NASCAR stages road course test at Charlotte Motor Speedway

I am really wanting to get there for this race. Not sure we can put it on our schedule but looking into it for sure.
 
Kyle Busch suggests alterations be made to Charlotte Roval

2015 NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Busch says he has raised concerns over Charlotte’s Roval following the latest test of the circuit ahead of its 2018 playoffs appearance.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Busch took part in the test last week that was curtailed by bad weather, and other drivers echoed Martin Truex Jr.’s comments about the track being intimidating and unique.

The circuit, which will be the first road course ever in the NASCAR’s playoffs, has undergone changes to the layout that will make a lap 10-15 seconds quicker by eliminating the final loop and the infield hairpin.

Raising concerns
Busch says he found some of the track’s corners to be a concern and raised them with Charlotte Motor Speedway general manager Marcus Smith and Speedway Motorsports Inc (Charlotte’s operator) vice president Don Hawk.

“There were a couple corners that were a little iffy that I talked to Marcus [Smith] and Don Hawk about and they have an idea for changes to one of them, but not the other one,” said Busch.

“When you’re coming down onto the front straight and you have that zone in the infield grass and then you turn, you have a direct, head-on impact into the wall on the front straight there so that’s kind of a concern.

“The chicane on the front stretch, when we were testing it wasn’t bad because you could hop this curve and hop that curve, but then they wanted to straighten that out more from Turn 7 like at Sonoma, which is more of a 90-degree turn and would make that angle worse.

“I expressed my displeasure with that idea and then we also had the same thing coming from Turn 7 to Turn 8 where you’re braking in a zone and heading head-on into the front straight wall to get back on NASCAR [Turn] 1.

“[What needs to be done is] softening up that corner as well and making that tighter and a softer corner where you can corner that and get back on the main track a little safer.”

"Kind of okay"
Busch added that the track will be a race of survival and that its narrowness won’t prevent it being an exciting race.

“Those are some instances that I felt were kind of the worst instances, other than that I thought the track was kind of okay, it’s a bit narrow and tight in places, but I think you have that at some other road courses that I have not been at that NASCAR has been at.

“Montreal is really narrow too and it puts on a decent show. I think it will be fine, it will just be different. I think it’s going to be about survival more than anything.”


https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/busch-concerned-about-roval-layout-1019444/
 
Kyle Busch suggests alterations be made to Charlotte Roval

2015 NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Busch says he has raised concerns over Charlotte’s Roval following the latest test of the circuit ahead of its 2018 playoffs appearance.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Busch took part in the test last week that was curtailed by bad weather, and other drivers echoed Martin Truex Jr.’s comments about the track being intimidating and unique.

The circuit, which will be the first road course ever in the NASCAR’s playoffs, has undergone changes to the layout that will make a lap 10-15 seconds quicker by eliminating the final loop and the infield hairpin.

Raising concerns
Busch says he found some of the track’s corners to be a concern and raised them with Charlotte Motor Speedway general manager Marcus Smith and Speedway Motorsports Inc (Charlotte’s operator) vice president Don Hawk.

“There were a couple corners that were a little iffy that I talked to Marcus [Smith] and Don Hawk about and they have an idea for changes to one of them, but not the other one,” said Busch.

“When you’re coming down onto the front straight and you have that zone in the infield grass and then you turn, you have a direct, head-on impact into the wall on the front straight there so that’s kind of a concern.

“The chicane on the front stretch, when we were testing it wasn’t bad because you could hop this curve and hop that curve, but then they wanted to straighten that out more from Turn 7 like at Sonoma, which is more of a 90-degree turn and would make that angle worse.

“I expressed my displeasure with that idea and then we also had the same thing coming from Turn 7 to Turn 8 where you’re braking in a zone and heading head-on into the front straight wall to get back on NASCAR [Turn] 1.

“[What needs to be done is] softening up that corner as well and making that tighter and a softer corner where you can corner that and get back on the main track a little safer.”

"Kind of okay"
Busch added that the track will be a race of survival and that its narrowness won’t prevent it being an exciting race.

“Those are some instances that I felt were kind of the worst instances, other than that I thought the track was kind of okay, it’s a bit narrow and tight in places, but I think you have that at some other road courses that I have not been at that NASCAR has been at.

“Montreal is really narrow too and it puts on a decent show. I think it will be fine, it will just be different. I think it’s going to be about survival more than anything.”


https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/busch-concerned-about-roval-layout-1019444/
So he wants it designed just for him? So that he has an advantage? Nut up and drive the damn car like the other drivers.
 
So he wants it designed just for him? So that he has an advantage? Nut up and drive the damn car like the other drivers.

Sorry, but I don't see it that way at all. I think Kyle understands if this track is going to something other than a gold plated turd, there are probably going to have to be some changes made. My guess is once they actually try to race 36-40 cars on it, it will need even MORE changes. Look how many ovals they have gotten wrong the first or even second time around. Everybody likes Homestead NOW, but don't forget that is version 3.0.
 
