NASCAR Charlotte Race Delayed Again:The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is dealing with a big schedule shift at Charlotte Motor Speedway, because persistent rain just kept showing up, delayed the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 that everyone was hyped to see. Fans were first supposed to get Friday night action, but weather made NASCAR officials postpone it more than once.
As per the latest NASCAR race scheduling updates, the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 is now set to kick off at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday May 23. The broadcast will air on FS1 and coverage will also be available via SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
NASCAR Charlotte Race Delayed Again: Why?
Heavy rain, and generally unstable conditions around the Charlotte area, threw a wrench into Friday’s plans pretty much right away. NASCAR had already moved up the green flag time earlier, trying to sneak around the storms, but the weather got worse right before the trucks were set to officially take the track
Even the restart attempt Saturday morning didn’t work, since rainfall stayed around the region. Eventually, NASCAR confirmed a second postponement, and moved the race into prime time Saturday night.
Updated North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Start Time
Here is the latest official race information for NASCAR fans:
- Race: North Carolina Education Lottery 200
- Series: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
- Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
- New Start Time: 9 p.m. ET, Saturday
- TV Channel: FS1
- Radio Coverage: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and NASCAR Racing Network
Is there a chance of rain ruining the rescheduled 9:00 PM slot?
Unfortunately for race fans, the threat of further delays remains a serious concern. The local evening forecast indicates a 70% chance of precipitation and 40% chance of thunderstorms during the nighttime hours, with winds shifting from the northeast at 7 mph.
Corey Day Replaces Kyle Busch In Charlotte
One of the biggest stories entering the weekend is the sudden replacement of NASCAR superstar Kyle Busch.
Young rising driver Corey Day has officially taken over driving duties in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet for the Charlotte Truck Series race.
Day was originally announced as Busch’s replacement after Busch was hospitalized earlier in the week with a severe illness. NASCAR and Busch’s family later confirmed the tragic death of the two-time Cup Series champion at the age of 41.
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Corey Day Starts From Pole Position
Since qualifying got canceled because of the weather, NASCAR just went ahead and built the starting lineup off its performance metric formula or whatever, not the usual way. In the end it put Corey Day on the pole for Saturday night’s race.
The @SpireMotorsport truck that was slated to be driven this weekend by Kyle Busch(now Corey Day) being uncovered so it can be pushed back to the garage. Busch’s name still above the door.
Truck race @CLTMotorSpdwy postponed to after the O’Reilly Series race. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/1PKgH0uGzr
— Richard Allen/MotorsportsReport (@RichardAllenMSR) May 23, 2026
Day comes into the weekend with real, like growing momentum after some really solid runs in NASCAR development competition. The 20-year-old driver has shown up fast and basically has become one of the sport’s brightest young talents.
NASCAR Community Honors Kyle Busch
Since the confirmation of Kyle Busch’s passing, tributes have been flowing all over the NASCAR world. Teams, drivers and fans stopped by and honored Busch during events at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with heartfelt messages posted around the grounds and along the track.
View this post on Instagram
At the same time, Richard Childress Racing said it will suspend the iconic No. 8 car for the rest of the Cup Series season, as a tribute to Busch.
