NASCAR to Europe? Zandvoort Makes a Big Push After F1 Exit

Could NASCAR really be heading to Europe?

The idea is suddenly back on the table after Dutch media reported that Circuit Zandvoort would like to attract either NASCAR or IndyCar after Formula 1’s official departure from the Dutch venue.

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But there is a big difference between Zandvoort wanting NASCAR and NASCAR actually going to Zandvoort.

Dutch media outlet NU.nl reports that the circuit director would like to see either IndyCar or NASCAR make the trip to the Netherlands. But the same report makes one thing very clear: there are currently no concrete plans.

“There are no concrete plans yet. It is not financially and logistically attractive for both racing classes to make the crossing to Europe for one race.”

That sentence may be the most important part of the entire story.

Because while the idea of NASCAR Cup Series cars attacking Zandvoort sounds spectacular, getting the entire top-level NASCAR operation across the Atlantic is a completely different matter.

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NASCAR’s 2027 Cup Series schedule does not include a European race. The series has expanded its international footprint with Mexico City, but a trip to the Netherlands would be a much larger logistical challenge.

However, there is a detail that usually escapes th fans. NASCAR already races in Europe.

The NASCAR Euro Series is an officially sanctioned NASCAR championship with a European calendar and they drive identical, V8-powered stock cars with over 400 horsepower, designed to keep competition tight and costs low. In 2026, the series is competing at venues including Valencia, Paul Ricard, Brands Hatch, Most, Vallelunga and Zolder and Zaandvort meaning the circuit is not unfamiliar with NASCAR-style racing.

But EuroNASCAR is not the NASCAR Cup Series.

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So seeing NASCAR-branded stock cars at European circuits does not mean that Cup Series teams are preparing for an overseas race.

Why a Cup Series Race at Zandvoort Would Be Complicated

The biggest question isn’t whether NASCAR could race at Zandvoort.

Technically, the Cup Series already has extensive experience with road courses, and the Next Gen car was designed to handle a wide variety of circuits. So the bigger problem is everything surrounding the race.

A normal Cup Series weekend involves teams, cars, spare equipment, personnel, haulers, tires and an enormous support operation. Moving that entire ecosystem from the United States to Europe for one race would create costs and logistical complications that don’t exist when NASCAR visits another American circuit.

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And if the event counted toward the championship, the sporting implications would become even more complicated.

A points-paying Cup Series race affects the championship standings and the postseason picture. With NASCAR’s 2026 championship format, moving a points race to another continent would require the series to fit the event into an already tightly structured season.

An exhibition would be easier to imagine.

But even then, the biggest problem remains the same. Who pays for it, and is today’s audience large enough to justify the expense?

That’s essentially the issue raised by the NU.nl report.

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Zandvoort clearly has the infrastructure and international profile to host major racing. The circuit is already scheduled to host the GT World Challenge Europe in September 2026.

And NASCAR itself has already showed that it is willing to think internationally. Mexico City proved that NASCAR can take its premier series outside the United States.

Europe, however, would be another level.

But there is is currently no official confirmation that NASCAR’s top division is thinking about heading to Zandvoort.

For now, this is a proposal from a circuit looking for major international attractions after the end of its Formula 1 era.

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Could it happen someday? Absolutely.

Would it be a massive spectacle if the Cup Series brought its full American show to Zandvoort? Without question.

And there is another reason a NASCAR trip to Zandvoort is still be a very long way away.

NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell was asked about the possibility of expanding the schedule during a CNBC appearance. His answer focused on opportunities much closer to home. “We’d love to be in the Northwest, we’d love to be in Denver, so we’ll see what the possibilities are.”