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Charlotte finalizes Roval layout

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#1
Johnny D

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Roval-Map-BoA-Date1-md.jpg

The layout for the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course has been finalized.

 

During the opening day of the 2018 NASCAR Media Tour, hosted by CMS, track officials revealed a tweaked course that is now 17 turns and 2.28 miles. The change was in Turns 7 and 8, making that section of the course, which leads onto what is Turn 1 of the oval course, a sweeping turn instead of the tight left-hander than had been seen on one of the past designs.

 

The adjustment will make the lap times quicker and the course faster.

 

"With these updates, the Roval is sure to provide the best show for the fans and the most challenging road course for drivers," said track president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Marcus Smith.
 

"We've obtained great feedback over the past year from champion drivers including Mario Andretti and Jeff Gordon, and with their help and collaborative effort with NASCAR, Charlotte Motor Speedway is proud to showcase this brand-new course on the NASCAR schedule. Fans are going to see a thrill show unlike any other when September rolls around and racing comes to the Roval."

 

Charlotte will make history this season when it hosts the first road course race in the playoffs. The Bank of America 500 is set for Sunday, September 30, and will be the elimination race in the Round of 16.

 

However, with the course design now finalized there is still one piece left to be worked out: race distance. NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell told the assembled media on Monday that is "still TBD."

 

http://www.racer.com...es-roval-layout

 

 


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#2
Todd Lamb

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All great except the video wasn't the right configuration according to the map. Gonna be a really really tight course.


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#3
dstevens

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That's barely wide enough for karts and Legends.  Getting a bunch of Cup cars though that is going to be quality entertainment.  We may see some Bristol/Martinsville type anger levels after that one.



#4
LarryKing

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Old map. See this one - http://www.racer.com...es-roval-layout.

I raced there last August with the tight T8-T9 configuration. Hated it. And why did they add chicanes? I use to love the original Charlotte road course. Now that the SCCA is holding a Major instead of a regional I'll leave it to the hot shots to enjoy.

My SMSE ECR track record set on one and done track should stand for a while. :tipsy:


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#5
Johnny D

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I think 8 and 9 are gone at least for NASCAR. Racer.com didn’t let me post their pic so I grabbed one off the net which showed 8 and 9 by mistake which may not be accurate, at least for some series.

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#6
OrangeCrush86

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I never was a fan of rovals, but at least it would be an improvement as far as Nascar goes lol.


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#7
Danica Davison

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If this race goes well ... they should turn the Coke Zero 400 in July @ Daytona to a night race on the Daytona 24 course. I just hope they put stands at the bus stop if that happens :)


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#8
Johnny D

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INSIGHT: The road to a Roval

 

How the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course came to be is "funny, actually," according to Marcus Smith.

 

Charlotte already had an infield road course, but it was not up to modern standards and hardly used. However, Hendrick Motorsports likes to have corporate play days with their partners and with the courses in Las Vegas and Sonoma booked solid, a conversation between Hendrick and Bruton Smith kick-started what will be a history-making event this September when Charlotte hosts the first road course race in the playoffs.

 

"We started designing and building just an upgraded infield road course [after Hendrick and Smith talked about using it], and we did a great job with that," Marcus Smith, the president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. told RACER.

 

"It's fantastic. It's part of the Roval design, and as we had it built out and did a lot of testing on it, had a lot of feedback on perfecting it, I was hearing a lot of talk among fans and drivers and media about this idea of having a road course in the playoffs. And I heard people talk about [how] there's too many mile-and-a-halfs in the playoffs, maybe we should change a little."

 

The answer, decided Smith [below], lay just outside his office window.

 

"I thought, you know what, this Roval is circuit is fantastic, maybe we could just use this," he said.

 

cms2_050115.jpg

 

Consulting with the speedway's head of operations and development, Smith then laid out the challenge to his team about what it would take to host the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series on the road course. Work began quickly, but Smith points to it all starting because of his father and Rick Hendrick wanting to upgrade the infield.

 

Monday afternoon, Smith showed off the completed layout that includes 17 turns over 2.28 miles. There are chicanes and rumble strips. Elevation changes throughout the infield portion of the course will also keep the field on its toes.

 

From the track's standpoint, the project was a labor of love. Numerous drivers gave early feedback, including four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Max Papis and even Mario Andretti. Little details extend all the way down to the addition of synthetic turf off the oval's Turn 4, near the last chicane on the frontstretch.

 

"We take everything we do very seriously, and we want to exceed expectations for all the stakeholders when we do something, and I think that's been the tradition of Speedway Motorsports, whether that's been at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the last 58 years, or any one of our other speedways," said Smith.

 

18mtHH2183_copy.jpg

 

"We've tried to design and build speedways that are above and beyond expectations, and it's no different with the Roval design and build-out. We absolutely want it to be a world-class road course that everybody will be impressed with and excited to watch."

 

According to Smith, there have been no cries of resistance, and as of late last year, Smith said ticket sales "are ahead" for the race weekend. Not that Smith was worried: road courses are in favor, and he's happy to give fans another one.

 

As for the course itself, the two chicanes came about after feedback from drivers, manufacturers, and Goodyear. The frontstretch chicane, Smith believes, will provide a last-chance passing opportunity, particularly on the last lap.

 

"Passing zones are really important in a road course design," said Smith. "A lot of road courses don't have a lot of passing zones – maybe one or two – and I think we've got probably four, maybe five passing zones on the course, and I think it's going to be really fun to watch."

 

And let's be honest, there also has to be a sense of pride for the Smith family, because once again, it's making a mark on NASCAR.

 

"You know, I guess it's part of my training from my dad," he said. "[He] likes to always out-do himself. He loves to build speedways that fans love, and drivers and teams love and are impressed with, and we wouldn't do it any other way. We want it to be fantastic for everybody."

 

http://www.racer.com...road-to-a-roval


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