From 2004 until 2010, the race served as the opening round of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, a ten-race "playoff" designed among the top ten (twelve as of 2007) drivers in the standings of the series following the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 to spur interest in a championship series while NASCAR faces competition from the start of the NFL season and college football, the pennant races and post-season of Major League Baseball and the outset of the NHL and NBA seasons. Beginning with the 2011 Chase, the race became the second race in the ten-race playoff; as in part of a new round of schedule realignment the Overton's 400 at Chicagoland Speedway moved from its traditional early July race date. On March 8, 2017 it was announced that the fall NHMS date would move to Las Vegas Motor Speedway starting in 2018.