alt_driver
Photo credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography
Racing

Roval reconfiguration tees up chaos and excitement

By |

This weekend's Xfinity Series and Cup Series races will be the first test of the reconfigured Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. The drivers don't know how the races will unfold, but they do know that there is plenty of potential for chaos and excitement alike.

When NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports revealed the reconfigured Roval layout, they explained that the decision involved adding more passing opportunities and improving competition. The new hairpin in Turn 7 and the sharper apex in Turn 16 were the two prominent examples.

"They're probably gonna get the action that that they want, and that the fans probably want," AJ Allmendinger said Tuesday during a sitdown with media members.

"It, to me, opens a lot for dive bombs and just the dumb stuff that we do so but I'll wait to really judge it until we get out there. ...It definitely does open up a couple more passing opportunities. Major potential for dumb stuff we like to do."

Allmendinger is no stranger to the Roval. He has won all four of his Xfinity starts at the part oval/part road course, and he is the defending winner of the Cup race. He completed laps on the circuit before it joined the NASCAR schedule, and he has competed on it while driving multiple generations of cars.

The veteran driver says the new configuration of the Roval will change how drivers have to approach pivotal moments of the race.

As Allmendinger explained, he was in the lead in the closing laps of last season's Cup race with William Byron just behind him. However, this was not much of a concern considering that the Hendrick Motorsports driver was three to four car lengths back. Allmendinger knew that Byron couldn't close this gap unless he made a significant mistake.

Now, however, the situation has completely changed. Running the perfect line will no longer provide adequate protection from the cars in pursuit.

"I think if you're three car lengths back, you're still worried the guy's gonna come dive bomb you because that's how much tighter the corner is now," Allmendinger said.

Past road course races in NASCAR have shown that dive bombs create exciting moments for the fans. They also create chaos on the track as cars go spinning around. This weekend could be no different, especially if drivers see a potential for payback.

Allmendinger noted that the drivers could use the right-hand turn heading toward the hairpin as an opportunity to move others out of the way with the bumper. This is nothing out of the ordinary on a road course. However, he added that having a tight hairpin would immediately open up an opportunity to retaliate.

With potential friction between drivers and the numerous opportunities to pull a dive bomb maneuver, the expectation is that Turn 7 will be the hotspot. This is where the action will occur, as well as some potential multi-car crashes.

 

Many fans have made it clear to Allmendinger and other drivers that they love the chaos that unfolds. The Turn 1 incidents at Watkins Glen were a particular talking point for some of these fans during an event featuring Allmendinger and Aric Almirola last month.

The drivers don't love to see this chaos on the track, especially considering how damage from these incidents can take them out of contention for the win. They also recognize that boring races don't sell tickets.

"We're here for entertainment, right," Allmendinger said. "Like, I mean, as race car drivers, our ultimate goal is to make the show as boring as possible. Like, I want to lead every lap.

"Yeah, it's nice to have the exciting finish coming to the checkered (flag), if you're the guy winning. Like, it's great. After my first Cup win at Watkins Glen, they were like, 'Was that battle great?' I was like, 'Yeah, I won. That battle would have sucked ass if I would have finished second.'"