Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Bank of America ROVAL 400

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in Charlotte, North Carolina, going into the Bank of America ROVAL 400 this Sunday, October 5 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race #6 Fast Facts: Charlotte Road Course

• This season marks the eighth-time the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course has hosted a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race. (2018-2025).
• The Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course has occupied two positions on the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs schedule:
  • From 2018-2019, the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course hosted the third race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (the Round of 16 elimination race).
  • From 2020-2025, the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course has hosted the sixth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (the Round of 12 elimination race).
• 2025 is the sixth consecutive season the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course has hosted the sixth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2020-2025) – the elimination race of the Round of 12.
• The Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2020-2025) is the fourth different track to host the sixth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2004-Present); joining Martinsville Speedway (2004-2010), Talladega Superspeedway (2011, 2013-2016) and Kansas Speedway (2012, 2017-2019).
• A total of five different drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, led by Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott (2019, 2020) and Kyle Larson (2021, 2024) with two victories each.

• Twice the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course has gone on to win the championship later that same season – 2020 and 2021.
• In 2020, Chase Elliott won at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. It was the first of three wins during his 2020 postseason run.
• In 2021, Kyle Larson won at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. It was the second of his record tying five Playoff wins during the 2021 postseason.
• The worst finish by a driver in the Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course that went on to win the NASCAR Cup Series title that same season was 18th by Joey Logano in 2022, then the sixth race of the Playoffs.
• Only once has a non-Playoff driver won the NCS postseason race at the Charlotte ROVAL – in 2023, AJ Allmendinger won the Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, he was ranked 21st in the series standings at the time of the win.
• A total of 13 different drivers have won the sixth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson with four postseason victories – all at Martinsville Speedway (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008).
• Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers with three victories (2009, 2010, 2019) in the sixth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

• Hendrick Motorsports leads all organizations in wins in the sixth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with nine victories (2004-2008, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024).
• Four times a non-Playoff drivers have won the sixth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – 2005, 2011, 2013 and 2023.
• In 2005, Jeff Gordon won at Martinsville Speedway he was ranked 15th in the standings at the time of the win.
• In 2011, Clint Bowyer won at Talladega Superspeedway he was 13th in the standings at the time of the win.
• In 2013, Jamie McMurray won at Talladega Superspeedway he was 14th in the standings at the time of the win.
• In 2023, AJ Allmendinger won the Charlotte ROVAL he was 14th in the series standings at the time of the win.
• Six-times the winner of the sixth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the championship later that same season – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2017, 2020 and 2021.
• In 2006, Jimmie Johnson won at Martinsville Speedway, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. His only victory in the 2006 postseason.
• In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won at Martinsville Speedway, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. His first of four-straight wins in the 2007 postseason (Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix).
• In 2008, Jimmie Johnson won at Martinsville Speedway, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. It was his second of three wins in the 2008 postseason.
• In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won at Kansas Speedway, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. It was the third of four wins for him in the 2017 postseason.
• In 2020, Chase Elliott won at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. It was the first of his three wins during the 2020 postseason run.
• In 2021, Kyle Larson won at the Charlotte Road Course, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. It was the second of his record tying five Playoff wins during the 2021 postseason.
• The worst finish by a driver in the sixth race of the Playoffs that went on to win the NASCAR Cup Series title that same season was:
• At Kansas Speedway (2012, 2017-2019) it has happened twice – Brad Keselowski in 2012 and Joey Logano in 2018 each finished eighth in the sixth race of the Playoffs at Kansas Speedway and then went on to win the title later those same seasons.
• At Talladega Superspeedway (2011, 2013-2016) – Jimmie Johnson in 2016 finished 23rd in the sixth race of the Playoffs at Talladega Superspeedway and went on to win the title later that season.
• At Martinsville Speedway (2004-2010) it happened twice –Kurt Busch in 2004 and Jimmie Johnson in 2010 each finished fifth in the sixth race of the Playoffs at Martinsville Speedway and then went on to win the title later that same seasons.
• At the Charlotte Road Course (2020-2024) – Joey Logano in 2022 finished 18th in the sixth race of the Playoffs at the Charlotte ROVAL and then went on to win the title later that same season.

NASCAR Cup Series 2025 Top 12 in the Driver Standings at the Charlotte ROVAL

* – Based on six races at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2018 – 2024).

At Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course Stats & Tidbits:

TRACK DATA
Season Race #: 32 of 36 (October 5, 2025)
Playoff Race #: 6 of 10
Purse: $9,797,935
Track Size/Type: 2.28 Mile Asphalt Road Course
Number of Turns: 17
Elevation Change: 35 degrees
Race Length: 109 laps / 248.52 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 25 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 59 laps

QUALIFYING RECORDS

Track Qualifying Record:
Kurt Busch, Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, 106.868 mph, 76.805 secs., September 29, 2018

2024 Playoff Race Pole Winner:
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, 99.246 MPH, 82.704 secs., October 12, 2024

RACE RECORDS

Track Race Record:
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 86.661 MPH, (02:59:54), October 9, 2022

2024 Playoff Race Winner:
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 82.817 MPH, (03:00:03), October 13, 2024

HISTORY

• Construction began on Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) in 1959.
• The track’s first NASCAR Cup Series race was held on June 19, 1960. The first NASCAR Cup Series race was won by Joe Lee Johnson driving for car owner Paul McDuffie in a 1960 Chevrolet. There were 60 entries in the event and Johnson took the lead with 48 laps to go and never relinquished it. Johnson won the race four laps ahead of Johnny Beachamp in second.
• In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying points races held the week before the May race.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty won the first 100-mile qualifying points race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 1961. Petty was driving a 1961 Petty Enterprises
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty won the first 100-mile qualifying points race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 1961. Petty was driving a 1961 Petty Enterprises
• The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).
• In 1985, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the first NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race. Charlotte Motor Speedway would host the special non-points events a total of 34 times – 1985, 1987-2019.
• The track was repaved midseason in 1994.
• The track name changed from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1999. It changed back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2010 season.
• The track was repaved again before the 2006 season.
• In 2017, the track underwent renovations to add what is now known as the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (ROVAL) a 2.32-mile, 17-turn, multi-elevational asphalt road course that incorporates the oval track as well.
• The NASCAR Cup Series made its track debut at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in 2018, and the event was won by Ryan Blaney driving a Team Penske
• Following the 2023 race, the track’s frontstretch chicane was adjusted and the track was remeasured 2.28 miles.
• There have been 134 NASCAR Cup Series points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway (includes road course figures), a minimum of two races per year since the track opened in 1960 – a total of 127 races on the oval track and seven races on the road course.

STARTS

• A total of 81 different drivers competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, and 53 drivers competed in more than one race.
• A total of 14 different drivers have made all seven NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course and all 14 are tied for the series-most starts at the track.
• Only two drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have made their first career start at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course:
  • Joey Hand (October 10, 2021 – he started 36th and finished 27th)
  • Conor Daly (October 9, 2022 – he started 39th and finished 34th).
• Of the two drivers making their first NASCAR Cup Series start at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Joey Hand posted the best finish of 27th in his debut.
• Team Penske’s Joey Logano leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course with a 6.167 in six starts.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position at the Charlotte Road Course (All-Time & Active)

• Start Chart is drivers with more than one start.

POLES

• A total of five different drivers have won the pole for the seven NASCAR Cup Series races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. Qualifying was cancelled in 2020 and 2021.
• In 2018, Kurt Busch won the pole for the inaugural Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course driving a Stewart-Haas Racing Ford; it was his third pole on a road course in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• In 2019, William Byron won the pole for the second Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course driving a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. It was his first pole on a road course in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• In 2020 and 2021, the starting lineups were determined by Metric Qualifying and as a result Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin started in the first position both seasons (2020, 2021).
• In 2022, Joey Logano won the pole for the fifth Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course driving a Team Penske Ford. It was one of three poles Logano posted in the 2022 postseason.
• In 2023, Tyler Reddick won the pole for the sixth Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course driving a 23XI Racing Toyota. His only pole in the 2023 postseason.
• Last season, Shane van Gisbergen won the pole for the sixth race of the Cup Series Playoffs at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course driving a Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. His first of four career poles on road courses in the series.
• This weekend, four of the five pole winners at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course are active.

• Youngest Cup Series pole winner at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course: William Byron (September 29, 2019 – 21 years, 9 months and 0 days).
• Oldest Cup Series pole winner at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course: Kurt Busch (September 30, 2018 – 44 years, 1 month and 26 days).
• Shane van Gisbergen (2024) is the only drive to win his first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
• A total of five different organizations in the NASCAR Cup Series have won a pole at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
  • Stewart-Haas Racing (Kurt Busch) in 2018
  • Hendrick Motorsports (William Byron) in 2019
  • Team Penske (Joey Logano) in 2022
  • 23XI Racing (Tyler Reddick) in 2023
  • Trackhouse Racing (Shane van Gisbergen) in 2024
• A total of three different manufacturers have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
  • Ford (2) won the pole in 2018 and 2022
  • Chevrolet (2) won the pole in 2019 and 2024
  • Toyota (1) won the pole in 2023

WINS

• A total of five different drivers have won the seven NASCAR Cup Series races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2018-2024).
• In 2018, Ryan Blaney won the inaugural Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course; his first win on a road course in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• In 2019, Chase Elliott won the second Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course; his third of seven-career road course wins in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• In 2020, Chase Elliott won the third Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course; his fifth of seven-career road course wins in the NASCAR Cup Series. He would go on to win the title that same season.
• In 2021, Kyle Larson won the fourth Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course; his third of six-career road course wins in the NASCAR Cup Series. He would go on to win the title that same season.
• In 2022, Christopher Bell won the fifth Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course; his second of three-career road course wins in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• In 2023, AJ Allmendinger won the sixth Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course; his third of three-career road course wins in the NASCAR Cup Series at the time.
• In 2024, Kyle Larson won the seventh Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course; his fourth of six-career road course wins in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• This weekend, all six previous winners in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course are active.

