NASCAR announces 2018 race schedule

HAMPTON, GA - FEBRUARY 28:  Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, leads the field in a restart at the end of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 28, 2016 in Hampton, Georgia.  (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

Credit: Jeff Zelevansky

Credit: Jeff Zelevansky

HAMPTON, GA - FEBRUARY 28: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, leads the field in a restart at the end of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 28, 2016 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

NASCAR announced Tuesday its 2018 race schedule, which will bring it back to Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton from Feb. 23-25 for three early-season races.

The Daytona 500 will kick off the season from its traditional spot on Presidents Day weekend, Feb. 18. NASCAR will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of the first Daytona 500.

Talladega Superspeedway will again host two races, with the first coming April 29. NASCAR will return to the track Oct. 14 for one of the races in the final playoff stretch that begins in Las Vegas on Sept. 16.

NASCAR made major changes to the host sites for the playoff and the final regular-season races, notably finishing the season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sept. 9.

2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule

Feb. 11: Daytona International Speedway (Clash / Daytona 500 Qualifying)
Feb. 15: Daytona International Speedway (Duel)
Feb. 18: Daytona 500
Feb. 25: Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 4: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 11: Phoenix Raceway
March 18: Auto Club Speedway
March 25: Martinsville Speedway
April 8: Texas Motor Speedway
April 15: Bristol Motor Speedway
April 21: Richmond International Raceway
April 29: Talladega Superspeedway
May 6: Dover International Speedway
May 12: Kansas Speedway
May 19: Charlotte Motor Speedway (Monster Energy All-Star Race)
May 27 : Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 3: Pocono Raceway
June 10: Michigan International Speedway
June 24: Sonoma Raceway
July 1: Chicagoland Speedway
July 7: Daytona International Speedway
July 14: Kentucky Speedway
July 22: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
July 29: Pocono Raceway
Aug. 5: Watkins Glen International
Aug. 12: Michigan International Speedway
Aug. 18: Bristol Motor Speedway
Sept. 2: Darlington Raceway
Sept. 9: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sept. 16: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sept. 22: Richmond International Raceway
Sept. 30: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Oct. 7: Dover International Speedway
Oct. 14: Talladega Superspeedway
Oct. 21: Kansas Speedway
Oct. 28: Martinsville Speedway
Nov. 4: Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 11: Phoenix Raceway
Nov. 18: Homestead-Miami Speedway