Something’s brewing at Sonoma Raceway, and NASCAR fans can’t stop talking about it. A mysterious promotional display spotted during the 2025 Toyota/Save Mart 350 weekend has everyone wondering if the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is planning a comeback to the California road course in 2026. The cryptic hint has sparked intense debate about whether this signals a major schedule shake-up for the series.
What Did This NASCAR Fan Discover at Sonoma Raceway?
During the 2025 Toyota/Save Mart 350 weekend at Sonoma Raceway, a NASCAR fan stumbled onto something that got the entire community buzzing. A Reddit user shared a photo of a promotional screen at the track that displayed logos from all three NASCAR series alongside the message “NASCAR returns in 2026!”
Here’s what made everyone do a double-take: the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series logo was prominently featured with the others, despite trucks not competing at Sonoma in 2025. When the observant fan questioned track staff about the display, they simply “shrugged” and appeared to have no official information about trucks potentially returning to the venue.
The photo quickly went through NASCAR circles, igniting passionate discussions about what this discovery might mean. With fans speculating about potential changes to the 2026 schedule, this mysterious display only added more intrigue to the conversation.
Why Does the Truck Series Have Such Complicated History at Sonoma?
The possibility of trucks returning to Sonoma isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem. The series’ complex relationship with the California road course gives this speculation some credibility.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series called Sonoma home from 1995 to 1998, when the facility was known as Sears Point International Raceway. During those four years, the series crowned champions like Ron Hornaday Jr. (1995), Dave Rezendes (1996), Joe Ruttman (1997), and Boris Said (1998). Those truck races took place in October as standalone events, separate from the Cup Series weekend.
After a 24-year absence, the Truck Series surprisingly returned to Sonoma in 2022 for the DoorDash 250. Kyle Busch dominated that comeback race, securing his 62nd career Truck Series victory. However, the reunion proved short-lived, as trucks were absent from Sonoma’s lineup in 2023 and 2024.
Fan reactions to the mysterious display reveal the divided opinions surrounding a potential return. Some enthusiasts are thrilled by the prospect, with one commenting, “Truck Series at Sonoma would be wild and fun to watch.”
Others express concerns about recent race quality and the financial burden on teams traveling across the country. These skeptics point out practical issues, with some noting, “They don’t pay them enough for that trip imo. Nascar needs to wake up.”
The Sonoma hint remains just another piece of the puzzle as NASCAR continues developing the 2026 schedule. Until the sanctioning body makes an official announcement, fans must keep speculating about what this cryptic display means.