Charlotte making Roval changes to 'help the competition'

Charlotte Motor Speedway announced Sunday a new configuration to the Roval that will debut in the NASCAR playoffs in October.

The course will remain 17 turns. It will be approximately 2.28 miles with 35 feet of elevation change.

The first change is a section of the infield layout that has been extended in hopes of creating an additional passing zone. At the exit of Turn 5, the straightaway has been extended to create a new Turn 6 – sending the field toward the oval – before swinging to the right toward a hairpin Turn 7.

After going through Turn 7, the field will enter the oval portion of the racetrack before coming to the second significant change -- the frontstretch chicane with a sharper apex.

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"Two distinct braking zones are going to really help the competition and provide great overtaking opportunities," said Marcus Smith, the President and CEO of Speedway Motorsports. "One of the biggest things we've heard is about off-throttle time in oval racing. In road-course racing, you want as much of an opportunity as possible for a driver to play with the brake pedal, the gas pedal and the steering wheel.

"That's what a well-designed track is going to provide -- those overtaking opportunities -- and that's what we've done today."

The seventh edition of the Roval race will run on October 13. It is the elimination race in the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.