Charlotte Roval Out as NASCAR Returns to Traditional Oval Racing in 2026

In a significant shift for the NASCAR Cup Series, the Charlotte Roval will be removed from the 2026 schedule, replaced by a traditional oval race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The decision, confirmed by Marcus Smith, CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI), signals a return to the track’s roots for one of its playoff events. The move comes just weeks before the commencement of the 2026 season and will alter the composition of the series’ championship playoff structure.

Smith disclosed the news during an appearance on the popular podcast "The Dale Jr. Download," where he spoke with co-host Kelley Earnhardt Miller. He elaborated on the strategic considerations that led to the removal of the hybrid road course circuit. According to Smith, the suggestion to revert to an oval configuration was initially raised by executive Jessica Fickenscher during a recent strategic planning session and quickly garnered support. Discussions with NASCAR officials, broadcast partners, and the race’s primary sponsor, Bank of America, all indicated a positive reception to the proposed change.

"At the time when we introduced the Roval, it was when road courses were having this amazing surge," Smith explained, referencing the initial appeal of incorporating road course racing into the NASCAR schedule. "Fans were saying we love road courses, it kind of raced like a short track, and so we brought out the Roval and it provided another road in the schedule and the playoffs. It made for something new and different. It was one of the highest rated races for TV in a couple of years. Great growth, great excitement, some great highlights from the race."

However, Smith noted that evolving dynamics within the sport, particularly the introduction of the Next Gen car and changes in officiating, have influenced the perceived excitement of Roval races. "But I think the new car and the way NASCAR officiates the racing isn’t as exciting as it had been, initially. We want to deliver excitement and a great event with fantastic competition," he stated. This sentiment suggests a desire to align the playoff schedule with racing formats that are currently perceived to offer more consistent, high-octane competition.

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The Charlotte Roval, a 2.28-mile circuit utilizing portions of the existing oval and an infield road course, was first integrated into the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2018. Its inaugural race concluded with a dramatic upset, as Ryan Blaney seized victory in the closing moments after a late-race incident involving Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. in the final chicane. The Roval has since served as a critical elimination race in the playoff format, notably in the Round of 12. The most recent Cup Series winner at the circuit was Shane van Gisbergen, a Supercars champion from New Zealand who made a remarkable debut victory in 2023.

The performance of the Next Gen car on road courses has been a subject of ongoing discussion within the NASCAR community. While the car has generally been praised for its on-track action on traditional ovals, its implementation on road courses has, at times, been criticized for producing less compelling racing compared to the series’ intermediate track events. In contrast, the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, held on the Charlotte oval and featuring a notable "last-to-first" performance by Ross Chastain, was widely regarded as one of the season’s most exciting races.

The call for the Roval’s removal was not isolated. Former Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski openly advocated for the event’s discontinuation in the fall of 2023, joining a chorus of drivers and industry figures who expressed a preference for a return to a full oval configuration at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the playoff period.

The removal of the Roval from the playoff schedule means that the upcoming ten-race "Chase" format will not feature a road course event as part of its playoff structure. In the 2025 season, six Cup Series races were held on road or street courses. However, the 2026 calendar will see a reduction in this number, with the Chicago Street Course not returning. NASCAR is set to introduce the San Diego Street Course, which will bring the total number of road and street course events to four. Importantly, all of these road and street course races are slated to take place during the regular season, prior to the commencement of the playoffs.

This strategic recalibration will mark the first time since 2017 that Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts two points-paying Cup Series races on its traditional oval layout within a single season. The last instance of this occurred when Martin Truex Jr. secured victory in the fall 500-mile race. The return to an oval-focused playoff slate at Charlotte signifies a potential emphasis on traditional oval racing prowess as teams vie for the championship in the latter stages of the season. The exact nature of the replacement oval race, including its distance and specific configuration within the existing schedule, is expected to be announced by NASCAR in due course. The decision reflects a broader trend of NASCAR evaluating and adapting its schedule to optimize fan engagement and on-track competition, with a stated aim of delivering maximum excitement and compelling racing throughout the championship run.

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