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Everything to Know About NASCAR's Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte: Schedule, How to Watch
The remaining 12 drivers in the hunt for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship must navigate a new-look track to avoid elimination and reach the Round of 8
The dramatic race for the NASCAR Cup Series championship is rounding into the final stage this weekend. Four of the 12 remaining drivers in the hunt for the Bill France Cup will be eliminated at the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Heading into the race, William Byron (24) of Hendrick Motorsports is the only driver to have secured a place in the Round of Eight. He has extended a magical season which started with his win at the Daytona 500 in February and continued through last weekend’s third place finish at Talladega that clinched his berth in the final stage. Considering the 28-car crash that marred the YellaWood 500, his finish seems even more impressive feat.
Further down the standings, four racers -- Joey Logano (22), Daniel Suarez (99), Austin Cindric (2), and Chase Briscoe (14) -- are sitting below the cutline.
There are points for the taking, however, for the drivers who can best navigate the 109 laps of a new-look track that promises to create “chaos" over the weekend.
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How to Watch the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte
You can watch action Sunday starting at 2 p.m. EST on NBC.
Who Are the Drivers to Watch?
Christopher Bell (20) only needs 11 points in Charlotte to clinch his spot among the final eight. That should be attainable for a driver who has finished seventh or better in six of his last seven races this year.
His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin (11), currently fourth in the standings, remains a sentimental favorite for NASCAR fans. With 54 career victories, he’s the most-decorated driver never to have won a Cup Series Championship, with several instances of bad luck dashing his best chances in past years. He has a good a shot as anyone else still in the field in 2024.
“I’m just going to do the best that I can and try to go and get as many wins as I can before my career is over,” Hamlin said on his podcast, Actions Detrimental, last month. “That’s ultimately the list that I really, really care about, because the drivers that are in it are just the most elite. So, that’s my goal, and I’ve got plenty of time to get to the accomplishments that I want, and a Cup championship would just add to that.”
Kyle Larson (5) enters the race in third place and leads the field with 12 top-five finishes this season and gives Hendrick Motorsports another potential shot at securing the Bill France Trophy at Phoenix Raceway next month.
Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney (12), who sits in sixth, has four top-10s in six Cup starts at the Charlotte ROVAL.
Logano, a two-time NASCAR champion, is another one to watch: He sits just 13 points back from eighth place and has done well historically at Charlotte ROVAL.
How Will Changes to the Track May Make a Difference?
NASCAR racers will be thrown a new curve -- literally -- with a reconfiguration to the track for this year’s Charlotte ROVAL. The new hairpin on Turn 7 and sharper corner on Turn 17 has sent drivers racing to their simulators. Nobody knows yet how that will affect the way the race unfolds - which will make for tense moments behind the wheel and exciting ones in front of the television.
“The changes to the track create another passing zone but could also create chaos if drivers make late moves there,” said Larson in a statement.
What Team Could Most Use a Win in Charlotte?
23XI Racing, co-owned by Hamlin and Michael Jordan, joined Front Row Motorsports in court last week as part of an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR to allow both teams to compete in 2025 despite not signing the new charter agreement put forth by the motorsports organization.
Amid the headline-making legal maneuverings off the track, 23XI could use a strong race from Tyler Reddick (45), who is currently seventh in the playoff standings, to put the focus back on racing. Reddick’s record suggests he may be up to the task: He has an average finish of 7.0 in four Cup starts at the Charlotte Roval and is strong on road courses.
