NASCAR heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for one of the biggest and busiest weekends of the entire 2026 season, with the Coca-Cola 600 anchoring a packed slate of on-track action.
From the Craftsman Truck Series to the O’Reilly Series and Cup Series, the weekend will feature multiple practice sessions, qualifying runs, and marquee races — all leading into Sunday night’s crown-jewel event under the lights.
Charlotte consistently delivers one of NASCAR’s most important race weekends of the year, blending speed, endurance, playoff implications, and major storylines across every national series.
Here’s the full Charlotte NASCAR weekend schedule, plus what fans should be watching throughout the weekend.
Friday, May 22 — Trucks Open the Coca-Cola 600 Weekend
Charlotte’s race weekend officially gets underway Friday with a full day dedicated to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The day starts with Truck Series practice before qualifying sets the lineup for Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200.
Friday Schedule — Charlotte Motor Speedway
- 3:30 p.m. ET — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Practice (FS2)
- 4:35 p.m. ET — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying (FS2)
- 7:30 p.m. ET — North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (FS1, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
- Post-race — NASCAR Press Pass
Charlotte’s Truck Series race has developed a reputation for producing aggressive racing and dramatic late-race restarts, especially as younger drivers try to make statements on one of NASCAR’s biggest stages.
The intermediate layout at Charlotte Motor Speedway also gives teams an early look at how tire wear, long-run balance, and track position could impact the rest of the weekend.
Saturday, May 23 — Cup Series Practice & Qualifying Headlines Busy Charlotte Slate
Saturday could end up being one of the most important days of the entire Coca-Cola 600 weekend, with both the NASCAR Cup Series and O’Reilly Series taking the track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The day begins with O’Reilly Series practice and qualifying before Cup Series teams finally get their first true look at long-run speed ahead of Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600.
Cup practice at Charlotte is always closely watched throughout the garage because of how quickly track conditions can evolve across a 600-mile race weekend.
Saturday Schedule — Charlotte Motor Speedway
- 11:00 a.m. ET — NASCAR O’Reilly Series Practice (CW App)
- 12:05 p.m. ET — NASCAR O’Reilly Series Qualifying (CW App)
- 1:30 p.m. ET — NASCAR Cup Series Practice (Prime Video, PRN)
- 2:40 p.m. ET — NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying (Prime Video, PRN)
- Post-qualifying — NASCAR Press Pass
- 5:00 p.m. ET — Charbroil 300 (CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
- Post-race — NASCAR Press Pass
Charlotte qualifying can often create major storylines because of how critical track position becomes on intermediate tracks, especially during long green-flag runs.
The Cup Series practice session should also provide the clearest early indicator of which organizations have unloaded with legitimate race-winning speed for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600.
Meanwhile, the O’Reilly Series race gives younger drivers a major opportunity to shine during one of NASCAR’s biggest weekends of the season.
Sunday, May 24 — Coca-Cola 600 Caps Off NASCAR’s Biggest Weekend
Sunday night brings the main event, as the NASCAR Cup Series takes center stage for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
At 600 miles and 400 laps, the Coca-Cola 600 remains the longest race on the NASCAR calendar and one of the sport’s ultimate endurance tests.
Drivers and teams must manage changing track conditions from daylight into nighttime racing while balancing tire wear, fuel strategy, pit execution, and long-run speed over four grueling stages.
Sunday Schedule — Charlotte Motor Speedway
- 6:00 p.m. ET — Coca-Cola 600 (Prime Video, HBO Max, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
- Post-race — NASCAR Press Pass
The Coca-Cola 600 has historically produced some of NASCAR’s most dramatic moments, especially late in races when strategy calls and cautions can completely reshape the running order.
Charlotte’s intermediate layout also tends to reward teams capable of maintaining balance over extended green-flag runs, making long-run pace one of the biggest storylines entering Sunday night.
The race is also viewed as a major measuring stick inside the garage, with strong performances at Charlotte often signaling which organizations are legitimate championship threats heading into the summer stretch.
Why Charlotte Weekend Matters So Much
Charlotte Motor Speedway has long been considered one of NASCAR’s measuring-stick tracks.
The Coca-Cola 600 is often viewed as one of the toughest races to win because of its length, evolving track conditions, and the sheer precision required over 400 laps.
Strong runs at Charlotte can also signal which organizations are finding speed heading into the heart of the summer schedule.
Beyond the Cup Series implications, the weekend also gives younger drivers in the Truck and O’Reilly Series a major platform in front of one of the largest audiences of the season.
Key Storylines to Watch at Charlotte
- Which Cup teams unload with elite long-run speed
- Whether tire wear becomes a major factor during the 600
- Drivers attempting to rebound after rough recent stretches
- Young Truck Series drivers looking to capitalize on national attention
- Pit strategy and track position under changing day-to-night conditions
- How playoff positioning could begin tightening before summer
What to Expect This Weekend
Charlotte traditionally rewards teams that can maintain speed over long green-flag runs while avoiding mistakes on pit road.
The Coca-Cola 600 especially tends to create wildly different racing conditions from the start of the race to the finish, often forcing teams to constantly adjust setups throughout the night.
Expect:
- Multiple groove racing
- Long green-flag runs
- Heavy emphasis on pit strategy
- Tire management becoming critical late in runs
- Aggressive restarts throughout all three national series
Final Takeaway
From Friday’s Truck Series showdown to Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway will once again deliver one of NASCAR’s most important weekends of the season.
Every session throughout the weekend could provide critical clues about which drivers and teams are prepared to make serious moves as the season intensifies.
Charlotte NASCAR Weekend Schedule: Full Coca-Cola 600 Weekend Lineup & Key Storylines