Bank of America Roval 400

The Bank of America Roval 400 is a NASCAR Cup Series race that is held annually at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, United States, it is one of two races held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with the other one being the 600-mile (970 km) Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend.

Bank of America Roval 400
NASCAR Cup Series
VenueCharlotte Motor Speedway roval
LocationConcord, North Carolina, United States
Corporate sponsorBank of America
First race2018
Distance399.954 kilometres (248.520 mi)
Laps109
Stages 1/2: 25 each
Final stage: 59
Most wins (driver)Chase Elliott
Kyle Larson (2)
Most wins (team)Hendrick Motorsports (4)
Most wins (manufacturer)Chevrolet (5)
Circuit information
SurfaceAsphalt
Length3.73 km (2.32 mi)
Turns17

As of the 2018 season, the event is run as a 400 kilometer (248.5 mi) race using the infield road course configuration the track calls "The Roval" due to the combination of the Road Course and Oval. Previously, the race was run at a distance of 500 miles using the regular oval.

Kyle Larson is the defending winner of the event.

History

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The 2018 Bank of America Roval 400, the first race held on the road course configuration
 
The configuration of the Roval, from 2018 to 2023.

The fall Charlotte race was originally held on the main oval layout until 2017, in which it was a Saturday night race from 2003 to 2016 following a rating boost from the 2002 race being delayed to later in the night (coincided with television primetime hours), although the final two races were held on Sunday afternoon due to rain delays. The 2017 race, the final race on the oval layout, reverted to a Sunday daytime race.

Starting in 2018, the race utilizes a 2.28 miles (3.67 km) road course configuration of Charlotte Motor Speedway, with a race distance of 400 kilometres (250 mi) over 109 laps.[1][2][3] Ryan Blaney would win the inaugural Roval Cup race after Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson collided on the final lap.[4]

Realignment

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In 2020, the Bank of America Roval 400 was moved from late September to the middle of October and beheld as the final race of the Round of 12; the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway took Charlotte's former spot. Although rain was present, the 2020 races were run without any delays as cars continued in the wet with limited lighting, as was the case in the Xfinity race, making it the first NASCAR Cup race to use wet tires.[5]

Reconfiguration

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On May 26, 2024, it was announced on the day of the Coca-Cola 600 that the Roval version would be getting an update. [6]

Past winners

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Year Date No. Driver Team Sponsor Manufacturer Race Distance Race Time Average Speed
(mph)
Report Ref
Laps Miles (km)
Road Course + Oval (Roval), 2.28 mi (3.67 km)
2018 September 30 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Pennzoil/Menards Ford 109 248.52 (399.954) 3:01:34 82.125 Report [7]
2019 September 29 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 109 248.52 (399.954) 3:20:58 75.499 Report [8]
2020 October 11 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 109 248.52 (399.954) 3:17:11 76.948 Report [9]
2021 October 10 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports HendrickCars.com Chevrolet 109 248.52 (399.954) 3:15:04 77.783 Report [10]
2022 October 9 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing DeWalt Toyota 112* 255.36 (410.961) 2:59:54 86.661 Report [11]
2023 October 8 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Celsius/Jersey Mike’s Subs Chevrolet 109 248.52 (399.954) 3:05:57 81.596 Report [12]
Road Course + Oval (Roval), 2.32 mi (3.73 km)
2024 October 13 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports HendrickCars.com Chevrolet 109 248.52 (399.954) 3:00:03 82.817 Report [13]

Race records

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Roval (400 km (250 mi))2022
Race Time: 2:59:54
Average Speed: 86.661 mph (139.467 km/h)

Multiple winners (drivers)

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# Wins Driver Years Won
2 Chase Elliott 2019–2020
Kyle Larson 2021, 2024
1 Ryan Blaney 2018
Christopher Bell 2022
A. J. Allmendinger 2023

Multiple winners (teams)

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# Wins Team Years Won
4 Hendrick Motorsports 2019–2021, 2024
1 Joe Gibbs Racing 2022
Team Penske 2018
Kaulig Racing 2023

Manufacturer wins

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# Wins Manufacturer Years Won
5 Chevrolet 2019–2021, 2023-2024
1 Ford 2018
Toyota 2022

Notable races

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  • 2018: After a late-race caution of the inaugural Roval event, Jimmie Johnson made gains on Martin Truex Jr. in the final two laps. Coming to the final chicane on the final lap, Johnson tries to pass Truex Jr. but he lost control of his car, sending it spinning into the chicane and taking out Truex Jr. With both of them taken out, Ryan Blaney overtakes both Johnson and Truex Jr. coming out of the final chicane to earn his first win of the season with a last-lap pass. With Johnson spinning out and finishing 8th, that put him, Kyle Larson, and Aric Almirola in a three-way tie for the cut-line position in the first round of the Playoffs. As most of the field crosses the line, Daniel Hemric spun Jeffrey Earnhardt exiting the final chicane, with Jeffrey's car ended up hitting the outside wall. He corrected his car but ended up stalling mere meters before the finish line, enabling Larson to pass him in a badly-damaged car and give Larson the extra point he needed to bump Johnson out of the Playoffs.
  • 2019: Chase Elliott returned from locking up his brakes and colliding head-on with the turn 1 barrier to win his second road course win of the year.
  • 2020: For the first time in NASCAR Cup Series history, the Cup cars raced in the rain when they declared a wet start for the green flag. Forecast to be a rainy day, the sun came out and remained mostly cloudy, defying the forecast. At the end of Stage 1, drivers decided to forego the treaded tires for the traditional slicks for the rest of the event. Chase Elliott, the defending race winner came down pit road for a loose left front wheel. Just like last year he made his way to the front and pulled away on his way to the win. The win gave him the distinction of just the second driver to win four-straight road-course events with the other being Jeff Gordon. Multiple drivers adjusting to slicks on the damp surface created unpredictable outcomes with cars slipping off track, kicking up grass and spray from standing water.

References

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  1. ^ "New layout for Charlotte Motor Speedway road course". NASCAR.com. January 22, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  2. ^ "Everything to know for Sunday's race on the Charlotte roval". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  3. ^ "NASCAR Cup race on Charlotte Roval to see length reduced". Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  4. ^ "Ryan Blaney emerges for win in first Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte". NASCAR. September 30, 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  5. ^ All the rainy wrecking action from Charlotte's wet Roval race - Xfinity Series Extended Highlights
  6. ^ "Charlotte Motor Speedway to Reconfigure ROVAL™ Ahead of Bank of America ROVAL™ 400".
  7. ^ "2018 Bank of America Roval 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  8. ^ "2019 Bank of America Roval 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  9. ^ "2020 Bank of America Roval 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  10. ^ "2021 Bank of America Roval 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  11. ^ "2022 Bank of America Roval 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  12. ^ "2023 Bank of America Roval 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  13. ^ "2024 Bank of America Roval 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
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