NASCAR Adjusts Saturday’s Schedule
NASCAR is making changes to its weekend schedule at Charlotte Motor Speedway as officials prepare for the possibility of bad weather connected to Hurricane Isaias. The adjustments will move O’Reilly Auto Parts Series practice and qualifying earlier on Saturday, giving teams an opportunity to get on track before conditions potentially worsen.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will now practice at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, with qualifying scheduled to follow at 9:35 a.m. The changes move both sessions two hours earlier than originally planned.
The schedule adjustment comes during an important stretch of the season, with the series’ Chase postseason continuing at Charlotte. Teams will have to adapt quickly to the earlier start and make sure their cars are ready when the track opens.
Race Time Remains Unchanged
Although practice and qualifying have been moved, the Blue Cross NC 300 is still scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Eastern on Saturday. The race will be broadcast on The CW, giving fans a chance to watch the O’Reilly Series take on Charlotte’s 1.5-mile oval.
The NASCAR Cup Series schedule has also been adjusted. Cup Series practice is scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by Busch Light Pole Qualifying at 12:05 p.m. Eastern.
Officials are monitoring the weather as Hurricane Isaias threatens parts of the southeastern United States. Moving the earlier sessions could provide NASCAR with more flexibility as it attempts to complete the weekend’s activities safely and on schedule.
A Busy Weekend at Charlotte
Charlotte is hosting all three of NASCAR’s national series this weekend, making weather an important factor for drivers, teams and fans.
The Craftsman Truck Series is scheduled to race Friday evening, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series takes center stage Saturday, and the Cup Series closes the weekend Sunday with the Bank of America 400.
For O’Reilly Series teams, the earlier practice and qualifying sessions mean a quicker start to Saturday. Crews will need to adjust their preparations while keeping their focus on the race.
With the Chase continuing, every session matters. NASCAR will continue evaluating conditions, and any additional schedule changes could become important if the weather threat increases.