This week will be a wild card for the drivers and teams in the playoffs as NASCAR heads to Charlotte for the Bank of America ROVAL 400.
For just the second time ever the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will compete on the road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This layout is a road course that includes part of the oval track at Charlotte creating the term ROVAL.
There are three drivers who will not have additional pressure on them since they are locked in the next round of the NASCAR Playoffs. Several drivers have minimal pressure as they have enough points they just have to avoid disaster to advance.
However, there are some drivers that need to have a very good day to advance. There are six drivers right around the cutoff line that will be battling hard to move forward in the playoffs. Erik Jones is in a must win situation after last week’s failure in post-race inspection.
In the playoffs or not, all of the drivers and teams will have the following data facing them equally.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course Data
Track Size: 3.67-kilometers / 2.28-miles
Track Type: Road Course
Number of Turns: 17
Elevation Change: 35 degrees
Bank of America ROVAL 400 Data
Season Race #: 29 of 36 (09-29-19)
Playoff Race #: 3
Race Length: 109 laps / 400 kilometers
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 25 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 59 laps
Hear are the top rated active drivers based on last year’s inaugural ROVAL race.
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Charlotte Road Course
Kyle Larson …………………………… 123.6
Jimmie Johnson …………………….. 107.0
Kurt Busch ……………………………. 105.2
Chase Elliott …………………………. 104.7
Ryan Blaney …………………………. 104.2
Martin Truex Jr ……………………… 102.3
Clint Bowyer …………………………… 95.7
Kevin Harvick ………………………….. 93.7
Kyle Busch ……………………………… 92.9
Brad Keselowski ……………………… 90.1
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2018 races (one total) among active drivers at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
Calling this race a “wild Card” could be the most accurate use of the term in NASCAR racing. There are no drivers or crew chiefs that have notes from more than one year to refer to in preparing for the race. Ryan Blaney is the only driver to have a win at the Charlotte Road Course in the cup series. His win highlights what a wild card this race is.
Last year Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. were involved in an accident just before the finish line on the last lap. This allowed Ryan to race forward from third place to win the race.
There are so many scenarios that can play out this week. Will the wild card be drawn by a driver that needs it to advance in the playoffs? Will a non-playoff driver play the role of spoiler for the win? Will one of the drivers that are all but locked in the next round find misfortune allowing a driver near the bottom to advance?
The answers to these questions and many more will be revealed Sunday, September 29th starting at 1:30 PM central time (2:30 PM eastern time) in the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
By: Buck Stevens
