Chase rules package, 2016 NASCAR schedule coming soon

NASCAR Sprint Cup teams could know within a week what aero package will be used during the Chase for the Sprint Cup and could know within about a month the 2016 schedule, NASCAR's Steve O'Donnell said Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This weekend's Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway marks the return of the high-drag aero package first tried last month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

While the package was criticized by some drivers after that race, NASCAR hopes the package will work better at Michigan.

O'Donnell told "The Morning Drive" on Tuesday that Sprint Cup teams will be told what aero package will be used for the Chase "either towards the end of this week or coming right out of Michigan. Want to lock that in for the race teams. Not lost on us is how much work has been done by all our teams to prepare to even get us to Michigan and then Darlington. We're really appreciative of the hard work, and we owe it to them to get the word out now and let them prepare for the Chase."

O'Donnell said talks continue as NASCAR looks to finalize the 2016 schedule. As for when the schedule could be ready, O'Donnell told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio: "I think we're probably three to four weeks away. We've got some work still with the racetracks." NBC Sports