ROVAL Event Info:
Date: Sunday, Oct. 6
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Format: 109 Laps, 248.52 Miles, Stages: 25-50-109
TV: USA
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 11:30 a.m. ET, Xfinity Practice (CW App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 12:30 p.m. ET, Xfinity Qualifying (CW App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 2 p.m. ET, Cup Practice (TruTV, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 3:10 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (TruTV, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 5 p.m. ET, Xfinity Race (CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3 p.m. ET, Cup Race (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• The ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts the final race in the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series Playoffs this weekend, in what is the final road course event of the 2025 season.
• Sam Mayer sits fourth in the playoff standings with 2103 points, +43 points to the cutline, while Sheldon Creed is in sixth place with 2072 points, +12 above the cutline.
• Mayer (10.5) holds the second highest average finish among full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers this season, behind only Connor Zilisch (8.1).
• Mayer has finished inside the top five in five of his previous eight starts and has tied his career-high with 13 top-five finishes this season (also 2023).
• Mayer (7.1) also has the third highest average starting position among full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers this season, behind Zilisch (6.2) and Justin Allgaier (6.8).
• He has started inside the top five in each of his last eight starts dating back to his lone pole of the season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in late July.
• Creed earned his second consecutive top-five finish this season at Kansas (5th), after a runner-up result at Bristol.

Cole Custer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Partner: HaasTooling.com

Sheldon Creed Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
Partner: Road Ranger

Sam Mayer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere
Partner: Audibel

Custer at ROVAL (Cup)
Starts: 3
Wins: —
Top-10s: 1
Poles: —

• Custer makes his fourth Cup start at the ROVAL this weekend, where he has a 17.0 average finish. His lone top-10 result came in 2020 when he finished ninth.
• His best start was P12 in 2022, and he boasts a 21.0 average starting position.
• Custer has also made four NXS starts at the ROVAL with three top 10s.
• Overall, on road courses in his Cup career, Custer has three top-10s and a 19.9 average finish.

Creed at ROVAL (Xfinity)
Starts: 3
Wins: —
Top-10s: 1
Poles: —

• Creed is set to make his fourth Xfinity start at the ROVAL on Saturday, where he is coming off a 35th-place result in last season’s race. His only top-10 finish came in 2023 when he finished 10th.
• He has started inside the top 10 in all three starts, and carries an 4.7 average starting position into the weekend.
• Overall, on road courses in his Xfinity career, Creed has 10 top-10s and a 17.2 average finish.

Mayer at ROVAL (Xfinity)
Starts: 4
Wins: 2 (2023, 2024)
Top-10s: 3
Poles: 1 (2023)

• Mayer is in line for his fifth Xfinity start at the ROVAL this weekend where is a two-time winner. He has swept the previous two races in 2023 and 2024, leading 63 total laps while driving for JR Motorsports.
• He started on the pole in 2023 and on the front row last season, and holds an average starting position of 6.0.
• Overall, on road courses in his Xfinity career, Mayer has 17 top-10s and a 11.5 average finish.

Where They Stand
Cup Points Standings (41: 33rd): Custer is 33rd in the Cup Series points standings with 397 points heading into the ROVAL this Sunday.

Xfinity Points Standings (41: 4th, 00: 6th): Mayer sits fourth in the playoff standings with 2103 points, +43 points to the cutline, while Sheldon Creed is in sixth place with 2072 points, +12 above the cutline.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY ROVAL
PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: Bank of America ROVAL 400

DATE: Oct. 5, 2025
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 32 of 36
TRACK: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL | 2.32-mile, 17-Turn Road Course

CLUB MINUTES:
JJ AT CHARLOTTE: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB co-owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson has three starts in the series on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL. He earned a total of two top-10s in his three starts on the road course. His best finish of eighth came in the inaugural race on the ROVAL in Sept. 2018 after starting sixth. He followed that up in Sept. 2019 with a ninth-place result after starting fourth. In his third and final race at the ROVAL in Oct. 2020, Johnson started 30th and finished 13th. He has finished 100% of the total laps possible at the Charlotte ROVAL in his career.

JJ ON ROAD COURSES: Johnson has a total of 41 Cup Series starts on road courses. Through those he earned one win, one pole, nine top-fives, and 20 top-10s in addition to 161 laps led. He earned his road course victory in his home state of California at Sonoma Raceway in June 2010. Johnson started second, led 55 laps, and bested Robby Gordon by 3.105 seconds.

