Speedway Motorsports Insider Reveals ‘Biggest Challenge’ They Faced Including Roval Into NASCAR Cup Schedule

The inclusion of road courses in the Cup The schedule has always been a controversial topic among fans and experts. Their durability, entertainment value and racing action have often been questioned. Although a few road courses like Sonoma are considered essential to NASCAR, most have faced criticism. One of these avenues is Charlotte Roval. The road section of the track hosts one of the elimination races. But getting the track approved by NASCAR was difficult, as a top Speedway Motorsports official revealed.

For many fans, road courses are an anomaly. This makes sense since the sport’s identity is rooted in short track racing. However, perhaps to add variety and also to make NASCAR more comparable to other elite motorsport competitions like F1, Supercars and Indycar, the frequency of road/street races in the calendar of the Cup has increased. Unfortunately, not every addition has been a hit with the NASCAR fandom.

Despite Brickyard 400 viewership dwindling, roval’s inclusion required ‘a lot of sales’ to NASCAR

For better or worse, road racing is a vital part of the NASCAR calendar today. There have been some fantastic road races over the years. Iconic pieces like COTASonoma and Glen Watkins attract many dedicated supporters. But the road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway is a subject of debate among fans. Before replacing the famous Brickyard 400 in 2021, it was also the subject of huge debate among NASCAR officials.

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI), the company that owns and operates most of NASCAR’s racing facilities, is partly responsible for putting the Roval race on the schedule. SMI is headquartered at Charlotte Motor Speedway and given the status the track enjoys, it is understandable that they would want to have two races per season at the track despite the dwindling attendance. However, initially it was difficult to get NASCAR involved with the Roval idea.

The hybrid road/oval track was not something that NASCAR had plans on earlier. However, SMI managed to convince them after much deliberation. In a recent episode of the Mics Are Hot podcast, Jessica Fickenscher, the company’s chief experience officer, shared the story of the Roval.

“The Roval was probably the biggest challenge or obstacle that we had to overcome to be able to prove to NASCAR and the teams, ‘Hey, this can work, we can do this,’ took a lot of sales, a lot of meetings. “, she says.

Although getting the Roval race on the calendar was a challenge, Jessica Fickenscher revealed that wasn’t the case with COTA. “Circuit of the Americas, Austin is a big market, NASCAR was super excited to be there so it was a little easier. It was easy to make a deal with the COTA people, there was a good relationship there, a good business relationship, so it was a little easier than the Roval, but Austin is a great market for the sport , ” » added the head of Speedway Motorsports.

NASCAR’s involvement with Charlotte Motor Speedway has ended for the season. Instead, the track will take on a festive avatar as it prepares to revel in the Christmas spirit.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is ready to gear up for Christmas at the Speedway

Charlotte Motor Speedway is more than just a race track. Every year, the track is transformed into its festive dressing for Speedway Christmas. This year will see the 14th edition of the event. Visitors will be able to enjoy the popular four-mile driving tour under 5 million synchronized lights.

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According to Speedway Digest, the track’s executive vice president, Greg Walter, recently gave details of the event, saying: “Now in its 14th season, Speedway Christmas has become a can’t-miss holiday tradition for many families across the Southeast. It’s not something we take lightly. Every year we look for ways to make the show bigger, better and brighter, delivering on our promise to create remarkable events and help visitors create lasting memories.

This year, the festivities will begin on November 17 and end on January 7 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve will be the only day it will be closed. This all sounds like an exciting holiday affair. Are you going to Speedway Christmas in 2023?

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