For the first time in nearly a decade, the fall NASCAR race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway will return to the historic 1.5-mile oval, as NASCAR revives its iconic Chase format and officials answer the call of fans who have long celebrated the speedway’s oval-racing roots.

Since 2018, Charlotte’s fall event has been contested on the challenging ROVAL™, an innovative road course-oval hybrid that delivered playoff drama. But with fan enthusiasm at a fever pitch for intermediate ovals and a return to The Chase, speedway officials determined the time is right to bring fall racing back to where many legendary moments were made.

“Charlotte Motor Speedway has always been about innovations and opportunity,” said Marcus Smith, president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports. “The ROVAL™ delivered dramatic racing when many fans were calling for a road course in the playoffs. Now there’s an energy around the return of The Chase and fans are seeing the excitement that oval racing continues to generate on mile-and-a-half tracks. This feels like the time to bring the fall race back to the legendary oval at a place where NASCAR history is made every year.”

From hard-fought playoff battles to iconic victories on the 24-degree high banks, Charlotte’s October NASCAR weekend has long been synonymous with speed, strategy and season-defining moments. This fall’s Bank of America 400 marks a return to the configuration that hosted Charlotte’s superspeedway event from 1960 through 2017.

“For more than 20 years, Bank of America has been proud to put our name on the fall NASCAR event at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” said Kieth Cockrell, president, Bank of America Charlotte. “The return to oval racing and the Chase format in the Bank of America 400 will generate even more excitement for NASCAR fans this fall, and we are thrilled to continue to be a part of this great Charlotte tradition.”

All three of NASCAR’s national series will compete on the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway as NASCAR racing returns to Charlotte for The Chase Oct. 9-11. The weekend lineup includes:

  • Friday: EcoSave 250, CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (5 p.m.; FOX, NRN, SiriusXM)
  • Saturday: Blue Cross NC 250, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (4 p.m.; CW, PRN, SiriusXM)
  • Sunday: Bank of America 400, Cup Series (3 p.m.; USA, PRN, SiriusXM)

“The voice of the passionate NASCAR fan is the starting point of every decision 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,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR president. “As The Chase returns, we are putting a spotlight on performance while honoring the tracks and traditions that have defined championship moments. Charlotte Motor Speedway’s historic oval has played a central role in some of the sport’s most memorable races, so bringing The Chase back to the 1.5-mile configuration for our fans simply felt right.”

Among the memorable moments of fall oval racing at Charlotte, NASCAR Hall of Famer Buddy Baker and FOX Sports analyst Jamie McMurray captured their first Cup victories in October at CMS. More recently, Cup Series champions Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski earned their place as the only two active drivers to have won a fall Cup race on the Charlotte oval.

“Moving the fall Charlotte race back to the oval really brings the sport back to its roots,” Keselowski said. “That race has so much history, and winning there is a big deal that I’ve been fortunate to do. The racing with the Next Gen car at Charlotte has been some of the best we’ve seen anywhere, and I think putting it back on the oval is going to create an incredible show. It’s the kind of race our fans expect and deserve.”

Chase Briscoe, who won the first ever national series race on the ROVAL – the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Blue Cross NC 250 in 2018 – also expressed his support for returning to the traditional 1.5-mile oval.

“I am pumped that we will be racing on the oval twice at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2026,” said Briscoe, driver of the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. “The ROVAL is a really special track in my career since I won the first race on the configuration, but with how the oval racing has been at Charlotte, I think the fans deserve two races on the track. As a race in The Chase, I think it will be a great event to showcase the best of our sport and still provide great racing for the fans.”

With its return to the oval on Columbus Day weekend, the fall showcase of speed will serve as a NASCAR homecoming. Charlotte is the only place where fans can immerse themselves in the sport’s history with a visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame or visit their favorite driver’s race shop, many of which host special fan events around the Bank of America 400 weekend, before catching all of the on-track action at America’s Home for Racing.

The fall event follows May’s traditional Memorial Day weekend at the Coca-Cola 600, which will feature an unparalleled celebration honoring America’s 250th birthday with a rousing salute to the U.S. Armed Forces and NASCAR’s toughest test – a 600-mile endurance event that challenges drivers and crew chiefs alike in a race that begins on hot afternoon asphalt and ends under the lights.

How to get tickets

Tickets for the fall NASCAR weekend, including the EcoSave 250, Blue Cross NC 250 and Bank of America 400, are available now. Fans looking for the best value can purchase NASCAR season ticket packages which include both the Coca-Cola 600 and Bank of America 400 tripleheader race weekends with discounted tickets, free preferred parking, gift shop discounts and free Blue Cross NC 250 tickets. Fans who have already purchased fall race weekend tickets and have further questions should contact the ticket office by calling 800-455-FANS (3267). For ticket information, schedule updates and more, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.