{"id":197462,"date":"2025-09-03T18:15:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T18:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/197462\/"},"modified":"2025-09-03T18:15:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T18:15:22","slug":"making-history-on-the-charlotte-motor-speedway-roval-nascar-craftsman-truck-drivers-share-first-impressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/197462\/","title":{"rendered":"Making History on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL\u2122: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Drivers Share First Impressions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 2, 2025) \u2014\u00a0<\/b>For the first time in history, the\u00a0NASCAR\u00a0<\/a>CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will battle the twists and turns of the 17-turn\u00a0ROVAL\u2122<\/a>\u00a0at\u00a0Charlotte Motor Speedway<\/a>\u00a0on Friday, Oct. 3.
\n\"\"NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs Logo
\nFrom the daunting frontstretch chicane to the hairpin at Turn 7, drivers know the playoff debut is set to test nerves, brakes and patience.
\nHere\u2019s what the drivers are saying ahead of next month\u2019s historic event:
\nGrant Efinger, No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado, CR7 Motorsports:<\/b>
\n\u201cI think it\u2019s cool that we are going to the ROVAL\u2122 for the first time. Looking back, I compare it a little bit to the Daytona road course, when we went there four or five years ago, so hopefully I can rely on that experience. It\u2019s good to go to a new place. NASCAR has done a good job mixing around the schedule.\u201d
\n\u201cI would say the hairpin getting onto NASCAR Turn 1 will be the hardest part. I feel that\u2019s going to be the most critical to get in and out of cleanly. It obviously sets up for a really big straightaway, so I feel like that\u2019s going to be both very important and very chaotic in our race.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corey Heim, No. 11 Toyota Tundra Pro, TRICON Garage:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve seen the Turn 1 craziness in the past couple of years at the Charlotte ROVAL\u2122 playoff race for the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. To bring the Truck Series there, where mayhem is already sort of in question in the playoffs, combining that with the Charlotte ROVAL\u2122, it\u2019s definitely going to be exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think with the lack of experience in the field, plus the already-present challenges of the ROVAL\u2122 itself and how slick that track is and how crazy the restarts are and whatnot, the combination of all those factors is going to make for a pretty tough time for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tyler Ankrum, No. 18 Chevrolet Silverado, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing:<\/strong>
\n\"\"Tyler Ankrum, diver of the No. 18 LiUNA! Chevrolet, looks on before the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series TSport 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline | Getty Images)
\n\u201cThe toughest part of the whole race track would be the bus stop for sure. In Turn 1, we\u2019ve seen a lot of historical accidents, just on restarts and overcooking the entry. Honestly, that hairpin (Turn 7), we saw it a lot last year, that hairpin is a big passing zone.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s high-risk, high-reward. The harder you can get in there, the easier it is to get alongside a guy on the right side and set you up for the big track.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve talked to my teammate Daniel Hemric. He\u2019s raced there in both Xfinity (series) and Cup (series). Having a guy like him, who\u2019s been there and done that, is a huge help. It\u2019s not just the setups and preparations, but also knowing what to expect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo leave with a win at the ROVAL\u2122, for us, would be huge. It\u2019d be a big step in our road course program, and it would also lock us into the Round of 4 at arguably the hardest track to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel Hemric, No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, the ROVAL\u2122 itself is just trying to understand the rhythm; that\u2019s the challenge. It\u2019s not a particular set of corners \u2014 it\u2019s getting into a rhythm. You\u2019re always sliding. Your vehicle never feels great, so just getting that rhythm is probably the biggest challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not only a blend of something new, but also something that\u2019s been around for a couple of years. With Cup and Xfinity already there, there\u2019s always something new to take in.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, with the track changes last year, that adds another element in. For me, the unknown is what draws people to anything in sports, so having the unknown of having the Truck Series there is just an unknown that everybody needs to see.\u201d
\nLayne Riggs, No. 34 Ford F-150, Front Row Motorsports:<\/b>
\n\"\"Layne Riggs (Photo Credit: James Gilbert | Getty Images)
\n\u201cThere\u2019s just a lot of prep work to do to try to be the best you can when you show up to the ROVAL\u2122, especially having such little practice as we do.
\n\u201cYou just have to be on your A-game and be ready to go and make sure your brake markers are right, make sure your truck\u2019s ready to go and be as smart as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a short track racer, I feel like going through the infield section with very little banking, very little grip.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be right up my alley with a lot of throttle control and just trying to get the maximum traction out of your tires that you can and grip the racetrack.
\n\u201cI feel like that\u2019s what I\u2019m strong at, so I\u2019m really excited for the infield section. I think the on-track part will be kind of odd when you have a road course set up and you go on to the big track, that feeling that and the G-forces going through there, and try to set your truck up around it to be best in all situations. It\u2019s going to be difficult for everybody.\u201d
\nChandler Smith, No. 38 Ford F-150, Front Row Motorsports:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest challenge always at the ROVAL\u2122 is the infield section. It\u2019s super low-grip, especially compared to the rest of the racetrack. If you\u2019re really good on the infield section, the rest of it kind of comes to you. That\u2019s always the emphasis going into the ROVAL\u2122 \u2014 making sure you\u2019re good on the infield section.\n<\/p>\n

Kaden Honeycutt, No. 52 Toyota Tundra Pro, Halmar Friesen Racing:<\/b>
\n\"\"Kaden Honeycutt (Photo Credit: Chris Graythen | Getty Images)
\n\u201cI think it\u2019ll be really cool to win at a place like the ROVAL\u2122; it\u2019s one of its own kind if you can do that, so that\u2019d be really sweet for the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/b>I think the biggest thing I have to work on is, since I\u2019m not a road course ace, is just to kind of get familiar with the braking zones and how hard you can attack, in a truck, because our downforce is different from a Cup car and Xfinity car.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, I think we might be maybe even faster in an Xfinity car. I think it\u2019ll be really unique, especially since we don\u2019t run at a place that has turtles that jump as high as they do. So it\u2019ll be interesting to see how we can actually attack those, especially since we run splitters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ty Majeski, No. 98 Ford F-150, ThorSport Racing:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cAny time you put trucks on a racetrack like that, you\u2019re going to have excitement. Trucks are just exciting in themselves and then you put them on a wild-card track that no one has experience on \u2014 it\u2019ll be a great show for everyone to watch.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think definitely the hairpin (Turn 7), and also the bus stop on the backstretch, I think will be interesting, just because you\u2019re coming in at such a high rate of speed, and there\u2019s always excitement there.\u201d
\nTICKETS:<\/b>
\nBank of America ROVAL\u2122 400 tickets are available at charlottemotorspeedway.com<\/a>\u00a0or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in all weekend for just $10.
\nMORE INFO:<\/b>
\nFans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>, becoming a\u00a0Facebook<\/a> fan, or downloading the Charlotte Motor Speedway\u00a0mobile app<\/a>.
\nSource: Charlotte Motor Speedway<\/strong><\/p>\n

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