Nascar Sprint Cup Series
Kyle Busch will look to defend his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title next month as the 2016 season inches closer. Getty

Now that the calendar has flipped to 2016, racing season is almost upon us. The NASCAR Sprint Cup season begins just seven weeks from now with Kyle Busch looking to defend his 2015 title.

The Sprint Cup kicks off Saturday, Feb. 13 with the non-points Sprint Unlimited race at Daytona International Speedway as fans get a look at the $400 million reimagining of the track as part of the Daytona Rising project. The Can-Am Duels follow on Thursday, Feb. 18 with Daytona Speedweeks culminating in the Great American Race, the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 21.

There has also been some movement and changes concerning big-name drivers entering the new season, as well. Whether it be due to a contract running out or a team going in a new direction, not a season goes by where teams do not acquire new drivers. Jeff Gordon retired following the 2015 season and Chase Elliott will be taking over the No. 24 car in 2016. Brian Scott will be taking over the No. 9, driven in 2014 by Sam Hornish Jr., while Clint Bowyer will be joining HScott Motorsports in 2016 before making the jump to Stewart- Haas Racing in 2017 to replace Tony Stewart. Jeffrey Earnhardt will run most of the 2016 schedule in the No. 32 in 2016 while defending Xfinity Series champion Chris Bescher jumps into the No. 34 car in the Sprint Cup Series.

The 2015 Sprint Cup season saw 12 different winners in 36 races, with four of those drivers - Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and Kyle Busch - winning five or more races. Heading into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, many could have figured those four could be the Championship 4 competing for the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway. However, it was only Busch in the Championship 4 and he would go on to win the final race of the season and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship in the Ford EcoBoost 400.

Below is the full schedule for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season:

Sat, Feb. 13: SPRINT UNLIMITED - Daytona International Speedway

Thu, Feb. 18: BUDWEISER DUEL #1 - Daytona International Speedway

Thu, Feb. 18: BUDWEISER DUEL #2 - Daytona International Speedway

Sun, Feb 21: DAYTONA 500 - Daytona International Speedway

Sun, Feb. 28: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT ATLANTA - Atlanta Motor Speedway

Sun, Mar. 6: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT LAS VEGAS - Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Sun, Mar. 13: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT PHOENIX - Phoenix International Raceway

Sun, Mar. 20: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT CALIFORNIA - Auto Club Speedway

Sun, Apr. 3: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT MARTINSVILLE - Martinsville Speedway

Sat, Apr. 9: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT TEXAS -Texas Motor Speedway

Sun, Apr. 17: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT BRISTOL - Bristol Motor Speedway

Sun, Apr. 24: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT RICHMOND - Richmond International Raceway

Sun, May. 1: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT TALLADEGA - Talladega Superspeedway

Sat, May. 7: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT KANSAS CITY - Kansas Speedway

Sun, May. 15: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT DOVER - Dover International Speedway

Sat, May. 21: NASCAR SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE - Charlotte Motor Speedway

Sat, May. 21: SPRINT SHOWDOWN - Charlotte Motor Speedway

Sun, May. 29: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT CHARLOTTE - Charlotte Motor Speedway

Sun, Jun. 5: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT POCONO - Pocono Raceway

Sun, Jun. 12: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT MICHIGAN - Michigan International Speedway

Sun, Jun. 26: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT SONOMA - Sonoma

Sat, Jul. 2: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT DAYTONA - Daytona International Speedway

Sat, Jul. 9: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT KENTUCKY - Kentucky Speedway

Sun, Jul. 17: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT NEW HAMPSHIRE - New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Sun, Jul. 24: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT THE BRICKYARD - Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Sun, Jul. 31: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT POCONO - Pocono Raceway

Sun, Aug. 7: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT WATKINS GLEN - Watkins Glen International

Sat, Aug. 20: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT BRISTOL - Bristol Motor Speedway

Sun, Aug. 28: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT MICHIGAN - Michigan International Speedway

Sun, Sep. 4: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT DARLINGTON - Darlington Raceway

Sat, Sep. 10: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AT RICHMOND - Richmond Internation Speedway

The Sprint Cup Chase for the Cup begins on Sept. 18 at Chicagoland Speedway and runs through Nov. 20 ay Homestead-Miami Speedway.