CONCORD, N.C. – Hendrick Motorsports heads up the road to the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL on Sunday for the final race in the Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The facility will continue to utilize the road course configuration as it has done since 2018 for its postseason event.
Located within two miles of Hendrick Motorsports’ campus, Charlotte has been the site of Cup Series competition dating all the way back to 1960. In 2018, it was announced that the track’s annual playoff race would utilize the new road course configuration. The 17-turn layout has produced exciting racing and stands alone as the only road course to be featured in the playoffs.
RELATED: Through the years: Road course wins for Hendrick Motorsports
Last season, Kyle Larson stormed through the field to take the checkered flag in what was a turning point moment for the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team. On lap 35, Larson pitted to address a loss of power within the car. Under caution, Larson’s crew quickly changed the battery and later the alternator belt to resolve the issue in a timely fashion. The quick work saved Larson’s playoff hopes and allowed him to win his seventh of 10 races in 2021.
William Byron has also experienced success at his home track as he led the most laps in last year's race (30). The Charlotte, North Carolina, native also and had a shot to win before late-race contact with Tyler Reddick forced Byron wide of the turn-11 chicane. He brought home the No. 24 entry in the 11th position and has two top-10 finishes in four starts there.
Chase Elliott crossed the line first in stage one and finished in the runner-up spot for stage two. On lap 55, Kevin Harvick made contact with the rear of Elliott’s No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, causing significant damage to the back end of the vehicle. Despite the damage, Elliott managed to finish the race 12th to keep his championship hopes alive. Two of his seven career road course wins have come at the Charlotte ROVAL.
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Alex Bowman will be sidelined for a second straight race weekend after continued concussion symptoms following an accident in the Sept. 25 event at Texas Motor Speedway. Noah Gragson will once again drive the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend. This will be Gragson's first start on a road course in the Cup Series, but he has finished in the top 10 in all five of his 2022 road course starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Bowman's absence at Charlotte means he will be one of the four drivers eliminated in the Round of 12 as he is 66 points below the cutoff line.
Coming off a victory at Talladega Superspeedway, Elliott has secured his spot in the Round of 8. Currently sitting above the cutoff line, Larson enters the weekend looking to join his teammate in the next round. When the green flag drops on Sunday afternoon, the 30-year-old driver will have an 18-point lead over the final transfer position. Following an appeal, the No. 24 team had their 25-point penalty from Texas Motor Speedway’s event rescinded. The decision returns Byron into a transfer position, 14 markers ahead of the cutline heading into the Charlotte ROVAL.
RELATED: How Hendrick Motorsports' playoff drivers stack up heading to Charlotte
In its brief history as a stop on the Cup Series schedule, Hendrick Motorsports has thrived on at the Charlotte ROVAL. The four races held on this configuration have seen three victories for Hendrick Motorsports, while the company has led 35% of the laps. Elliott is responsible for two of those victories, winning in both 2019 and 2020. Larson is the most recent winner from the organization, taking the checkered flag last season on his way to the 2021 Cup Series championship.
Here is what you need to know to catch this weekend’s action.
WHAT TIME IS PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING?
Group practice will begin at noon ET on Saturday, Oct. 8, and will be broadcast on the NBC Sports App with USA Network providing coverage at 12:30 p.m. ET. Group qualifying will follow practice and begin at 1:00 p.m. ET on USA Network.
Byron and Larson will be in Group A, while Gragson and Elliott will be part of Group B.
WHAT TIME IS THE RACE?
The 109-lap Cup Series main event is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 9, and will be broadcast on NBC.
CAN I LISTEN ON THE RADIO?
The race will be on PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
CAN I STREAM ONLINE?
Yes. Download the NBC Sports App for online coverage. Fans can also keep up with the action on Twitter by following @TeamHendrick.
FIVE FAST FACTS HEADING INTO THE ROVAL
Data provided by Racing Insights
4: Larson’s four victories on road courses with Hendrick Motorsports are the third-most of any driver in team history.
5: Hendrick Motorsports has won the last five races run during the month of October.
7: Elliott’s seven wins on road courses have come at five different facilities, the most of any driver in Cup Series history.
48: Gragson became the 48th driver to compete for the Rick Hendrick-owned organization with his start on Sunday at Talladega.
80: Byron’s laps led at the Charlotte ROVAL in his career. He holds a 16-lap advantage over Elliott, who is in second place.