• Chase Elliott (2019, 2020) and Kyle Larson (2021, 2024) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course with two wins each.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in overall road course wins with nine victories (Sonoma, five wins; Watkins Glen, four wins).
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart has the second-most road course wins all-time in the NASCAR Cup Series with eight victories (Watkins Glen, five wins; Sonoma, three wins).
• Chase Elliott ranks third on the all-time NASCAR Cup Series road course wins list with seven victories – the most among active drivers.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for the most wins at a single road course track with six victories at Riverside International Raceway (1971, 1973, 1975, 1979, 1981 sweep).
• Youngest Cup Series race winner at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course: Chase Elliott (September 29, 2019 – 23 years, 10 months and 1 day).
• Oldest Cup Series race winner at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course: AJ Allmendinger (October 8, 2023 – 41 years, 9 month and 22 days).
• A total of six different starting positions have led to victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Road Course:
• Ryan Blaney won the 2018 Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race from the ninth starting position.
• Chase Elliott won the 2019 Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race from the 19th starting position.
• Chase Elliott won the 2020 Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race from the second starting position.
• Kyle Larson won the 2021 Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race from the 10th starting position.
• Christopher Bell won the 2022 Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race from the eighth starting position.
• AJ Allmendinger won the 2023 Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race from the sixth starting position.
• Kyle Larson won the 2024 Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race from the sixth starting position.
• Six of the seven races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course have been won from a starting position inside the top-10 (85.7%) – the lone exception is Chase Elliott’s victory from the 19th starting spot in 2019.
• A total of four different organizations have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, led by Hendrick Motorsports with four wins (2019, 2020, 2021, 2024).
  • Team Penske (2018)
  • Hendrick Motorsports (2019, 2020, 2021, 2024)
  • Joe Gibbs Racing (2022)
  • Kaulig Racing (2023)
• Three manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, led by Chevrolet with five wins (2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024), Ford (2018) and Toyota (2022) each have one win.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of seven different drivers have finished runner-up in the seven NASCAR Cup Series races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course – Jamie McMurray (2018), Alex Bowman (2019), Joey Logano (2020), Tyler Reddick (2021), Kevin Harvick (2022), William Byron (2023).

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 21 different drivers have finished in the top-five in the seven Cup Series races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
• Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch leads the Cup Series in top-five finishes at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course with three each.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 30 different drivers have finished in the top-10 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
• Joey Logano leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course with six.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (All-Time & Active)

Average Finish:

• Clint Bowyer leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course with 5.667 in three starts.
• Alex Bowman leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course with 6.400 in five starts.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at the Charlotte Road Course

LAP LEADERS

• A total of 26 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have led at least one lap at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
• Kyle Larson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course with 122 laps led in six starts.

All-Time Lap Leaders at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course

• The most laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course was 62 laps led by Kyle Larson on October 13, 2024.
• The second-most laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course was 46 laps led by AJ Allmendinger on October 8, 2023.
• The third-most laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course was 35 laps led by Chase Elliott on Sept. 29, 2019.
• The fewest laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course was two laps led by Christopher Bell on October 9, 2022.
• The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course by a driver that did not win the race was 47 laps led by Kyle Larson in the 2018 event – he ultimately finished 25th in the race.

TRACK / EVENT STATS

• The all-time Margins of Victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (from closest to largest margins of victory):

• The closest Margin of Victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course was the 2023 race, won by AJ Allmendinger by 0.666-second over runner-up William Byron.
• The largest Margin of Victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course is the 2020 race, won by Chase Elliott by 3.895-seconds over runner-up Joey Logano.
• Only one of the seven NASCAR Cup Series races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course have resulted in NASCAR Overtime – the 2022 race was scheduled for 109 laps and went to 112 (+3 laps).
• Twice qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series has been cancelled at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course due to the pandemic – 2020 and 2021.
• Only once has the NASCAR Cup Series winner at the Charlotte Motor Speedway made the final pass for the lead on the last lap of the race – In 2018, Ryan Blaney passed Jimmie Johnson on the final lap (Lap 109) for the win at the Charlotte Road Course.
• In 2023, AJ Allmendinger took the lead for the final time in the Cup race at the Charlotte ROVAL with 33 laps to go and never relinquished it.
• Last season, Kyle Larson took the lead for the final time in the Cup race at the Charlotte ROVAL with 33 laps to go and never relinquished it.

NASCAR IN NORTH CAROLINA

• There have been 780 NASCAR national series points-paying races held in the state of North Carolina among 32 different tracks.
• The very first NASCAR Cup Series race all-time was held in the state of North Carolina was at Charlotte Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 19, 1949. The track was a 0.75-mile dirt oval, and the race was won by Jim Roper in a Lincoln.

NORTH CAROLINA IN NASCAR

• A total of 480 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as North Carolina.
• A total of 60 of the 480 drivers from North Carolina have won a NASCAR national series race.

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