Entering the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, all the focus remains on the all-new Next Generation race cars. In one of the busiest off-seasons since the 1990s, teams have crisscrossed the country for testing and scrambled to make sure they are ready before the season-opener.
The Next Gen car brings with it many changes for the sport. A spec chassis built by Technique Inc., a sequential manual transmission, independent rear suspension, and larger 18-inch aluminum wheels that uses a single center-locking lug nut -- these are just some of the changes teams and drivers must adapt to and overcome this year.
Pre-season testing just recently concluded after a two-day test at Phoenix Raceway. Following a December test on the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval, NASCAR settled on a 670hp aero package with a four-inch spoiler for all non-superspeedway races (and the newly reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway). Testing at Daytona International Speedway ahead of the 500 also proved to be a great success with large packing drafts putting on a show without incident.
Kyle Larson enters the 2022 season as the reigning series champion with Hendrick Motorsports looking for their third consecutive Cup Series title.
Here’s everything we know about 2022’s highly anticipated NASCAR Cup Series season so far...
NASCAR Cup Series Chartered Teams
| Team | Number | Driver(s) | Notes |
| Hendrick Motorsports | 5 | Kyle Larson | Defending champion |
| Hendrick Motorsports | 9 | Chase Elliott | |
| Hendrick Motorsports | 24 | William Byron | |
| Hendrick Motorsports | 48 | Alex Bowman | |
| Joe Gibbs Racing | 11 | Denny Hamlin | |
| Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Kyle Busch | |
| Joe Gibbs Racing | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | |
| Joe Gibbs Racing | 20 | Christopher Bell | |
| Stewart-Haas Racing | 4 | Kevin Harvick | |
| Stewart-Haas Racing | 10 | Aric Almirola | Will retire at season's end |
| Stewart-Haas Racing | 14 | Chase Briscoe | |
| Stewart-Haas Racing | 41 | Cole Custer | |
| Team Penske | 2 | Austin Cindric | Rookie driver, replaces Keselowski |
| Team Penske | 12 | Ryan Blaney | |
| Team Penske | 22 | Joey Logano | |
| 23XI Racing | 23 | Bubba Wallace | |
| 23XI Racing | 45 | Kurt Busch | New team |
| Petty GMS Motorsports | 42 | Ty Dillon | New team following GMS Racing/Richard Petty Motorsports merger |
| Petty GMS Motorsports | 43 | Erik Jones | |
| Richard Childress Racing | 3 | Austin Dillon | |
| Richard Childress Racing | 8 | Tyler Reddick | |
| Front Row Motorsports | 34 | Michael McDowell | Defending Daytona 500 winner |
| Front Row Motorsports | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Rookie driver |
| Trackhouse Racing | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse acquired Chip Ganassi Racing, and expanded into a two-car operation |
| Trackhouse Racing | 99 | Daniel Suarez | |
| RFK Racing | 6 | Brad Keselowski | Moved over from Penske, acquired ownership stake in team |
| RFK Racing | 17 | Chris Buescher | |
| Rick Ware Racing | 15 | Various drivers | David Ragan to drive car in Daytona 500; Joey Hand to drive car in all six road course events |
| Rick Ware Racing | 51 | Cody Ware | |
| Spire Motorsports | 7 | Corey LaJoie | |
| Spire Motorsports | 77 | Josh Bilicki, various | Bilicki to run the majority of the schedule |
| Kaulig Racing | 16 | Various drivers | Allmendinger, Gragson and Hemric to share car with Hemric running the Daytona 500 |
| Kaulig Racing | 31 | Justin Haley | |
| JTG Daugherty Racing | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Team downsized, eliminated second team with Preece |
| Wood Brothers | 21 | Harrison Burton | Rookie driver |
| Live Fast Motorsports | 78 | B.J. McLeod, various |
Non-Chartered entries include Team Hezeberg, Beard Motorsports, MBM Motorsports, and the newly formed The Money Team Racing. All four will attempt the Daytona 500 with former F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve driving for Hezeberg and Noah Gragson for Beard. MBM will enter two cars with Timmy Hill and J.J. Yeley.
The 2022 rookie class will feature three drivers: Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton and Todd Gilliland.
All 36 chartered teams will be present for The Clash at the Los Angeles Coliseum on February 6th. The exhibition race will be a first for the sport inside the L.A. stadium, and its first Cup race in any stadium complex since 1956 at Soldier Field. The unorthodox race on a temporary quarter-mile track will feature practice, qualifying and heat races with 23 cars making the main event.
| Date | All times EST. | Session | TV/Radio/Stream |
| Saturday, Feb. 5 | 12:30 p.m. | Practice | FS2/MRN/FOX Sports App |
| Saturday, Feb. 5 | 8:30 p.m. | Single-car qualifying | FS1/MRN/FOX Sports App |
| Sunday, Feb. 6 | 3 p.m. | Clash qualifying heat races | FOX/MRN/FOX Sports App |
| Sunday, Feb. 6 | 4:10 p.m. (approx.) | Clash last-chance qualifying races | FOX/MRN/FOX Sports App |
| Sunday, Feb. 6 | 6 p.m. | Main event, 150 laps | FOX/MRN/FOX Sports App |
Although the Clash will be the first opportunity to see the new car in an actual race, the season won't officially kick off until the 64th running of the Daytona 500 two weeks later.
NASCAR also recently unveiled a stricter penalty system for the 2022 season with L3 penalties now resulting in the revoking of playoff eligibility for a team.
2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule
| Date | Race |
| February 6* | The Clash at the L.A. Coliseum |
| February 20 | Daytona 500 - Daytona International Speedway |
| February 27 | Auto Club Speedway |
| March 6 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway |
| March 13 | Phoenix Raceway |
| March 20 | Atlanta Motor Speedway |
| March 27 | Circuit of the Americas |
| April 3 | Richmond Raceway |
| April 9 | Martinsville Speedway |
| April 17 | Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt |
| April 24 | Talladega Superspeedway |
| May 1 | Dover International Speedway |
| May 8 | Darlington Raceway |
| May 15 | Kansas Speedway |
| May 22* | All-Star Race - Texas Motor Speedway |
| May 29 | Coca-Cola 600 - Charlotte Motor Speedway |
| June 5 | World Wide Technology Raceway |
| June 12 | Sonoma Raceway |
| June 26 | Nashville Superspeedway |
| July 3 | Road America |
| July 10 | Atlanta Motor Speedway |
| July 17 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway |
| July 24 | Pocono Raceway |
| July 31 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course |
| August 7 | Michigan International Speedway |
| August 14 | Richmond Raceway |
| August 21 | Watkins Glen International |
| August 27 (Regular season finale) | Daytona International Speedway |
| September 4 (Round of 16) | Southern 500 - Darlington Raceway |
| September 11 (Round of 16) | Kansas Speedway |
| September 17 (Round of 16) | Bristol Motor Speedway |
| September 25 (Round of 12) | Texas Motor Speedway |
| October 2 (Round of 12) | Talladega Superspeedway |
| October 9 (Round of 12) | Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval |
| October 17 (Round of 8) | Las Vegas Motor Speedway |
| October 23 (Round of 8) | Homestead-Miami Speedway |
| October 30 (Round of 8) | Martinsville Speedway |
| November 6 (Championship 4) | Phoenix Raceway |
*Non-points race
There will be just one off-week during the entire 2022 season -- the week of Father's Day on June 19. The schedule will again consist of 36 races with six road courses throughout the year. That is one less than 2021 with the Daytona road course race being cut from the schedule. The Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt race will be back and held on Easter Sunday.
To see the complete Daytona 500 race week schedule, CLICK HERE.
