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NASCAR insider shows up-close view of changes made to Roval course at Charlotte Motor Speedway

JHby: Jonathan Howard10/11/24Jondean25
ROVAL
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

This week NASCAR heads to Charlotte for the Roval. There are a few minor changes to the track that could cause issues on Sunday. With reconfigured turns in multiple sections, drivers will be faced with an altered course compared to what they are used to.

When NASCAR created the Roval, it was interesting. There are few, if any, tracks quite like it. However, in the last few years, the race has lost its excitement and unpredictability. The Next Gen car is too stable and races too well on road courses.

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Well, NASCAR is hoping they have stopped that. At least, they hope that they have made the course more challenging for drivers.

Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports is at the track already and has taken a few up-close looks at the changes. Here is the altered chicane on the fronstretch, famous for Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson’s moment on the last lap.

Another change where drivers will gain more speed going into Turn 6 is sure to cause problems. It increases speed up the hill right into the braking zone for Turn 6 and then drivers will turn right.

Here is the final change. Drivers will have a harder turn to get back onto the oval portion of the track. There is also a curb in this area. It makes drivers a little nervous.

With how stale the NASCAR Roval has gotten, I like the changes. But if you ask drivers, they feel this is only going to make this track more frustrating.

Riley Herbst was out right saying it will make a bad track worse after Talladega last week.

NASCAR Roval: Is it worse now?

Fresh off his P3 finish at Talladega, Riley Herbst had one thing on his mind – how horrible the track at the Charlotte Roval is. The NASCAR Xfinity Series driver doesn’t like the track and thinks the new changes have made it worse.

When the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series race at the Roval next week, it will be a new track. At least, Turns 6 and 7 have changed as well as a small change in Turns 15 and 16.

Herbst caught up with Matt Weaver of Sportsnaut and aired out his feelings on the new track configuration. After watching Sammy Smith win at Talladega, Herbst was already moving on to the Roval.

“Yeah I don’t know if you’ve seen it Matt, but they’ve took a really bad race track and made it really, really worse,” Herbst said. “I don’t know, that wasn’t good English, but that’s kind of how I feel about it. I’d feel better if it was the old layout, but that new Turn 7, it’s dismal. So, it’s going to be interesting. Luckily they were wise enough to give us 50 minutes of practice on Saturday morning to kind of let us figure it out. I don’t know, I guess +13 is better than +12 going in there. So, we’ll go race.”

Riley Herbst is in a better position than others. Still, he can’t afford a DNF or early mistake at the NASCAR Roval that puts him behind. Right now, he and Cole Custer are giving Stewart-Haas Racing two chances at winning a championship before closing down.