When the engines roared to life at Homestead-Miami Speedway from March 21–23, 2025, fans in Florida and across the U.S. got the full triple-header treat: the Baptist Health 200 (Truck Series), the Hard Rock Bet 300 (Xfinity Series), and the season-six marquee event, the Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Cup Series).
The 1.5-mile oval resumed its place on the 2025 calendar, delivering a full slate of racing action—even though it’s no longer the season finale, as it once was through 2019.
Weekend Schedule: All the Action
- Friday, March 21: The Trucks kicked off the weekend. Practice for the Baptist Health 200 began at 3:35 PM ET, followed by qualifying at 4:40 PM ET, and culminating with the race at 8:00 PM ET.
- Saturday, March 22: Xfinity Series practice and qualifying started mid-morning, then the Cup Series cars got their first test on the track. The day closed with the Hard Rock Bet 300 racing under the Florida sun.
- Sunday, March 23: All attention turned to the Cup Series as 267 laps/400.5 miles of action came to life in the Straight Talk Wireless 400—the green flag dropped around 3:12 PM ET on FS1.
A full weekend of high-speed thrills.
Pole Day, Predictions—and Surprises
Saturday qualifying produced a shocker: the popular driver Alex Bowman grabbed the Busch Light Pole with a blistering lap of 31.982 seconds (168.845 mph), marking his first career pole at Homestead and sixth overall in Cup.
Heading into Sunday, many eyes were on Kyle Larson. A past winner at Homestead and the +350 favorite for the 2025 race, Larson had already shown speed early in the weekend—having recently snatched the win in the Truck Series race. Some analysts also tipped the underdog Ross Chastain as a potential spoiler, citing his late-race speed on 1.5-mile tracks.
Meanwhile, drivers like Chase Briscoe, Erik Jones, rookie Riley Herbst, NASCAR veteran Brad Keselowski, and Ty Gibbs were under pressure—all needing a strong run to rebound from rocky starts to their seasons.
Sunday’s Showdown—Larson Rules the Day
In a weekend of high hopes and high stakes, Kyle Larson rose to the occasion. Amid a final-lap miscue by teammate Alex Bowman—who slammed into the outside retaining wall with just six laps to go—Larson seized the lead and sped off to take the checkered flag by 1.205 seconds.
That win marked Larson’s 30th Cup Series victory—a statement that after showing up strong in Trucks and qualifying mid-pack for the Cup race, he still had what it takes.
Finishing out the top three: Alex Bowman in second and Bubba Wallace in third.
What’s Next
The 2025 Homestead weekend delivered a revival of old tradition mixed with fresh drama. While Homestead is no longer the season-ending finale, it remains a fan favorite for its fast, driver-friendly layout and breathless triple-header format.
As for Larson—his weekend sweep continues to deepen his legacy, showing that in NASCAR’s new era, he remains one of the most complete and versatile competitors on track.
With the championship stretch still months away, fans and drivers alike are already looking ahead—but few will forget March 23, 2025.