For the first time in history, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will battle the twists and turns of the 17-turn ROVAL™ at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, Oct. 3. From the daunting frontstretch chicane to the hairpin at Turn 7, drivers know the playoff debut is set to test nerves, brakes and patience.
Here’s what the drivers are saying ahead of next month’s historic event:
Grant Efinger, No. 9, CR7 Motorsports
“I think it’s cool that we are going to the ROVAL™ for the first time. Looking back, I compare it a little bit to the Daytona road course, when we went there four or five years ago, so hopefully I can rely on that experience. It’s good to go to a new place. NASCAR has done a good job mixing around the schedule.”
“I would say the hairpin getting onto NASCAR Turn 1 will be the hardest part. I feel that’s going to be the most critical to get in and out of cleanly. It obviously sets up for a really big straightaway, so I feel like that’s going to be both very important and very chaotic in our race.”
Corey Heim, No. 11, Tricon Garage
“You've seen the Turn 1 craziness in the past couple of years at the Charlotte ROVAL™ playoff race for the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. To bring the Truck Series there, where mayhem is already sort of in question in the playoffs, combining that with the Charlotte ROVAL™, it’s definitely going to be exciting.”
“I think with the lack of experience in the field, plus the already-present challenges of the ROVAL™ itself and how slick that track is and how crazy the restarts are and whatnot, the combination of all those factors is going to make for a pretty tough time for us.”
Tyler Ankrum, No. 18, McAnally- Hilgemann Racing
“The toughest part of the whole race track would be the bus stop for sure. In Turn 1, we’ve seen a lot of historical accidents, just on restarts and overcooking the entry. Honestly, that hairpin (Turn 7), we saw it a lot last year, that hairpin is a big passing zone. It’s high-risk, high-reward. The harder you can get in there, the easier it is to get alongside a guy on the right side and set you up for the big track.”
“I’ve talked to my teammate Daniel Hemric. He’s raced there in both Xfinity (series) and Cup (series). Having a guy like him, who’s been there and done that, is a huge help. It’s not just the setups and preparations, but also knowing what to expect.”
“To leave with a win at the ROVAL™, for us, would be huge. It’d be a big step in our road course program, and it would also lock us into the Round of 4 at arguably the hardest track to do it.”
Daniel Hemric, No. 19, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
“For me, the ROVAL™ itself is just trying to understand the rhythm; that’s the challenge. It’s not a particular set of corners — it’s getting into a rhythm. You’re always sliding. Your vehicle never feels great, so just getting that rhythm is probably the biggest challenge.”
“It’s not only a blend of something new, but also something that’s been around for a couple of years. With Cup and Xfinity already there, there’s always something new to take in. Then, with the track changes last year, that adds another element in. For me, the unknown is what draws people to anything in sports, so having the unknown of having the Truck Series there is just an unknown that everybody needs to see.”
Layne Riggs, No. 34, Front Row Motorsports
“There's just a lot of prep work to do to try to be the best you can when you show up to the ROVAL™, especially having such little practice as we do. You just have to be on your A-game and be ready to go and make sure your brake markers are right, make sure your truck's ready to go and be as smart as you can.”
“As a short track racer, I feel like going through the infield section with very little banking, very little grip. It's going to be right up my alley with a lot of throttle control and just trying to get the maximum traction out of your tires that you can and grip the racetrack. I feel like that's what I'm strong at, so I’m really excited for the infield section. I think the on-track part will be kind of odd when you have a road course set up and you go on to the big track, that feeling that and the G-forces going through there, and try to set your truck up around it to be best in all situations. It's going to be difficult for everybody.”
Chandler Smith, No. 38, Front Row Motorsports
“The biggest challenge always at the ROVAL™ is the infield section. It’s super low-grip, especially compared to the rest of the racetrack. If you’re really good on the infield section, the rest of it kind of comes to you. That’s always the emphasis going into the ROVAL™ — making sure you're good on the infield section.
Kaden Honeycutt, No. 52, Halmar Friesen Racing
“I think it’ll be really cool to win at a place like the ROVAL™; it's one of its own kind if you can do that, so that'd be really sweet for the team.”
“I think the biggest thing I have to work on is, since I'm not a road course ace, is just to kind of get familiar with the braking zones and how hard you can attack, in a truck, because our downforce is different from a Cup car and Xfinity car. Honestly, I think we might be maybe even faster in an Xfinity car. I think it'll be really unique, especially since we don't run at a place that has turtles that jump as high as they do. So it'll be interesting to see how we can actually attack those, especially since we run splitters.”
Ty Majeski, No. 98, ThorSport Racing
“Any time you put trucks on a racetrack like that, you’re going to have excitement. Trucks are just exciting in themselves and then you put them on a wild-card track that no one has experience on — it’ll be a great show for everyone to watch.”
“I think definitely the hairpin (Turn 7), and also the bus stop on the backstretch, I think will be interesting, just because you’re coming in at such a high rate of speed, and there’s always excitement there.”
TICKETS:
Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 tickets are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in all weekend for just $10.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on X and Instagram, becoming a Facebook fan or downloading the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.