KENSETH ROVAL STATS: LEGACY MC competition advisor and 2003 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Matt Kenseth owns one start on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. In his one and only start, Kenseth started 34th and finished 23rd. He has a total of 39 Cup Series starts on road courses in his career. In these starts, he earned two top-fives and nine top-10s. He earned a best finish of second in the August 2017 race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, where he finished just .414 of a second behind race winner Martin Truex Jr.

WINDOW OF HOPE: This week in partnership with the Erik Jones Foundation, the LEGACY MC cars will join the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series field in running a pink window net as part of Jones’ Window of Hope program. After taking over the program in 2023 from Kurt Busch, Jones has continued the effort to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and research. In 2024, the program raised over $50,000 to support lifesaving breast cancer detection and care. Fans can bid on the window nets start at PristineAuction.com from Oct. 1-8, 2025.

DAY WITH THE CLUB: On Thursday, Oct. 2 prior to the Charlotte ROVAL race weekend, LEGACY MC is welcoming fans to its shop in Statesville, N.C. between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time for a day of fun. The day will include autograph sessions with drivers and ambassadors, shop tours, food trucks, partner displays, and more. For more information, visit LEGACY MC’s social media.

NEVER SETTLE: Join ESPN’s Marty Smith and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s co-owner Jimmie Johnson for their weekly podcast, “Never Settle”. Tune into Never Settle on YouTube and watch the behind the scenes clips as well as full episodes. Click HERE to watch and subscribe.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 FAMILY DOLLAR TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT THE ROVAL: John Hunter Nemechek has two starts at the Charlotte ROVAL in the NASCAR Cup Series with a best finish of 34th, earned last season. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Nemechek has earned two starts at the ROVAL and finished in the top-10 in both races. He earned his highest finish of seventh in Sept. 2019.

T-MACK ROVAL STATS: Sunday’s race will be crew chief Travis Mack’s fifth NASCAR Cup Series start at the ROVAL. His first outing came with Daniel Suárez in 2021 where the duo competed in three races together through the 2023 season. In 2024, Mack returned with Shane Van Gisbergen where the pair started on the pole and earned his highest finish at the track of seventh. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Mack has three starts with Michael Annett between 2018 to 2020. The duo earned their highest finish of ninth in Oct. 2020.

TRIBUTE TO BREAST CANCER HEROES: John Hunter Nemechek will pay tribute to his grandmother, breast cancer survivor Martha Nemechek, by displaying her name above the driver’s side door. He will also be running a pink window net in support of Erik Jones’ Window of Hope program.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“I’m excited to race at home this weekend. We’re going to apply what we learned from our test at Kershaw and be ready to go for Sunday.”

TRAVIS MACK QUOTE:
“We tested at Kershaw a few weeks back, and we learned a lot about the car and John Hunter’s driving style. We’ve been seeing speed at road courses, and with what we learned in Kershaw, I’m confident that we’ll have a good week.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 TRI-STATE/MASSEY MOTOR FREIGHT TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES ROVAL STATS: Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will mark Erik Jones’ eighth NASCAR Cup Series start at the 2.32-mile, 17-turn road course. Jones earned his best finish at the ROVAL in Oct. 2020 where he started 14th and finished third, which is his only top-10 at the track. He has an additional two top-20 finishes at the ROVAL with a 17th-place result in Oct. 2021 and an 11th-place finish in Oct. 2022.

BESHORE AT ROVAL: Crew chief Ben Beshore has three NASCAR Cup Series starts on top of the box on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. His first two starts in Oct. 2021 and Oct. 2022 were with Kyle Busch where the duo finished fourth and third, respectively. Beshore returned in 2024 with Erik Jones where the duo was involved in a wreck that ended their day early after only 56 laps, resulting in a 33rd-place result. He has an additional three starts at the ROVAL in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Harrison Burton in Sept. 2019 and Oct. 2020. He earned his best result in Oct. 2023 with John Hunter Nemechek where the duo finished eighth after starting 38th.

