Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday "revealed its design for its new 'Roval' course" that will be "introduced next fall" during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 500 fall Chase race, according to Brendan Marks of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. The course "includes elements of a road course and the traditional oval track" and will be "one of a kind." The decision to create the Roval, the "first road course" in CMS’ NASCAR history, "came after an original proposal to build an entire road course was criticized by teams." The Roval "snakes through the infield while also incorporating a large section of the speedway’s oval." The "final design is 2.4 miles long with 13 turns" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/6). MOTORSPORT.com's Lee Spencer noted CMS also "revealed the addition" of synthetic turf created by Sports Fields "within the new front stretch chicane beyond the Turn 4 exit." Track execs are "hoping the combination of the road course along with the turf creates new opportunities [to] pass in the grass for years to come." SMI President & CEO Marcus Smith, whose company owns CMS, said, "This is the first time ever for artificial turf in North America." Spencer noted the turf "stretches over 42,000 square feet" and will "slow the cars down on entry as opposed to accelerating the skid." Smith also said that the "first application of the turf will give the speedway an idea whether to use it throughout the entire front stretch and potentially other tracks" (MOTORSPORT.com, 10/5).
