NASCAR drivers share why a trip to Victory Lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway remains a defining accomplishment
Bank of America 400 weekend tickets are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under can experience the action all weekend for just $10, and fans can take their race-day experience to the next level with a Track Pass upgrade featuring stage-front access, driver introductions and Sunday’s pre-race concert
CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 30, 2026) – A win at Charlotte Motor Speedway means more than another trophy on the shelf. As Bank of America 400 weekend returns Oct. 9-11, drivers from NASCAR’s top three national series reflect on the significance of reaching Victory Lane at one of the sport’s most iconic venues.
From childhood dreams to career milestones, winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway represents a special achievement for drivers chasing success at America’s Home for Racing. Ahead of race weekend, NASCAR competitors share what makes a victory at the 1.5-mile oval one they will never forget.
Kyle Larson, No. 5, NASCAR Cup Series, Hendrick Motorsports
“Getting a win at Charlotte would be great not only for the points, but just getting a win at home is cool for everybody in the shop. You usually have a lot of people from the race team there at the track, so everybody kind of feels like a part of the win even more than they do for other wins, so winning at Charlotte has always been important.”
Justin Allgaier, No. 7, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, JR Motorsports
“As somebody that’s been lucky enough to win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, I didn’t really understand what it meant until I was able to win there. I remember as a kid coming to the racetrack, and probably my most vivid memory was Dale Earnhardt Sr. in the silver GM Goodwrench car and the start of the All-Star race and all of the flashbulbs going off, and I just remember thinking to myself, if I ever have the opportunity to race here, it would mean more than I can ever imagine. To be able to not only race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and make my O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut there, but also to get my first win there was huge. The problem is, is that it just makes you crave more wins there. You want to keep coming back and winning because you know how special it is and how important it is and how much gravity it really holds within the whole ecosystem of NASCAR.”
Chris Buescher, No. 17, NASCAR Cup Series, RFK Racing
“We get to put another trophy up on the shelf and celebrate again. Charlotte is a lot of fun; it’s got so much character. I grew up racing on the quarter mile on the front stretch there. So I’ve seen the place, run as many laps down there as I have on the big track at this point, but it is just a special place that I’ve been going to since I was 13 years old now.”
Tyler Ankrum, No. 18, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
“With Charlotte Motor Speedway being the first night race in the modern era of NASCAR marketing, to add your name to that list is a dream come true for every driver and we’re all living the dream out here, but we all have certain racetracks that it just makes that a little bit more special, and Charlotte is one of those. Just to be on that list and to know when you come back every single time like, ‘Hey, this, this is one of the tracks that I won at,’ It’s such a colossal property. It’s just an incredible race to win.”
Daniel Hemric, No. 19, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
“Winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway? Something I’ve yet to be able to do in a NASCAR vehicle. I was fortunate to do it a lot in the short track levels. Gosh, it’s just an iconic place. I think of Bruton Smith, the Smith family, the vision, the goals of creating that racetrack to be what it is. I don’t know if Bruton could ever imagine it would turn into what it has turned into, and now Marcus does an incredible job with his team and SMI is to have it be a crown jewel stop on the schedule twice a year. Just knowing that you’ve been able to win there and take advantage of the opportunity. It’s something that most don’t get a chance to do.”
Rajah Caruth, No. 88, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, JR Motorsports
“Winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway would mean the world because any win is a big deal. Doesn’t matter what series, what racetrack, what day; any win is a big deal, and to win at Charlotte is great. It’s typically a home race, so to speak, right, because most of us live in the Charlotte area. I mean, I’m one of the many drivers that race at the quarter mile on the front stretch, raced at the fifth mile on the backstretch, the road course and Legend Cars and whatnot, and I’ve been fast in ARCA, Trucks and O’Reilly, so it would be amazing to get a win at Charlotte.”
Ben Rhodes, No. 99, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ThorSport Racing
“Personally, for me, what makes winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway so special is that I grew up watching that on TV, and I grew up racing on the quarter-mile track they had in the back of the racetrack. I grew up racing on the quarter-mile track in the infield. I grew up racing on the road course in the infield. It was the first big NASCAR racetrack that I made a lap around just as a fan. So, to me, there’s a lot of history there; adding my name to the record book as a winner, it was surreal. It was very surreal to me that I had been in so many different series and so many different races all around the facility, but I’d never won anything on the big track. So having done that, it was just like a childhood goal that I was able to check that box.”
TICKETS:
Bank of America 400 weekend tickets are available now at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Deals from college tickets, flexible payment options and the best kids pricing in sports through the Dollar Tree “More Fun. More Value.” program, it’s easier than ever to be part of the action.
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