In a late move coming just weeks before the start of the 2026 season, NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway have decided to take the Charlotte Roval off the calendar, replacing the sixth race of The Chase with a traditional oval race.
Marcus Smith, president of Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI), confirmed the news first reported by The Athletic in an appearance on the Dale Jr. Download. He joined Kelley Earnhardt Miller on the podcast, explaining the thought process behind the decision.
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During a recent strategic meeting, Smith said executive Jessica Fickenscher brought the subject up, and it quickly gained traction. After talking with NASCAR, TV partners, and race sponsor Bank of America, everyone was supportive of it.
“At the time when we introduced the Roval, it was when road courses were having this amazing surge,” said Smith. “Fans were saving we love road courses, it kind of raced like a short track, and so we brought out the Roval and it provided another road in the schedule and the playoffs. It made for something new and different. It was one of the highest rated races for TV in a couple of years. Great growth, great excitement, some great highlights from the race.
“But I think the new car and the way NASCAR officiates the racing isn’t as exciting as it had been, initially. We want to deliver excitement and a great event with fantastic competition.”
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Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
This means that the return of NASCAR’s ten-race ‘Chase’ format will not include a road course race. NASCAR first started hosting races on the infield road course at Charlotte in 2018, which ended in a dramatic finish as Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. collided in the battle for the win. As they spun through the final chicane, Ryan Blaney slipped by to take the checkered flag. Shane van Gisbergen is the most recent Cup Series winner at the Roval, which was the Round of 12 cutoff race in the previous championship format for some time.
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The Roval and its place on the schedule has come under scrutiny in recent years as the Next Gen car has struggled to put on great shows at such circuits in comparison to intermediate tracks. The 2025 Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte, which featured a last-to-first drive by Ross Chastain, was considered to be one of the best races of the entire season last year. Former Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski openly called for the Roval’s removal last fall, and was among those petitioning for series officials to bring the event back to the oval.
Six Cup races took place on road/street courses during the 2025 season, but three of those circuits will not return. NASCAR will be adding the San Diego Street Course to bring the total to four, but all of those will take place during the regular season.
This will mark the first time since 2017 that Charlotte will have two points-paying races on its oval layout. The last time that happened, Martin Truex Jr. won the 500-mile race in the fall.
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