NASCAR Cup Series

Martinsville joins 2011 schedule shuffle

Published Aug. 13, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Martinsville Speedway says both of its Sprint Cup races in 2011 will be a week later than usual, and it will host the Halloween weekend event that is currently held at Talladega Superspeedway.

Martinsville officials say the 2011 Cup races will be on April 3 and Oct. 30.

Talladega last year took over the Halloween slot, and its race will run this season on Oct. 31.

Martinsville officials say it likes its new fall race date because it falls later in the Chase, and makes the short track even more important in deciding the Sprint Cup champion.

NASCAR has made several tweaks to its 2011 schedule so far, including adding races in Kansas and Kentucky and moving the Chase opener from New Hampshire to Chicago.