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Tag: ROVAL

  • Hot 20 – Charlotte’s roval goes left, it goes right, and possibly where everything will go wrong

    Hot 20 – Charlotte’s roval goes left, it goes right, and possibly where everything will go wrong

    They thought Talladega was a wild card. Boy, something tells me that Charlotte’s Roval is going to test them like never before. This one makes the World 600 nothing more than a nice test, a rest in some ways, before the storm coming their way on Sunday.

    When your first danger spot is identified as Turn 1, you got to think that the excrement is about to hit the ventilation system. A tire barrier, a safer barrier, and a concrete barrier all await those who fate decides to screw with. Imagine the potential for carnage for the start and any re-starts that follow.

    The next most treacherous part of the track? According to some, the entire rest of the track can claim that honor. Sounds interesting. Sounds more like a demolition derby. Sounds like a race I am not going to miss.

    Prepare for some hearts to be broken, along with a few auto body parts. It is the Roval at Charlotte this Sunday.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 1 ROUND WIN (2125 Pts – 7 Wins)
    Best on the season, the best at Richmond, so who cares about the Roval?

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 ROUND WIN (2111 Pts – 3 Wins)
    I guess you could say he has entered a one race slump.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2141 POINTS (4 Wins)
    Another member of the family will be leading the pack…at least prior to the green flag.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2113 POINTS (7 Wins)
    Name a scenario where he does not advance. There isn’t one.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 2081 POINTS (1 Win)
    Not totally out of the woods, but he sees prairie just ahead.

    6. ARIC ALMIROLA – 2079 POINTS
    No wins but lots of speed, and that might be enough for round one.

    7. KYLE LARSON – 2073 POINTS
    Charlotte should be easy until he comes across all those curvy parts.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 2071 POINTS (1 Win)
    He has the talent. He has the equipment. Now all he needs is good fortune.

    9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2066 POINTS (1 Win)
    This whole Roval thing should have a lot of folks nervous, including Bill’s boy.

    10. AUSTIN DILLON – 2066 POINTS (1 Win)
    The smart money had him out after this round, but now he has to clear just one more hurdle.

    11. ALEX BOWMAN – 2061 POINTS
    Sitting five to seven points to the good, and that can’t be good.

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 2060 POINTS
    If Bowman is nervous, imagine how this guy feels.

    13. CLINT BOWYER – 2056 POINTS (2 Wins)
    Finish four or five points better than the two ahead of him, and all will be fine.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2054 POINTS
    If Bowyer does well, it would be smart to stay close to him, though ahead would be even better.

    15. ERIK JONES – 2039 POINTS (1 Win)
    Has a win this season, but now he needs another one.

    16. DENNY HAMLIN – 2031 POINTS
    It is either win it all or nothing.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 583 POINTS
    A Chevy is nice, but the offer from Ford was nicer…but that is next year.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 566 POINTS
    As long as he has a sponsor with deep pockets he shall remain safe.

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 552 POINTS
    He might not have Danica, but he has something McMurray and Allmendinger do not.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 550 POINTS
    Does leaving Gibbs mean leaving all hope behind?

  • NASCAR Drivers Get First In Depth Look at Charlotte ROVAL™

    NASCAR Drivers Get First In Depth Look at Charlotte ROVAL™

    Tuesday was a unique day at Charlotte Motor Speedway as 16 NASCAR drivers got their first up close and personal look at the new ROVAL™ course. You might ask, what is a ROVAL™? It’s a hybrid that was created to bring fans a whole new experience.

    So let’s start off with the name, ROVAL™.  It is exactly what it seems to be, a mix between the traditional oval track Charlotte Motor Speedway is known for and a road course.  It is a first on the NASCAR circuit and looks to bring back the excitement in racing. We all remember the domination of Kyle Busch at the Coca-Cola 600, but hopefully, with the new configuration, there will be more passing and less domination by one individual. In turn, this will make for far more competitive racing and keep the fans and teams on the edge of their seats.

    Today started out with a little bit of excitement with a crash by Bubba Wallace ending his day of testing but since then it has been mostly single-car runs and very little if any, passing.  This is to be expected with any new track configuration on the NASCAR circuit.  There have been a few instances where cars have been close to each other but it doesn’t seem like anyone is feeling comfortable enough to start trying to pass each other, at least not yet.

    Jimmie Johnson stated, “I think surviving (is the biggest challenge). There are a lot of areas to make a mistake. It’s going to be tough with 40 cars on the track. I think survival will be the biggest hurdle to clear.”

    Once the drivers begin to test the limits of their cars on the new layout, I believe it will produce a more aggressive and entertaining show.

    And just a few moments after I wrote that it’s as though Brad Keselowski could read my mind as he ventured out into a different turn and you could hear the tires of his No. 2 Ford Fusion squeal as he pushed his car to its limits. But from the sound of it, he may still have some room to push his car further.

    You could tell that the anticipation is building based on the number of fans in the stands and will only increase with testing next Tuesday, as well.

    The Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 will premiere Sunday, September 30. Expect to see tempers flaring and cars being moved out of the way as Charlotte Motor Speedway attempts to bring back some of the old school NASCAR with a brand new concept.