CONCORD, N.C. – When this year’s Bank of America 500 rolls around at Charlotte Motor Speedway, it will be in its original time slot.
The October race will be back on Sunday afternoon, moving from a Saturday night event.
Now, the race is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 8 – meaning Charlotte now has events at night (NASCAR All-Star Race), in the evening (600-mile race) and in the afternoon (Bank of America 500).
"Charlotte’s so tricky, especially when the sun’s out,” Jimmie Johnson said. "And the track’s finally aging and getting to a place with a lot of character (so) that a day race will allow us to run so many more lanes and, I think, create such an entertaining and compelling race."
"I’m really excited for a hot, slick, day race."
Pole night will still be held under the lights at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 6.
"You've got a better opportunity for a good race during the day," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. "There's a bit of a science to it – the track surface is hotter, the track is slicker and the groove is wider. You want guys sliding around, having to get out of the gas and able to move around.
"That's why I think Charlotte races better during the day. In practice during the day, you see us running against the wall and moving all over the place. That's what you'd see in the race. I think this is a good move for Charlotte."
Average afternoon highs for the Charlotte area in early October range from 72 to 75 degrees, so the move could mean an ideal Sunday of racing at the 1.5-mile track.