The reports are true — the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval will not return for the 2026 NASCAR season.
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The Athletic previously reported the change, but Speedway Motorsports has provided confirmation. The part oval/part road course will not hold its traditional spot in the fall. Instead, all three series will race on the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the second time while battling for the championship.
The Craftsman Truck Series teams will kick off the fall weekend with the EcoSave 250 on Friday, Oct. 9 (5 p.m. on Fox). The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series will continue with the Blue Cross NC 250 on Saturday, Oct. 10 (4 p.m. on CW).
The Cup Series teams will close out the race weekend with the Bank of America 400 on Sunday, Oct. 11 (3 p.m. on USA).
"Charlotte Motor Speedway has always been about innovations and opportunity," said Marcus Smith, president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports. "The Roval delivered dramatic racing when many fans were calling for a road course in the playoffs.
"Now there's an energy around the return of The Chase and fans are seeing the excitement that oval racing continues to generate on mile-and-a-half tracks. This feels like the time to bring the fall race back to the legendary oval at a place where NASCAR history is made every year."
The Charlotte Roval has been a part of the schedule since the 2018 season. It has served as a cutoff race in the playoffs, and it has hosted some wild moments as drivers have fought to reach the next round.
The road course delivered some excitement for the fans in the Gen 6 era, but it didn't have the same level during the Gen 7 era. The races had some wild moves by drivers, including last season when Ross Chastain spun Denny Hamlin by the finish line, but the new car left some wanting.
The intermediate tracks, however, have showcased the best parts of the Gen 7 car. The races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval have remained competitive as drivers such as Hamlin, Chastain, and Ryan Blaney have won the Coca-Cola 600.
Now that The Chase has replaced the playoffs, the oval can host a more traditional championship battle. Drivers will just race for points and the all-important win, but they won't have to make aggressive moves and knock each other out of the way "to advance."
"The voice of the passionate NASCAR fan is the starting point of every decision we make, and Marcus, Speedway Motorsports and NASCAR heard them loud and clear - with the return of The Chase, let's return to the oval at Charlotte Motor Speedway," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR president.
"As The Chase returns, we are putting a spotlight on performance while honoring the tracks and traditions that have defined championship moments. Charlotte Motor Speedway's historic oval has played a central role in some of the sport's most memorable races, so bringing The Chase back to the 1.5-mile configuration for our fans simply felt right."
