- In preparation for the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 on Sept. 29, NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace drove a road grader and smooth drum roller with Granite Contracting on Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway; Wallace’s work assisted workers in preparing to pave the all-new backstretch chicane on the ROVAL™, which creates a new passing zone for drivers and adds to entertainment for fans
- Fans can buy tickets to the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 by visiting http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets/ or calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267); Kids’ tickets cost just $10
CONCORD, N.C. (July 30, 2019) – After experiencing a difficult learning curve in the inaugural Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL™, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Seriesdriver Bubba Wallace got a head start on the speedway’s new backstretch chicane on Tuesday.
With some assistance from Granite Contracting from nearby Cornelius, North Carolina, Wallace hopped in a road grader and smooth drum roller to spread and pack dirt to ready the surface for paving. While the chicane’s original layout was 32 feet wide at its widest point, the upgraded version will be 54 feet at its widest point and will feature additional runoff areas. The new turns will require heavier braking and a sharper entry, but a wider radius will create more passing opportunities for the second Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 on Sept. 29.
“It’s going to give us a better option to go through there and attack a little bit harder,” Wallace said. “We’re definitely going to be slowing down a bit more than what we were last year. I think the biggest thing we have is that we’ll have runoff room now. We didn’t have runoff room last year until I made runoff room (by crashing in practice). I led by example, unfortunately.
“It’s an exciting race not only for the fans but for the sport. What (Speedway Motorsports, Inc. President and CEO) Marcus (Smith) and his staff have done here at Charlotte, it’s giving everybody something new.”
The upgraded backstretch chicane debuts with Bojangles’ Qualifying on Sept. 27.
“Some drivers, like Bubba, tried to widen it on their own but after taking some consideration, we’ve decided to widen it on our own,” said Greg Walter, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s executive vice president and general manager. “It’s a great passing zone and a great area for side-by-side racing. Bubba’s a great sport. He understands that we’re doing what we can to make the racing better for them.”
TICKETS:
To purchase Sept. 29 Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 race tickets, fans can call the 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or shop online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on Twitter and Instagram, becoming a Facebook fan or downloading the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.