HONORING BREAST CANCER HEROES: In addition to the pink window net, Jones will also carry two cancer hero names on the passenger and driver’s side doors to honor both sides of the breast cancer story. On the passenger side, Jones’ name will be replaced with Stephanie Virginia Ellen, a lifelong NASCAR fan who lost her battle to breast cancer in 2017. On the driver’s side, Jones will honor his longtime manager, family friend, and breast cancer survivor Amy Stein, who battled and beat the disease in 2007.

PAINT THE WALL: On Tuesday morning, Jones made a pit stop at Charlotte Motor Speedway to participate in its 13th annual “Paint the Wall” event. Along with some of his fellow Cup Series drivers and 60 breast cancer survivors, Jones painted pit road wall pink in support of breast cancer awareness month. In addition to the painting, Jones also unveiled his No. 43 Tri-State/Massey Motor Freight Toyota Camry XSE which will be highlighted in pink accents for the weekend to support the cause.

ERIK JONES QUOTE
“The Charlotte ROVAL is a track that we’re ready to try some new stuff at. We’ve been working on our road course program all year, so I’m excited to get there and see if we can continue to improve on road courses. It’s always a good week to be home and race right down the road. There’s nothing like racing at Charlotte with how long this schedule is and how much travel is involved. Hoping we can get another good result here on Sunday.”

BEN BESHORE QUOTE
“The Charlotte ROVAL will be something. Our road course package is one area where we really need to put in a lot of work from a team standpoint. We haven’t had very good results on road courses this year. Maybe it’s a place where we can try something a little different from a setup or car build area to see if we can learn something going into the 2026 season. We’ll try to get a read on something new and try to use it as sort of a test for something to help us improve on our program next year.”

CLUB APPEARANCES:
Jones will visit Trackside Live in the Fan Zone on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 11:15 a.m. local time for a short Q&A session with the fans. He will then go to the Toyota trackside merchandise hauler for an autograph session in the fan zone at 11:40 a.m. local time.

Nemechek will visit Trackside Live in the Fan Zone on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 11:45 a.m. local time for a Q&A session with fans. He will also be at the NASCAR Classics trackside merchandise rig to sign for fans at 12:00 p.m. local time.

TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the Bank of America ROVAL 400 on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MAX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

• In 11 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL, Spire Motorsports has logged two top-15 and four top-20 finishes. Both Corey LaJoie and Carson Hocevar, driver of the team’s No. 77 Modo Casino Chevrolet ZL1, earned a team-best 12th-place result on the layout in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet ZL1s with Justin Haley, Michael McDowell and Hocevar, respectively.
• All three Spire Chevrolet ZL1s will participate in the “Window of Hope” program, swapping the traditional black window net for pink netting to honor and raise funds for breast cancer awareness through the Erik Jones Foundation.
• The Bank of America ROVAL 400 will be televised live on USA Sunday, Oct. 5 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 32nd of 36 points-paying events on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.

