NASCAR kills Charlotte Roval, brings back oval for Chase

On balance, I have to accept that this is a good move in a string of good moves from NASCAR lately, several of which entail returning to more traditional ways of doing things on the competition side after decades of fruitless misadventure. People don’t like the Roval, it hasn’t produced a great race in a while, so be it. More much-needed fan service.

However. When it was just eliminating “win and you’re in” playoff eligibility, I refused to believe the conspiracy theories that Shane van Gisbergen humiliating the Americans in 2025 was the true motivation for finally making competition changes that were long-needed for more important reasons. But now that there is no longer any road course race in the Chase, my brow is beginning to furrow.

But like, if you’re going to have a road course in the Chase, make it Watkins Glen. That would even make sense in the calendar. Instead, they did the opposite this year and moved Watkins Glen to May. Go figure.