle Larson, it's important that NASCAR keeps the drivers safe and deploys safety mechanisms as soon as possible to attend to the drivers. Hopefully, this will be the precedent moving forward.

3. NASCAR's decision to go back to Homestead-Miami for next year's championship race

NASCAR: Straight Talk Wireless 400 - Source: Imagn

While the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship will be decided at the Phoenix Raceway for the sixth straight year, the sport made the correct change with regard to the future. It was recently announced that in 2026, the Homestead-Miami Speedway will once again be the championship-deciding race as the first track in a yearly rotation to move the title race to other racetracks.

This is the right decision for a few reasons. For one, fans have been wanting something new for the championship race as the quality of racing at the 1.0-mile Arizona track just wasn't doing the trick. To return to a 1.5-mile track, where we've seen some of the most exciting NextGen racing, is sure to provide for an exciting season finale.

Another reason is that this allows other racetracks and markets to host one of the most prestigious races. With the popularity of the sport, this will lead to higher profits for the host city for a plethora of reasons, including tourism and job creation. And finally, with some drivers being better on 1.5-mile tracks, intermediate, or short tracks, changing the title race every year is sure to be interesting for the title contenders. With an eye for the future, the governing body's announcement was the right decision.