INDIANAPOLIS – Fans attending this year’s Brickyard 400 will see plenty of action Sunday, Sept. 8, as qualifications and the 160-lap race will now be held on the same day.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles announced the change during a promotional event in front of civic leaders and community partners on Friday. According to Boles, the reason for the change is because of the positive fan feedback he received after holding both the NASCAR Cup Series and XFINITY Series races on the same day last year.

“Fans gave us some feedback that it was really cool to have more content on race day,” Boles said. “Really from the beginning of the Brickyard, if you’ve come on race day, all you’ve really gotten is the race. So, this is putting a little more content there.”

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Outside of that, Boles said things will stay relatively similar for the Brickyard. Well, outside of hoping that rain won’t spoil the early September weekend.

Once again, the Driven2SaveLives BC39 dirt track race — which drew more than 13,000 people last year — will again kick things off Sept. 4-5. XFINITY Series practice and the hauler parade are on Sept. 6, the Indiana 250 and FGL Fest — where musicians like Florida Georgia Line, Dan + Shay, Nelly and more will perform — and the 400 will round everything out Sunday.

Boles says the goal is to grow the Brickyard as an event, similar to the Indianapolis 500.

“We felt really good last year that ticket sales were up leading into the weekend, but then rain obviously didn’t allow that to completely play out,” Boles said. “I feel really good and the team feels really good about this year that we’re continuing to make momentum here.”

Boles was also joined by 2004 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kurt Busch, who stopped by prior to going up to race at the Chicagoland Speedway this weekend, and 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan to help promote the event.

Busch expressed his love for IMS and said the goal remains to “put butts in seats,” for the 400. For him, a good first step came earlier this year when it was announced that the race would be moved to July Fourth weekend in 2020.

“Indy already has a special feel, an energy and a vibe of being a crown jewel race,” Busch said. “It didn’t really need to be a cut-off for the playoffs (with September date), it needs to be the Brickyard 400. … I just hope an event like today and the energy and the buzz of kicking things off will help our 400 be more successful.”

Next season, IMS will have to turn around from the Indianapolis 500 to the Brickyard 400 in a little over a months’ time. While that will come with its own logistical challenges, Boles said it’s a great opportunity for the track “because you’ve got two American weekends you can bookend.”

As far as the potential of a Brickyard road course race, Boles said that while they continue to explore the possibility, it’s unlikely to come anytime soon.

“It’s definitely something we’ve considered and are continuing to consider,” Boles said. “As we think about July Fourth next year, it’s something that we could potentially see. I think it’s unlikely right now, but that’s definitely something that, we have a great road course, and it could be something entertaining to see.”

If a road course were to happen, however, you could bet Busch would be there.

“It’d be huge,” he said of the road course possibility. “I’m a Cup guy on the oval, I’d want to come back and run that road course that same weekend.

“Any chance you get to make a lap at Indy, you’re going to jump out and go.”

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Robby General on @rgeneraljr. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com.