Justin Haley – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Gainbridge STEM Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
• Haley joined 50 middle school students from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area for a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) event Tuesday, Sept. 30 at the GM Tech Center in Concord, N.C., less than a mile from Charlotte. The program featured live pit stop demonstrations at Hendrick Motorsports’ pit pad where the team’s Pit Stop Coach, Keith Flynn, explained each pit crew role, allowed students to handle the equipment, and held a competition where select students were able to change a race-car tire.
• In four previous Cup Series starts at the ROVAL, Haley earned one top-five and two top-10 finishes, including a venue-best fifth place effort in October 2022 on the 2.32-mile road course/oval layout. Over those four starts, Haley has logged a 27.3 average start and a 22.5 average finish and completed 396 of 439 laps contested (90.2 percent).
• The ROVAL serves as the sixth and final road course on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. This season, Haley has earned finishes of 16th at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, 24th at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, 22nd at the Chicago Street Race, 15th at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and 27th at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.
• The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation empowers communities with clean, safe places for underserved youth to play, learn, and grow. Since 2018, Group 1001 and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation (CRSF) have combined efforts to build 17 youth development parks and install 20 STEM centers nationwide. Group 1001 employees have joined CRSF to host and volunteer for four Community Enhancement Projects. CRSF and Group 1001 have impacted over 100,000 youth in their joint effort to promote active lifestyles and educational opportunities. For more information, visit https://ripkenfoundation.org/ or follow and connect with us @CalRipkenSrFdn @gainbridgesport @GainbridgeSport.
• Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.com or follow and connect with Gainbridge on X and LinkedIn.
• Haley has also found success in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at the ROVAL where the Winamac, Ind., native has made three starts, earning one top-five finish, a fourth-place result in the 67-lap event in October 2021. Across those three races, Haley posted a 5.3 average starting position, a 23.3 average finish, and led a total of seven laps.
• Haley has made four previous starts for Spire Motorsports at “America’s Home For Racing,” two of which were on the ROVAL, finishing 37th in October 2021 and 26th in October 2024. He recorded finishes of 28th in May 2021 and 30th in May 2025 on the speedway’s 1.5-mile quad-oval.
• Last Sunday at Kansas Speedway, Haley and the No. 7 crew started 22nd and finished 18th to earn the team’s 13th top-20 finish of the season.
• Sunday’s race at the ROVAL will mark Haley’s 176th career NASCAR Cup Series start. Over the course of the last seven seasons, the 26-year-old has collected one win, six top five, 18 top 10s and led 123 laps. He made his first premier series start with Spire Motorsports at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in 2019 and has since made 75 Cup Series starts with the team.
• Justin Haley Quotes
• The ROVAL marks the final road course of the season, and you’ve earned top-20 finishes at both COTA and Sonoma. What’s your mindset going into this weekend’s race?
• “I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of the ROVAL. It’s exciting for both the drivers and the fans, which brings its importance to a premium. We’ve been working towards getting the road course package more comfortable and I’ve had some of my best races at the ROVAL. I’m looking forward to racing at home this weekend.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

• Ryan Sparks serves a dual role as Spire Motorsports’ Competition Director and crew chief for driver Justin Haley.
• The Winston-Salem, N.C., native has sat atop the pit box for 197 NASCAR Cup Series races, earning four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes over the course of his career.
• Sparks has called five previous Cup Series races on the ROVAL, where he earned his venue-best 12th-place in 2022 with Corey LaJoie.

Michael McDowell – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Michael McDowell will race Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Delaware Life/FIG Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
• McDowell owns seven Cup Series starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course, calling a 2019 12th-place finish his venue and career best. Across those seven races, the Glendale, Ariz., native claimed two top-15 and four top-20 finishes.
• The seasoned road racer qualified inside the top-15 in two of his last three attempts and recorded the 11th-fastest lap in time trials at the 2022 event.
• Across his seven ROVAL starts in NASCAR’s premier division, the father-of-five completed 100 percent of the laps contested, where he’s logged a total of 766 laps.
• McDowell’s cousin, Jason Noll, will assist primary spotter Michael Fisher this weekend.
• The 2023 Verizon 200 at The Brickyard winner claimed two top-five finishes on road courses in 2025, including a season best fourth-place effort during NASCAR’s June visit to Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.
• Last weekend at Kansas Speedway, McDowell started at the rear of the field following a post-inspection penalty, but rallied to a team-best 14th-place finish at the 1.5-mile track.
• In his last four races, the 40-year-old driver has earned an average finish of 13.2 including an eighth-place finish two races ago at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
• Over the course of 31 races in 2025, McDowell tallied two top-five, four top-10, 13 top-15, and 18 top-20 finishes. To date, the veteran racer has earned an average starting position of 15.9, an 18.9 average finish, led 86 laps, and been running at the finish of all but two of the season’s first 31 points-paying races.
• This weekend’s Delaware Life Chevrolet will feature Charlotte-based Financial Independence Group (FIG) on the hood of McDowells’ blue and teal machine.
• Financial Independence Group (FIG) is a financial services company and national leader in the independent marketing organization (IMO) and field marketing organization (FMO) industry. Privately held and independently owned, FIG’s fixed insurance solutions help independent, licensed financial professionals guide their retail investment clients to an optimal retirement plan. FIG has provided solutions for over 49 years, specializing in guaranteed income, asset protection, and multi-generational planning. Over 3,000 professionals across the U.S. access more than 70 top-rated carriers to design fixed index annuity, fixed annuity, life insurance, care planning, and disability income solutions to best fit the interests of their clients.
• McDowell has claimed three Xfinity Fastest Lap awards this season, clocking the fastest lap in the Daytona 500, Phoenix Raceway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The team is one of just three in the series to tally three or more bonus points via the program.
• The No. 71 team secured Spire Motorsports’ first Busch Light Pole Award in March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. McDowell’s 28.833-second lap marks the fastest lap recorded in NASCAR’s seventh-generation Cup Series car (2022-present) at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval. The team also earned Spire Motorsports’ first stage win during the Grant Park 165 on the streets of downtown Chicago.
• McDowell’s team earned a handsome $100,000 payday and a trip to Victory Lane after winning the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge during May’s NASCAR All-Star Weekend at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. The crew’s winning 12.587-second stop topped all entries for both the NASCAR All-Star Open and NASCAR All-Star Race, earning them the title of the fastest team on pit road.

