NASCAR unveils 2012 schedule; Fontana race is March 25

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The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Fontana will be held March 25 as part of the 2012 schedule announced Wednesday.

The 36-race season opens with the sport’s crown-jewel Daytona 500 on Feb. 26, followed by races at Phoenix International Raceway (March 4) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 11).

After crossing the country to race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the Cup series returns West for its race at the two-mile Auto Club Speedway oval in Fontana on March 25.

NASCAR also noted that the fall race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, which this year is the sixth race in the series’ 10-race Chase for the Cup championship playoff, will be moved up two weeks next year to Oct. 7 as the fourth race in the Chase.

The series finale is Nov. 18 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

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-- Jim Peltz