Charlotte is the capital of American motorsports. The Charlotte Mercury covers NASCAR not as a national racing beat, but as a local industry, because the teams, the money, and the decisions that shape the sport all happen within 30 miles of Uptown.
Series
Cup, O'Reilly Series, Trucks
Local Tracks
Charlotte Motor Speedway
HQ Teams
Hendrick, JRM, Gibbs, RCR, 23XI
Coverage
Races + Business
What We Cover
Race coverage and analysis for the Cup Series, O'Reilly Series, and Trucks, with particular attention to Charlotte-based teams. JR Motorsports won at Bristol with Connor Zilisch and put three cars in the top five, the kind of organizational depth story we cover. The Dash 4 Cash bonus races and what they reveal about the economics of the O'Reilly Series series. The business of NASCAR: team ownership (including Darius Rucker's entry into the sport), sponsorship deals, media rights, and the money that flows through the Charlotte motorsports corridor. Driver development from short tracks to the national series.
Why It Matters
Hendrick Motorsports, JR Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Richard Childress Racing, 23XI Racing, Trackhouse Racing. Most of the Cup and O'Reilly Series garage operates within a 30-mile radius of Charlotte. When JRM wins at Bristol with three cars in the top five, or Rajah Caruth chases the Dash 4 Cash, or Darius Rucker joins the ownership ranks, these are Charlotte industry stories. The races are the product. Charlotte is where the product gets built.
Standings & Schedules
Full national standings and schedules, updated after every race:
- NASCAR Cup Series standings · schedule · guide
- O'Reilly Series standings · schedule · guide
- Craftsman Truck Series standings · schedule · guide
- CARS Tour standings · schedule · guide
