### NASCAR’s Charlotte Roval Revamp: Drivers Prepare for Chaos with New Track Layout

Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval has undergone significant alterations that have left NASCAR drivers anticipating a chaotic race ahead. The revised infield road course design, aimed at increasing passing opportunities, features a daunting new arrangement that many believe will result in more crashes.

Chris Gabehart, crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11, expressed his sentiment on the changes, saying, "We’re off to the new look Roval to see whatever the Smith family has dreamt up for us this time." This redesigned track has particularly garnered criticism for a ramp at Turn 5, an initially high-speed downhill corkscrew that has simulated cars launching off all four wheels.

Driver Alex Bowman noted the difficulty of Turns 5 and 6, mentioning, "Turn 6 is like 100 percent blind. You can’t see it until you’re there, which is pretty interesting." He added that Turn 7, a slow hard left, would be comparable to making a U-turn on a one-way street – a move fraught with potential incidents.

Additionally, the front stretch chicane has been tightened further, raising concerns about the increased likelihood of late dives during the race. Denny Hamlin succinctly put it during his Talladega press conference, "I think it’s set up for chaos, truthfully." He also suggested that the changes might have been made specifically to instigate more disorder on the track.

Drivers like Riley Herbst and Kyle Larson have voiced their skepticism about the modifications. Herbst bluntly commented, "I don’t know if you’ve seen it but they’ve taken a really bad race track and made it worse." Larson, after spending time in a simulator, mentioned, "It’s going to be a passing opportunity but also for sure some chaos and parked cars."

Chase Briscoe, who has previously won at the Roval in the Xfinity Series, acknowledged the challenges posed by the changes. He noted, "The right hander that we have now is completely off-camber, which is going to be an extremely challenging corner." Briscoe also entertained the possibility of cars getting airborne, especially during qualifying.

Hamlin’s observations on his podcast underscored the general consensus: the redesign appears deliberately chaotic. "The reconfigure was designed to create more chaos," he remarked skeptically.

Regardless of the mixed feelings, Chase Elliott highlights that the drivers will need extensive preparation. “To me, I kind of look at it like it’s a new race track, truthfully," Elliott said, focusing on the need to adapt quickly through simulator practice.

As the drivers brace themselves for the new layout, the upcoming race at Charlotte Motor Speedway promises to be unpredictable, intensifying the pressure on the competitors to navigate through the re-imagined Roval track.