Sorry, but I don't see it that way at all. I think Kyle understands if this track is going to something other than a gold plated turd, there are probably going to have to be some changes made. My guess is once they actually try to race 36-40 cars on it, it will need even MORE changes. Look how many ovals they have gotten wrong the first or even second time around. Everybody likes Homestead NOW, but don't forget that is version 3.0.
You have your opinion and I have mine which I stand by.
 
I think Kyle has some pretty legitimate safety concerns, which I never really noticed until he brought them up. The frontstretch chicane is pretty quick and on the righthander back onto the quad-oval you can get turned head-on into the wall pretty badly. And taking out the second switchback to straighten out from Turn 7 to Turn 8 means you're going at a pretty good clip directly towards a wall, so if someone loses brakes or something it can turn out pretty ugly there. The guy knows what it's like to get injured from going straight into a wall so I'm not going to blame him here.
 
I haven't paid attention to the turns he is talking about, the car is safer now after Kyle's wreck, my question would be about the speeds they are going in those turns where the flatter walls are. Could it be solved with some tires or something simple like that?
 
I think they need everybody's opinion. They have taken out some of the kinks already and they might need to add or take some away as time goes on. KDB does know a bit about hitting walls head on though.
True, and whatever you think of Kyle, he IS one of a very few current Cup drivers who should have some sort of input on such matters.
 
As pro race drivers they need to race the roval as it is designed and move on. They will figure it out and someone will win as it is.
When you are headed into turn one at Indy at over 200MPH you are headed into a headon with the wall, "if you don not turn".

If it makes sense add some tires (as @StandOnIt said) at the front stretch chican or anywhere else it makes sense.
 
well, they took that loop out (old #8) and that changed 7 from a sharp left hander to a faster smoother turn and with the loop out of 8 changed into a short chute, that changed the turn on to the regular track from a slow hairpin to a higher speed left hander going back out on the regular tack with the wall staring at them. Those changes were done at the drivers request. :idunno:
Turn # 7 in the background and # 8 I believe is coming out on to the regular track
 
They could put a bunch of tires there, sharpen that left hander, take out that red and white curbing and slow that corner down if they choose too.
 
As pro race drivers they need to race the roval as it is designed and move on. They will figure it out and someone will win as it is.
When you are headed into turn one at Indy at over 200MPH you are headed into a headon with the wall, "if you don not turn".

If it makes sense add some tires (as @StandOnIt said) at the front stretch chican or anywhere else it makes sense.

Yeah, I think the Charlotte Roval has all of the tradition and history of The Brickyard. What the hell is Kyle trying to do ****** with all of that Roval tradition?
 
Yeah, I think the Charlotte Roval has all of the tradition and history of The Brickyard. What the hell is Kyle trying to do ******* with all of that Roval tradition?

don't think KDB could stand another head on. He has problems that way and he also isn't very good at two wide in a bus stop.
 
don't think KDB could stand another head on. He has problems that way and he also isn't very good at two wide in a bus stop.
Came out of the other head on okay. #Champion
There are times when Kyle screws himself because he thinks the guy he is racing actually has at least 1/2 the talent he does.
So he wants it designed just for him? So that he has an advantage? Nut up and drive the damn car like the other drivers.
Does Kyle Busch need an advantage on a new road course? No.
Nut up? 2015. Nuts. Up. #Champion
 
He is worried about the bus stop and the wall in 8. I guess that is just a coincidence? :rolleyes::D *champion
 
So he wants it designed just for him? So that he has an advantage? Nut up and drive the damn car like the other drivers.

You really think the most talented driver in all of NASCAR racing needs the course altered just for him? You think the best road course driver in all of NASCAR needs the course altered just for him?

He is far and away the most qualified driver in NASCAR to participate in a road course test and give feedback.
 
well, they took that loop out (old #8) and that changed 7 from a sharp left hander to a faster smoother turn and with the loop out of 8 changed into a short chute, that changed the turn on to the regular track from a slow hairpin to a higher speed left hander going back out on the regular tack with the wall staring at them. Those changes were done at the drivers request. :idunno:
Turn # 7 in the background and # 8 I believe is coming out on to the regular track

Heck I think it was Kurt who complained about that and made them change that. Leave drivers out of track design.
 
Rusty Wallace was never my fave but I had the utmost respect for his driving skill and if he was to offer suggestions on a new track I would listen as his opinion would carry weight.
Cause Iowa is such a great track :rolleyes:
 
well, they took that loop out (old #8) and that changed 7 from a sharp left hander to a faster smoother turn and with the loop out of 8 changed into a short chute, that changed the turn on to the regular track from a slow hairpin to a higher speed left hander going back out on the regular tack with the wall staring at them. Those changes were done at the drivers request. :idunno:
Turn # 7 in the background and # 8 I believe is coming out on to the regular track

Thats just a poorly thought out and dangerous corner. They are carrying some decent speed down that short chute and if they cut down a right front or have a braking issue its not gonna be pretty. I'm sure they will fix that.
 
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