Michael McDowell Quote
Talk about the ROVAL from the point of view of a road course ace?
“The ROVAL is unique, it’s one of a kind in the sense that it’s not like any other road courses we see. It’s not a typical or standard road course. But the oval part of it isn’t really a thing anymore. I think in the old car you had to choose whether you wanted your car to go through the banking or go through the infield, whereas now in the Next-Gen car it’s not really a hybrid, as much. So, set up wise you’re thinking about it from a road-course standpoint, but it’s very unique.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

• Crew chief Travis Peterson joined Spire Motorsports following the 2024 season after spending 2023-2024 calling the shots for McDowell at Front Row Motorsports.
• Prior to his time as McDowell’s crew chief, Peterson worked as a race engineer for RFK Racing, earning back-to-back top-10 finishes (2021-2022) with Chris Buescher including a venue-best finish of third in 2022.
• Across two Cup Series races at the ROVAL, the West Bend, Wisc., crew chief holds an average start of 17.0 paired with an average finish of 23.5.

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Modo Casino returns to Carson Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 for the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Portage, Mich., native has just one previous start at the 2.32-mile road course resulting in a 12th-place effort.
• Modo Casino, America’s fastest-growing social casino from ARB Interactive, is proudly built in the U.S. and offers players the thrill of casino-style gaming online. This free-to-play platform features hundreds of popular slot titles, live dealer experiences, and classic table games like Blackjack and Roulette. Players use free coins to compete and can redeem winnings for real-world prizes and experiences, creating a fun, accessible and low stress way to play. Through partnerships with major sports properties, Modo Casino delivers exclusive content, unique fan experiences, and culturally relevant entertainment for millions of players nationwide. Modo Casino follows the International Social Games Association’s and the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance’s best practice principles, as well as all relevant consumer protection, competition, advertising and privacy regulations. Modo Casino will return to the No. 77 Chevy at Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
• Hocevar has eight total starts on road courses in the NASCAR Cup Series with a best finish of third earned at Watkins Glen International on September 15, 2024.
• The Delaware Life team is coming off an eighth-place showing in last Sunday’s race at Iowa Speedway. Hocevar qualified sixth and earned stage points in Stage 1 before a spin midway through Stage 2 sent him to the back of the pack. The 22-year-old driver rallied for his best finish in two starts at the 0.875-mile D-shaped oval and his second top-10 finish in as many races.
• Through 31 of 36 points-paying races, Hocevar has spent 53.4% of laps run inside the top 15 – more than double his total at this time last season. He ranks ninth among all drivers on speed shown early in the run.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
How has your approach to road course races changed over the last year?
“Last year, in general, our focus was to finish races. We’ve changed that approach to going for wins and going as hard as we can so I think that’s allowed me to learn more about racing up front and challenging for position. I think there’s a lot of opportunity on road courses and we’ve run decent this year, it’s just finishing it out.”

Have you adjusted your driving style throughout the playoffs as you race around guys that are trying to advance to Phoenix?
“Not really. I’m not going to intentionally put anyone in a bad spot, but we’re still here to win races. I appreciate what they are fighting for and don’t want to be the driver that ruins someone’s playoff run. I just rely on the team to keep me updated on what is going on and I focus on my goal, which is getting to the front.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

• Luke Lambert will call his seventh NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte ROVAL on Sunday. Hocevar’s 12th-place result was the second-best for the crew chief, only ranking behind an 11th-place finish with Ryan Newman in 2018.
• The Mount Airy, N.C., native has also called one NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte-based venue; a third-place effort with driver Noah Gragson in 2022.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win came on May 30, 2025, when Rajah Caruth took the checkered flag in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and an ARCA Menards Series Chevrolet in select events.

