NASCAR seems to be taking the fans’ side for once and going back to its old racing ways. Considering all the major decisions made for this season, including the return of the Chase and the schedule shakeup with the Charlotte Motor Speedway, the sport is indeed working in an interesting direction. Marcus Smith also recently revealed that the decision was influenced by the fans’ view of the track.

Why did the NASCAR schedule drop the Roval?

Charlotte Motor Speedway is an iconic NASCAR venue, and the fans love it. But back in 2018, the sport decided to experiment. And for the second race of the season on the track (which was a part of the playoffs), it was held on the road course integrated into the oval format. That was called the Roval. However, the fans never seemed to enjoy it.

As the Chase format returns for the 2026 season, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. decided it was a good idea to hold the Bank of America 400 on the oval as well, as it used to be back in the day before the playoff format.

“When you think about the point system, kind of going back to the Chase and that story of kind of going back to the way we were, the last time the Chase was at Charlotte, it was the oval for the Coke 600 and the oval for the Bank of America 400,” Marcus Smith said on the Dale Jr. Download podcast.

This decision for the NASCAR schedule seems to be getting the sport closer to its roots. The sport began with oval racing, and road courses only make up a very small part of the long calendar. This was one of the major reasons why fans despised the Roval format. Moreover, there was also the fact that the thin margin of error in a playoff race was quite punishing for the drivers.

But this decision seems to be coming from a place of respect for the fans. Smith revealed that the final decision was only made with the fans’ perspective.

“We made a few phone calls to NASCAR and our TV partners, and of course, Bank of America is a sponsor. And everybody thought it was a good thing if the fans were into it,” he added.

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Although the track had multiple repeat winners since 2018, not everyone loved it. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that more veteran drivers were dissatisfied with the Cup Series racing on it every year. 

Despite the backlash the Roval format has received, the authorities are still not planning to abandon it completely. While it will not be used in the NASCAR Cup Series race anymore, Marcus Smith revealed an interesting plan for its future.

“We’ve got a fantastic world-class road course with the Roval, and we’ll bring that back at different times. But for now, we’ll be running the oval, and we’ll see what happens. […] I love driving the Roval. You know, from a sports car perspective, it’s super fun to drive, and we’ve got a lot of customers that like to drive it. So, outside of NASCAR week, we’ll still have plenty of opportunities for our different driving experiences and OEM customers to come out and enjoy the Roval.”

Sure, driving at the Roval might be fun for the masses, but racing is a different aspect in itself. In fact, Kelley Earnhardt is rather relieved that the layout will no longer be used from this year, speaking from a team owner’s perspective.

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Kelley Earnhardt on how not racing on the Roval will impact JR Motorsports

Throughout the years, NASCAR drivers have been trained to race on oval courses. And the involvement of any road course is minimal. Sure, there are drivers like Shane van Gisbergen who adapt from other series and perform excellently on those tracks. But the majority of the drivers prefer racing on ovals in the NASCAR schedule.

This is exactly what Kelly Earnhardt Miller feels. Speaking from a team owner’s perspective, she stated that returning to the oval will be much better for JR Motorsports as their drivers are well-trained for that layout.

“I would guess that my drivers are fine without having the road course. Because there’s a lot of unpredictability with the road course, and you really either have the skill set to do that, or you don’t,” she said.

While this statement sounds rather blunt, it couldn’t be nearer to the truth. The Roval layout is especially risky because of the thin margin of error it provides. The concrete walls can be fatal, and the smallest mistake from another driver can end another driver’s race.

At the end of the day, not only is the NASCAR schedule keeping the fans and drivers happy returning to the oval in October, but also making the sport follow its roots. This change, marked with the return of the Chase format, is a remarkable step in NASCAR history. And it has got the fans rooting for the sport once again.