Charlotte’s October Race Returns To The Oval

CONCORD, N.C. — For the primary time in practically a decade, the autumn NASCAR race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway will return to the historic 1.5-mile oval.

Since 2018, Charlotte’s fall occasion has been contested on the difficult ROVAL, an progressive street course-oval hybrid that delivered playoff drama.

However with fan enthusiasm for intermediate ovals and a return to The Chase, speedway officers decided the time is correct to carry fall racing again to the place many legendary moments have been made.

“Charlotte Motor Speedway has all the time been about improvements and alternative,” mentioned Marcus Smith, president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports. “The ROVAL delivered dramatic racing when many followers have been calling for a street course within the playoffs. Now there’s an vitality across the return of The Chase and followers are seeing the joy that oval racing continues to generate on mile-and-a-half tracks. This feels just like the time to carry the autumn race again to the legendary oval at a spot the place NASCAR historical past is made yearly.”

From hard-fought playoff battles to iconic victories on the 24-degree excessive banks, Charlotte’s October NASCAR weekend has lengthy been synonymous with velocity, technique and season-defining moments.

This fall’s Financial institution of America 400 marks a return to the configuration that hosted Charlotte’s superspeedway occasion from 1960 by 2017.

“For greater than 20 years, Financial institution of America has been proud to place our title on the autumn NASCAR occasion at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” mentioned Kieth Cockrell, president, Financial institution of America Charlotte. “The return to oval racing and the Chase format within the Financial institution of America 400 will generate much more pleasure for NASCAR followers this fall, and we’re thrilled to proceed to be part of this nice Charlotte custom.”

All three of NASCAR’s nationwide collection will compete on the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway as NASCAR racing returns to Charlotte for The Chase Oct. 9/11.

“The voice of the passionate NASCAR fan is the start line of each choice we make, and Marcus, Speedway Motorsports and NASCAR heard them loud and clear – with the return of The Chase, let’s return to the oval at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” mentioned Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR president. “As The Chase returns, we’re placing a highlight on efficiency whereas honoring the tracks and traditions which have outlined championship moments. Charlotte Motor Speedway’s historic oval has performed a central function in a few of the sport’s most memorable races, so bringing The Chase again to the 1.5-mile configuration for our followers merely felt proper.”

Among the many memorable moments of fall oval racing at Charlotte, NASCAR Corridor of Famer Buddy Baker and FOX Sports activities analyst Jamie McMurray every captured their first Cup victories in October at CMS. Extra not too long ago, Cup Sequence champions Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski earned their place as the one two energetic drivers to have received a fall Cup race on the Charlotte oval.

“Transferring the autumn Charlotte race again to the oval actually brings the game again to its roots,” Keselowski mentioned. “That race has a lot historical past, and successful there’s a massive deal that I’ve been lucky to do. The racing with the Subsequent Gen automobile at Charlotte has been a few of the greatest we’ve seen wherever, and I feel placing it again on the oval goes to create an unimaginable present. It’s the form of race our followers anticipate and deserve.”

Chase Briscoe, who received the primary nationwide collection race on the ROVAL – the O’Reilly Auto Components Sequence’ Blue Cross NC 250 in 2018 – additionally expressed his assist for returning to the standard 1.5-mile oval.

“I’m pumped that we are going to be racing on the oval twice at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2026,” mentioned Briscoe, driver of the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. “The ROVAL is a extremely particular observe in my profession since I received the primary race on the configuration, however with how the oval racing has been at Charlotte, I feel the followers deserve two races on the observe. As a race in The Chase, I feel it will likely be a terrific occasion to showcase the perfect of our sport and nonetheless present nice racing for the followers.”