As the 2020 NASCAR season winds down, the action on track is heating up, with drivers racing toward a NASCAR championship and a spot in the history books on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s innovative ROVAL™ this week.
Who will survive and continue a title run? Can Jimmie Johnson add to his record 12 Cup Series victories at the iconic 1.5-mile superspeedway? How will IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship drivers fare in their ROVAL™ debut? Here are the top 5 storylines to watch when drivers take the track this weekend.
Chasing a Championship: The only certainty with the ROVAL™ in recent years has been that nothing is certain. With the second round of the NASCAR Playoffs coming to a close following Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL™ 400, several drivers on both sides of the cut line will be fighting for survival when they take to the innovative 2.28-mile circuit at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Only 11 points separate the fifth through eighth-place drivers in the playoff hunt, and Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon are both just 21 points behind eighth place Joey Logano. While currently 37 points below the cutoff, don’t count Clint Bowyer out as the laps wind down. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver has finished third and fourth at the ROVAL™ in the previous two seasons and could upset the current Playoff picture with a win.
Xfinity Series Playoff Picture: With just three points separating Ross Chastain and Michael Annett for the final transfer spot, fireworks are sure to fly at Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 250, the first round cutoff race in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series Playoffs. But Chastain and Annett won’t be the only drivers fighting for a playoff berth. Ryan Sieg (+23) and Justin Allgaier (+15) will have to avoid trouble to cement their spot in Round 2, while Harrison Burton (-6) and Brandon Brown (-19) will look for a strong showing to fight their way into the Round of 8. Every lap matters, especially in an elimination race.
IMSA Debut at the ROVAL™: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT classes will make their ROVAL™ debut Oct. 9 and 10, adding to an action-packed Saturday double-header at America’s Home for Racing that also includes the NASCAR Xfinity Series Drive for the Cure 250. The inaugural two-day IMSA event will include a 60-minute WeatherTech Championship practice session for both the GTLM and GTD series on Friday night and a 100-minute race on Saturday night under the lights. Competition will encompass all 17 turns of the technical 2.28-mile course, combining the tight corners of a world-class road course with the high-speed finesse of oval track racing.
Jimmie Johnson’s Final Race at Charlotte: Long before he was a household name, Jimmie Johnson made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2001. Two decades later, he will strap in to his now iconic No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports machine for the final time at Charlotte as a full-time Cup Series driver. Over the course of his Hall of Fame career, the seven-time Cup Series champion amassed a record 12 Cup Series victories at the 1.5-mile speedway that was dubbed “Jimmie’s House” in the mid-2000s, including four at Charlotte’s fall race. Can he rekindle the magic and make one final run to the checkered flag?
Elliott’s Continued Dominance: When it comes to road course racing of late, no one has been more dominant than Chase Elliott. NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver has won each of the last three road races, including an incredible finish in the 2019 Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 that saw the Hendrick Motorsport driver charge to the front of the field late after crashing into the Tums Heartburn Turn. To celebrate his thrilling finish, Elliott returned to the scene of the accident for his burnout. With a race as unpredictable as the ROVAL™, there is never a clear favorite. But given his recent success turning left and right, it should surprise no one to see the No. 9 machine near the front of the pack in the closing laps on Sunday.
TICKETS:
While there are no tickets available for Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL™ 400, tickets remain for Saturday’s racing double-header, featuring the Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina NASCAR Xfinity Series showdown and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GT Championship Series’ Motul 100% Synthetic Grand Prix. Adult tickets are just $50; kids 13 and under get in free. To purchase, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 800-455-FANS (3267).
TUNE IN:
In addition to getting in on the fun before the races go green, fans are encouraged to tune in to pre-race coverage of the Drive for the Cure 250 on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Both races will be broadcast on NBC, the Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
FOLLOW ALONG:
Keep track of all of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s events, share their photos and join the conversation by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan. Fans can also keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.
