Yo, get ready for some classic NASCAR racing because the Charlotte Roval, that 2.28-mile road course with 17 turns that had been the fall race for eight seasons, is officially GONE. This weekend, drivers across all three national touring circuits are hitting Charlotte Motor Speedway’s traditional mile-and-a-half asphalt oval. This is a huge shift back to tradition for the Bank of America 400, and trust me, some big names are absolutely stoked about it.
The Roval’s Reign Is Over, But Not Forgotten
For decades, literally since 1960, the fall race at Charlotte was all about that classic oval. But for the last eight years, Speedway Motorsports flipped the script, turning it into the Roval. We saw some wild finishes on that road course, with Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson each snagging two checkered flags. The last driver to take the win there? That was road course ace Shane van Gisbergen. But now, it’s done. The Roval’s gone into hibernation, and the roar of the oval is back where it belongs. This isn’t just a minor tweak, folks, this is the big one.
Drivers Are Seriously Cheering The Oval’s Return
When Speedway Motorsports announced the Roval was out, the celebration was huge. Like, widespread, enthusiastic celebration. Why? Because a ton of drivers feel like Charlotte’s traditional oval is one of the absolute best intermediate tracks out there, especially with the Cup Series’ Next Gen car. This week, that positive vibe is still buzzing around the sport. Dean Thompson, a driver in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, perfectly summed it up on X, saying, “Praise God we’re not racing through the dang parking lot of the best oval in the world this weekend.” You hear that? “Praise God!” And if that’s not enough, even Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., now a team owner and broadcaster, echoed that sentiment on his podcast. He straight-up said, “There’s some people that love the Roval out there. I ain’t one of them.” While some folks were a bit disappointed by the change, the overwhelming feeling from the drivers is pure relief and excitement for the return to the classic track.
So, what’s next? Get ready to see these cars fly around Charlotte’s traditional oval this weekend for the Bank of America 400. It’s a return to form that drivers have clearly been itching for, and you know they are going to put on a show now that they are back on a track they love.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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