NASCAR had two notable races this weekend.
After a long hiatus, it returned to Rockingham Speedway for Xfinity Series and Truck Series events. Xfinity cars hadn’t run there since 2004. Same for the trucks since 2013.
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Tyler Ankrum snapped a six-year, 130-race winless streak in Friday’s Black’s Tire 200. Then, in Saturday’s North Carolina Education Lottery 250, Jesse Love took the checkered flag before being disqualified for failing inspection. As a result, Sammy Smith rose from second place to first.
But now all is quiet at The Rock. The Cup Series will sit Easter Sunday out, taking a one-week break. It’s the only off-week of the 26-race regular season.
Here’s what you need to know.
The Cup Series always rests for one or two Sundays during the regular season.
Last summer, it pressed the breaks for two weeks in July and August during NBC’s coverage of the Olympics. This season, the schedule makers chose Easter as the lone vacation.
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Some years, that’s the case. Some years, well …
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – MARCH 31: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Mavis Tires & Brakes Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on March 31, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Nope.
In fact, Cup Series drivers turned laps each of the last three years on Easter Sunday. Overall, they have competed in Easter races 14 times since 1953.
The first spawned from a postponement, when rain pushed a Saturday start to Sunday at the old Charlotte Speedway dirt track. The eventual winner? Dick Passwater.
In 2024, Denny Hamlin prevailed at Richmond.
Engines fire back up next Sunday, April 27, for the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Tyler Reddick won that race last year.
It is scheduled for 3 p.m. and will air on Fox.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR race today? No, Cup Series goes quiet on Easter at Rockingham
