CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s race week at the Charlotte Motor Speedway . With the ROVAL 400 this Sunday, the weather won’t just affect the fans in the stands, it impacts the track as well.

Scotty Powell, a meteorologist at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, explains that racing and weather are closely linked, and conditions on the track can make or break a race.

Hot weather? That makes the track slick, cars tougher to handle, and spinouts more likely. Fans feel it too, and that’s why the speedway sets up cooling stations, shaded areas and hydration spots. Cooler weather is a different story. Engines get a horsepower boost, tires grip better and the speeds climb higher.

But the biggest weather threat? Lightning. Storms are tracked 20 miles out. At 12 miles, the staff prepares for evacuation. And if

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