NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series drivers share why they’re excited to return to Charlotte Motor Speedway’s historic oval for the NASCAR Chase and Bank of America 400 weekend, Oct. 9-11.
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. 15, 2026) – When the NASCAR Chase returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway this October, drivers will take on the iconic 1.5-mile oval for the first time since 2017.
Ahead of the triple-header Bank of America 400 weekend, here’s what some of NASCAR’s biggest stars had to say about the return to the oval on one of the sport’s premier tracks and why they’re eager to battle for a Playoff win on the historic oval once again.
Jesse Love, No. 2, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Richard Childress Racing
“Well, I love the racetrack. I think every driver probably agrees that the Charlotte oval is top two, top three or the best intermediate (track) on the schedule right now. The way the track’s aged and the character it has, and obviously we all love racing at home. It’s a track that I feel like I’m very good at and had a good shot to win at earlier this year, and was obviously pretty frustrated with how that one ended, but looking forward to trying to get some redemption there.”
Justin Allgaier, No. 7, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, JR Motorsports
“As somebody that’s grown up in the sport and the oval has just been synonymous with what I think of when I think of Charlotte Motor Speedway, I’m super excited to get the oval back into our Chase, and just especially with the success that we’ve had as a company in JR Motorsports, it makes it that much easier for myself to want to go back to the oval. I still love the ROVAL™, and I love the style of racing, but I just feel like for us, and for where the sport’s at right now, the oval puts on such amazing racing that it’s hard to walk away from that.”
Chase Elliott, No. 9, NASCAR Cup Series, Hendrick Motorsports
“I think it just fits. Charlotte’s a staple on our schedule, and I also think it fits really well coming back in the Chase format. It just always was a really exciting event every fall that I always looked forward to as a fan, kind of growing up watching, so excited to have that back and in what I view to be a pure form.”
Denny Hamlin, No. 11, NASCAR Cup Series, Joe Gibbs Racing
“I’m really looking forward to going back to the Charlotte oval. I think that the results really speak for themselves. The couple of times that we’ve been on the oval just seems like the racing is second to none there. We’ve had some great (Coca-Cola) 600s over the last few years. Some fantastic finishes there. Add the Chase atmosphere into that, and you’re probably going to have a pretty good product.”
Ryan Blaney, No. 12, NASCAR Cup Series, Team Penske
“I enjoyed the ROVAL™ for a bit. I thought it was a really big leap in NASCAR. It’s really funny because in 2018, everyone thought that NASCAR was crazy, doing the ROVAL™, and now look where we are racing on naval bases and the streets of Chicago and stuff like that. I like that it’s back at the oval. I think you have so many options at that place. You can kind of flip-flop it bi-yearly or whatever you want to do with it. But it’s nice to, you know, to have Charlotte Motor Speedway back in the Chase on the oval. I think that racetrack puts on a heck of a show. It’s a really, really worn racetrack, rough. So it’s going to be a heck of a show.”
Chase Briscoe, No. 19, NASCAR Cup Series, Joe Gibbs Racing
“I’m super excited for it to be back on the oval. Personally, I like the ROVAL™ too, but I think the oval has had such great racing, especially in this next-gen car. I think it’s the best track on the schedule, truthfully. So, I’m just excited to have another chance to go run the oval at Charlotte, and you had to do it in the hot and slick middle of the afternoon. It’s going to be a blast.”
Christopher Bell, No. 20, Joe Gibbs Racing
“Having 400 miles at Charlotte is going to make the race feel completely different than the Coca-Cola 600. The intensity is going to be through the roof.”
TICKETS:
Bank of America 400 weekend tickets are available now at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under can experience all the action for just $10, and fans can elevate their race-day experience with a Track Pass upgrade featuring stage-front access, driver introductions and Sunday’s pre-race concert.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following X, Instagram and Facebook, or by downloading the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.
