The release of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule Tuesday was good news for three tracks trying to increase attendance by improving the race-day experience for fans.

The regular fall stop at Atlanta Motor Speedway moved from late October to Labor Day weekend, with the Talladega Superspeedway taking Atlanta’s date on the last weekend of October. The Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., which had the Labor Day date, moves into Talladega’s current slot in early October, thereby giving its fans a break from usually oppressive heat.

“Where NASCAR gets its influence is from the track operators,” NASCAR president Mike Helton said during a teleconference Tuesday. “That’s what triggered the realignment — the track operators themselves and the cooperation between them. The schedule in the 60-plus years for NASCAR has been a work in progress to find the right place at the right time for the series. The result is a collaboration between the Auto Club Speedway and Atlanta.”

The benefit for Atlanta, according to AMS president Ed Clark, is getting a more favorable weekend, even if it’s not in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship.

“This is a win, win, win for all of us — for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the tracks and fans,” said Clark, who noted the Sprint Cup race will run on Sunday night. “We’ve been desiring a night race here in Atlanta for many years. We’re bringing Labor Day racing back to the Southeast. The opportunity to have a night event in a summertime setting on a holiday weekend overshadowed having a spot in the Chase.”

The Southern 500 was considered one of NASCAR’s major races when it was held at the Darlington Raceway on Labor Day weekend. When that race was switched to California, fans in the Southeast campaigned NASCAR to bring it back.

“We certainly don’t think we’re going to replace Darlington,” Clark said, “but what we’ve done is given Southeastern fans an opportunity to get an event back in the Southeast. We’ll be celebrating our 50th year of racing next year, and that weekend will be the keystone to that celebration. Our goal is to elevate the stature of that weekend. We hope it becomes a tradition in itself, much like Darlington did for years.”

Though Talladega’s race moves only three weeks, track president Rick Humphrey believes fans will benefit.

“The opportunity to be race number seven in the Chase is very appealing,” he said. “Moving even deeper in the Chase makes Talladega even more significant to the championship. Also, by moving to the end of October, coupled with Atlanta’s new date, that separates our two events, which is beneficial for both parties. Our race weekend falls on Halloween, which is something we also feel we can capitalize on.”

The only other significant change is the addition of an off week preceding Labor Day, giving teams a break before a final 12-week stretch to end the season.

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