Charlotte ROVAL Event Info:
Date: Sunday, Oct. 6
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Format: 109 Laps, 248.52 Miles, Stages: 25-50-109
TV: USA
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 2 p.m. ET, Cup Practice (TruTV, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 3:10 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (TruTV, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3 p.m. ET, Cup Race (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• The ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts the final race in the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Playoffs this weekend, in what is the final road course event of the 2025 season.
• Chris Buescher has the fifth highest average starting position (12.3) in the Cup Series this season, anchored by 11 starts inside the top 10.
• Buescher is also one of eight drivers with 15+ top-10 results this season, and has an average finish of 13.8 which is the sixth highest among Cup drivers.
• Keselowski has posted six top-10 finishes over his last 11 races, including four in the top five, with an average finish of 12.8 dating back to Dover in late July.
• The No. 6 team has led laps in three of his previous four starts, and is one of 13 drivers to lead 200+ laps this season.
• Ryan Preece has set Cup Series career highs this season in top-fives (3) and top-10s (10), and has finished inside the top-20 in 14 of his last 17 starts.

6 Team Info:
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Crew Chief: Jeremy Bullins
Partner: Castrol

17 Team Info:
Driver: Chris Buescher
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Fifth Third

As part of the Fueled by Fifth Third Bank pass through program, Superior Cranes will ride along with Buescher on the decklid this weekend.

• Industry Leader Since 1989: Superior Cranes, Inc. has been a trusted name in crane rental, rigging, specialized hauling, and heavy hauling for over three decades.
• Comprehensive Services: They provide a full range of solutions, including crane rentals, rigging, heavy transport, and industrial maintenance support for complex projects with 23.5 hour service.
• Extensive Regional Presence: Headquartered in Rockingham, NC, the company serves the Southeastern U.S. and beyond, with multiple locations across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
• Modern, Expanding Fleet: Superior Cranes continually upgrades its fleet with the newest, safest, and most innovative equipment available in the market.
• Commitment to Safety and Quality: The company emphasizes safety and efficiency on every job, ensuring high standards through rigorous planning and certified operators.

60 Team Info:
Driver: Ryan Preece
Crew Chief: Derrick Finley
Partner: Kroger / Totino’s Ultimate

Keselowski at the ROVAL
Starts: 7
Wins: —
Top-10s: 1
Poles: —

• Keselowski makes his eighth start on the ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. He has a 18.4 average finish with a best finish of fifth in 2019. Last season he finished 23rd.
• Keselowski led laps in each of the first three events on the ROVAL, and started inside the top five twice (third – 2020, second – 2021).
• Overall, on road courses in his Cup career, Keselowski has 11 top-10s and a 17.4 average finish.

Buescher at the ROVAL
Starts: 7
Wins: —
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —

• Buescher makes his eighth start on the ROVAL this weekend. He’s coming off top-10s in three of his last four starts despite a P17 finish last season.
• In road course racing this season, Buescher has finishes of P7 (COTA), P10 (Mexico City), P18 (Chicago), P16 (Sonoma), and P3 (Watkins Glen).
• Buescher carries a 18.4 average starting position into the weekend with a career-best P10 qualifying effort in 2018.
• Overall, on road courses, Buescher 17 top-10s and a 12.7 average finish in his career.

Preece at the ROVAL
Starts: 5
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

• Preece makes his sixth start on the ROVAL this weekend, where he has a best finish of 11th om 2023. Last season he finished 25th.
• He has three career top-20 finishes at the track, and led eight laps in 2020 accounting for nearly half of his laps led at road courses.
• Preece carries a 23.0 average starting position into the weekend with a career-best P14 qualifying effort in 2019.
• Overall, on road courses, Preece two top-10s and a 21.7 average finish in his career.

RFK Historically at the ROVAL
Cup Wins: —

Road Course Racing: Overall, RFK has 275 starts on road courses in the Cup Series with six wins, 95 top-10s and 44 top five finishes. RFK Cup drivers have a 17.3 average finish with 656 laps led.

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Kansas: Keselowski 8th; Buescher 15th; Preece 26th.

Points Standings (17: 17th, 60: 18th, 6: 19th): Buescher and Preece sit 17th and 18th in points, respectively, while Keselowski moved up a spot to 19th in the standings.