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Known as the Pep Boys Auto 500 since 2007, the recent name change for the annual fall race at Atlanta Motor Speedway reflects a re-scheduling of this particular race, the second in its history. Prior to this most recent juggling of the calendar, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race was always run toward the very end of the NASCAR season, in either October or November, and as one of the ten races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, from the Chase's inauguration in 2004 and until 2008.

With this realignment, with the 2009 Pep Boys Auto 500, NASCAR returned its Labor Day weekend Cup race to the southern states for the first time since the 2003 Southern 500. As part of a realignment agreement with Auto Club Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega's fall race will move to the old Atlanta race weekend, and Fontana will get a race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, moving into Talladega's previous date. In addition, as was the case with the recent Labor Day weekend races run at Fontana, the Pep Boys Auto 500 will be run at night, marking the first regularly scheduled Sprint Cup night race to take place at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

From 1987 until 2001, the Pep Boys Auto 500 was the final race of the NASCAR season, and commonly the event determined the Cup champion. Several times, however, the championship was decided prior to this race, or by the points leader simply starting the race, thus already scoring enough points to win even if they were to finish last.