Charlotte Motor Speedway Ditches ROVAL for Oval in 2026

Speedway Motorsports announces return to traditional 1.5-mile layout for NASCAR races

Feb. 3, 2026 at 5:07pm

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Charlotte Motor Speedway has officially announced that it will be abandoning the ROVAL layout and returning to its traditional 1.5-mile oval track configuration for its October NASCAR race weekend starting in 2026. The ROVAL, which was added to the schedule in 2018, had produced some exciting racing but also faced criticism from many NASCAR fans.

Why it matters

The move back to the oval layout at Charlotte is seen as a return to the traditional NASCAR racing that many fans have been calling for, as the 1.5-mile oval tracks have produced some of the best racing with the Next Gen car. It also marks the end of the ROVAL experiment, which was an attempt to inject more road course racing into the NASCAR playoffs.

The details

Speedway Motorsports president and CEO Marcus Smith cited the 'energy around the return of The Chase' and the excitement generated by oval racing on 1.5-mile tracks as the key reasons behind the decision to shelve the ROVAL layout. Bank of America will continue as the title sponsor of the fall NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte.

  • The Charlotte ROVAL will be removed from the NASCAR schedule starting in 2026.
  • The Bank of America 400 NASCAR Cup Series race will take place on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
  • The NASCAR Xfinity Series Blue Cross NC 250 will run on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
  • The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series EcoSave 250 will kick off the race weekend on Friday, October 9, 2026.

The players

Marcus Smith

President and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, the company that owns Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Bank of America

The title sponsor of the fall NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a partnership that has lasted for over two decades.

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What they’re saying

“Charlotte Motor Speedway has always been about innovations and opportunity. The ROVAL™ delivered dramatic racing when many fans were calling for a road course in the playoffs. Now there's an energy around the return of The Chase, and fans are seeing the excitement that oval racing continues to generate on mile-and-a-half tracks. This feels like the time to bring the fall race back to the legendary oval at a place where NASCAR history is made every year.”

— Marcus Smith, President and CEO of Speedway Motorsports

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This decision by Charlotte Motor Speedway marks the end of the ROVAL experiment and a return to the traditional oval racing that many NASCAR fans have been craving. It reflects the changing dynamics of the sport, with the Next Gen car producing some of its best action on 1.5-mile tracks, and the desire to recapture the energy and excitement of 'The Chase' for the championship.