The Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway next month, bringing one of the NASCAR Cup Series’ most unpredictable Playoff races back to the spotlight. With its blend of high-banked, high-speed corners and a tight, technical infield section, the ROVAL™ pushes drivers to rely on strategy and teamwork at every turn.
As Cup drivers prepare for the 17-turn, 2.28-mile test, they explain how quick decisions—from qualifying to pit calls to the guidance of spotters and crew chiefs—can be the difference between victory and defeat:
Austin Cindric, No. 2, Team Penske
“It’s the best road course to be a spotter, because you can actually see the whole race track; same with the race fans. So, they (spotters) actually get to play more of a vital role than usual.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3, Richard Childress Racing
“Your spotter really can help you find speed at the ROVAL™. Different techniques and different ways to approach the corner, he's got the bird's eye view, and he can really help you when it comes to finding speed.”
Denny Hamlin, No. 11, Joe Gibbs Racing
“A lot of the racing is just varying strategies. You’re on a very narrow racetrack. It’s a lot of off-camber corners, and then the restarts – once you bunch us up, you usually have someone trying to dive bomb in the corners and make stuff happen, but it usually doesn’t end well.
Ryan Blaney, No. 12, Team Penske
“I think the crew chief and spotter play massive roles everywhere, but at a road course like that, the strategy side really comes into play a lot. Crew chiefs really get to make a lot of those plays through the stages and when you pit, they can see it differently than I can in the moment, so they have a broader view of it. Crew chiefs have to get creative sometimes at road courses and make the best decisions and then spotters, they become really important, more on restarts, stack ups and some blind corners that I maybe can't see around if there's something going on, they definitely can help out a lot.”
Christopher Bell, No. 20, Joe Gibbs Racing
“Spotters are everything, especially getting into the really, really tight new corner (Turn 7). You have to know whether you can open up your entry or you have to play defense.
Joey Logano, No. 22, Team Penske
“Crew chiefs are ultra important when you come to a road course, especially in the playoffs, because you’re trying to define success by making it to the next round. We need stage points, and need to finish well. There are a lot of different ways to play that race out. Whether it’s tire fall off or fuel mileage, there are a lot of different strategies that present themselves before the race starts.”
Bubba Wallace, No. 23, 23XI Racing
“You kind of realize your potential throughout the weekend, the start of the weekend, but if you qualify well, you kind of set yourself up better for a race win. If you don't qualify as well, you can kind of switch for points and switch up strategy, so there's multiple ways to go about it, but it all really starts from how you unload from practice and your overall pace, which will determine your potential outcome for the weekend.”
Tyler Reddick, No. 45, 23XI Racing
“I think for a lot of teams, it's about qualifying up front and trying to collect those stage points early in the race. Ideally, one of these times I go there, I'm going to be locked into the Round of 8 already, so I can focus on just winning the race. But it's one where, with the strategy, teams are able to stay out, collect stage points, and then those very same teams are forced, in stage three, to try and claw their way back to the front of the field. So you really have comers and goers throughout the course of the race.”
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:
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