NASCAR tried to get ahead of the weather at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mother Nature had other plans.
What was supposed to be a busy Saturday of practice, qualifying and racing has turned into a complete washout, forcing NASCAR to cancel all scheduled on-track activity and move the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race to Sunday.
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The decision sets up an unexpected doubleheader at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 11, with the Cup Series’ Bank of America 400 followed by the postponed Blue Cross NC 300.
It’s a significant change to a weekend that already had NASCAR officials watching the forecast closely. On Friday, the sanctioning body moved Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions two hours earlier, hoping to complete them before the anticipated rain arrived.
That contingency plan ultimately wasn’t enough.
Now, both national series will head into their respective races without Saturday’s scheduled practice or qualifying sessions, and fans planning to attend Charlotte will have an entirely different Sunday schedule to navigate.
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NASCAR Moves O’Reilly Series Race to Sunday, Creating Charlotte Doubleheader
The biggest scheduling change involves the Blue Cross NC 300, which had been scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.
Instead, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will race Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET, following the conclusion of the Cup Series event.
For now, the Bank of America 400 remains scheduled for its original 3 p.m. ET start on Sunday, with television coverage on USA Network.
Here’s the updated Charlotte Motor Speedway weekend schedule:
|
Date |
Event |
Start Time (ET) |
|
Saturday, Oct. 10 |
All scheduled on-track activity canceled. |
No racing. |
|
Sunday, Oct. 11 |
Cup Series Bank of America 400 |
3 p.m. |
|
Sunday, Oct. 11 |
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Blue Cross NC 300 |
8 p.m. |
The postponement also changes how both fields will line up.
With Cup qualifying canceled, NASCAR used its rulebook metric to determine Sunday’s starting order. Kyle Larson, who enters Charlotte leading the championship standings, will start from the pole alongside Chase Briscoe.
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The O’Reilly Series will also use the metric to set its field, with Carson Kvapil and Corey Day scheduled to share the front row.
For teams, losing practice and qualifying means going directly into race conditions without the opportunity to make the usual on-track preparations. That adds another wrinkle to an already important weekend, particularly for drivers fighting for postseason positions.
What Charlotte’s Weather Changes Mean for NASCAR Fans
The revised schedule also raises an important question for fans who purchased tickets specifically for Saturday’s race.
Charlotte Motor Speedway has confirmed that Saturday ticket holders can attend Sunday’s Cup Series race and sit in available seats. Those fans will also receive priority for reserved seating during the rescheduled O’Reilly Series event.
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Sunday ticket holders will retain priority seating for the Bank of America 400.
Fans who purchased Saturday tickets but cannot attend the rescheduled event may qualify for a credit toward a future race under Speedway Motorsports’ Weather Guarantee.
The changes come at a particularly important point in NASCAR’s season.
Sunday’s Bank of America 400 marks the sixth race of the 10-race Cup Series Chase, with Larson attempting to protect his championship lead against Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and the rest of the title contenders.
The O’Reilly Series has its own postseason battles unfolding, making the postponed Blue Cross NC 300 more than simply another race squeezed into the weekend.
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Charlotte was already shaping up to be an important stop on the championship calendar.
Now, with two races scheduled just hours apart and no Saturday track time to prepare, the stakes have taken on an added layer of uncertainty.
NASCAR couldn’t beat the rain Saturday. The hope now is that Sunday provides enough of a window to get both races completed.
