Charlotte Sprint Cup,XFINITY races both set for Sunday

RELATED: Weather updates from Charlotte | Update schedule for Charlotte

The effects of Hurricane Matthew reached far into North Carolina on Friday and Saturday as rain from the storm forced the cancellation of on-track activity at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including the postponement of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series races.


Sunday will be a NASCAR doubleheader with two races the same day on the same track for the second consecutive weekend.


The Sprint Cup Series race is scheduled to start at noon ET, with TV coverage simulcast on NBC and NBCSN (PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The XFINITY Series race would follow, with a projected start time of 4:30 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on NBCSN with the same radio coverage.


As of 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Hurricane Matthew was a Category 1 hurricane (down from a Category 4 on Thursday) and was causing severe damage along the South Carolina coast on its way northward.


Charlotte's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Bank of America 500, is the first race in the premier series' Round of 12 of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.


The Drive for the Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC is the final race in the XFINITY Series Chase's Round of 12. 


Two Sprint Cup Series practices were slated for Friday, and the NASCAR XFINITY Series was slated to have Coors Light Pole Qualifying as well. Those three events were canceled.

NASCAR’s Friday schedule for Charlotte

Both Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series teams are scheduled to be in action today at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with Xfinity teams competing in the Drive for the Cure 300.

Rain from Hurricane Matthew could impact today’s schedule.

Here is today’s schedule with TV and Radio times.

All times are Eastern.

11 a.m. – Xfinity garage opens

1:30 – 10 p.m. – Sprint Cup garage open

3:30 – 4:25 p.m. – Sprint Cup practice (NBCSN)

4:45 p.m.  – Xfinity qualifying; three rounds/multi-car (NBCSN)

6:15 p.m. – Xfinity driver-crew chief meeting

6:30 – 7:20 p.m. – Final Sprint Cup practice (NBCSN)

7:30 p.m. – Xfinity driver introductions

8 p.m. – Drive for the Cure 300; 200 laps, 300 miles (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Heads up: Charlotte weekend

Here are the hot topics, trending news and key story lines to get you ready for this weekend's races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

WEATHER

Hurricane Matthew could make this weekend very soggy. Or, Matthew could take a turn and not affect Charlotte weather much at all. Right now, the National Weather Service says a high of 73 and partly sunny Thursday, with Sprint Cup Coors Light Pole Qualifying scheduled for that evening at 7:20 p.m. ET. Rain is expected to roll in Friday afternoon after 3 p.m. ET, with a 60-percent chance of rain. The chance of rain rises to 70 percent Friday evening -- the XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC is scheduled for 8 p.m. -- and settles at 60 percent Saturday.

All of this is subject to rapid changes, however, with Matthew's path uncertain.

KEY TIMES



Sprint Cup Series: The Sprint Cup Series holds its first practice Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App), with Coors Light Pole qualifying at 7:20 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App).

 The Bank of America 500 is at 7 p.m. ET Saturday (NBC/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

XFINITY Series: The XFINITY Series opens practice Thursday at 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App) and qualifies Friday at 4:45 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App). The Drive for the Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC is Friday at 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).



CATCH DRIVERS LIVE



We'll stream every driver press conference in the Charlotte media center at NASCAR.com/presspass. Click here for a full schedule. Click here to tune into the live stream.

LAST TIME

The Bank of America 500 in 2015 was rained out and postponed until Sunday, but Joey Logano didn't suffer any ill effects from the delay. Logano led 227 of 334 laps en route to the first victory of his dominating Round of 12 in which he won all three races (Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega). 

YOU SHOULD KNOW


• Joey Logano returns to the race where his (shortlived) 2015 postseason dominance began. Logano swept the Round of 12 a year ago, but hasn't been nearly as triumphant this season, with just one win at Michigan in June. Still, in Logano's last eight races this season, he's had only one finish outside the top 10, and that was a near miss (11th). Is he on the verge of rediscovering last year's magic?

• Martin Truex Jr. has won three of the last five races (Darlington, Chicago and Dover), which now gives him more wins this season (four) than in the rest of his career, combined. And who can forget how Truex Jr. led all but eight laps at this track in May at the Coca-Cola 600? He's en fuego.

• This is a cut-off race for the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase, with only Elliott Sadler and Daniel Suarez guaranteed trips to the Round of 8 by virtue of their first-round victories. Early title favorites Ty Dillon (ninth) and Erik Jones (10th) currently are on the outside looking in, and a Charlotte win would guarantee a spot in the next round.

THE FAVORITE

Martin Truex Jr. Is there anyone hotter right now? Truex Jr. won at both Chicago and Dover in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup's opening round. Now, he's returning to the track where he had one of the most dominating performances in NASCAR history when he led 392 of 400 laps at the Coca-Cola 600 in May. It's hard to bet against him right now.

Others to consider: Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson.

THE SLEEPER

Austin Dillon. When Dillon needed a clutch performance last week in Dover, he came through with an eighth-place finish that pushed him through to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup's Round of 12. Charlotte is Dillon's second-best track, with a 12.8 average finish. Is he ready for a breakthrough?


Others to consider: Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin.

STAFF PICKS

Martin Truex Jr.: 3
Jimmie Johnson: 2
Kevin Harvick: 2
Brad Keselowski: 1
Kyle Busch: 1

Jeb Burton back in No. 98 for Xfinity Series race at Charlotte

Jeb Burton will compete in his 14th Xfinity Series race of the year this weekend in the Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Burton, the son of former Sprint Cup driver Ward Burton, will make his third start in the No. 98 Ford Mustang of Biagi-DenBeste Racing. Burton drove the No. 43 for Richard Petty Motorsports in the first 11 races of the year. For Biagi-DenBeste Racing he has started at Indianapolis and Richmond, with a best finish of 12th at Indy.

“Our goal this weekend is to maintain good track position and get another top-10 finish,” Burton said in a press release. “I’m ready to be back racing and bring home a top finish for the whole organization.”

Biagi-DenBeste Racing has one win this year. Aric Almirola took the No. 98 to victory lane in the July race at Daytona International Speedway for the team’s second win in the Xfinity Series in 210 starts.

Burton will be making just his 16th career Xfinity start. His last start for Richard Petty Motorsports came in the May race at Charlotte, where he finished 11th.