Shane van Gisbergen is the betting favorite at the Charlotte Roval and as if we didn’t already know why, we do now.
The road-course ace won the pole Saturday for Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 on the Charlotte road course (here’s how to watch). SVG averaged 99.246 mph for the pole, which sounds downright sluggish by NASCAR standards, except the Roval packs 17 turns into a 2.28-mile road course that incorporates an infield course with the historic Charlotte Motor Speedway “quad-oval.”
In fact, van Gisbergen won two poles Saturday. He also started first in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race and finished third. NASCAR history is full of quality road-course racers.
Van Gisbergen is mixing in several Cup races this year along with a full Xfinity Series slate, and will go full-time Cup racing next season.
GREAT AMERICAN READCelebrate a fast-paced history of the Daytona 500 with new book; foreword by Richard Petty
Right behind him for Sunday’s start, in the third position, will be another road-course stud, AJ Allmendinger, the Roval’s defending champ from 2023 who finished second in Saturday’s Xfinity race, behind Sam Mayer.
Here’s your Sunday starter menu ….
NASCAR Charlotte Roval lineup
Row 1
1. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 13 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
2. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Row 2
3. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
4. Joey Logano, No. 22 Penske Racing Ford
Row 3
5. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Penske Racing Ford
6. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 4
7. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
8. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Row 5
9. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
10. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 6
11. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
12. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Row 7
13. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
14. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Penske Racing Ford
Row 8
15. Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
16. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Row 9
17. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
18. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Row 10
19. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
20. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Row 11
21. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
22. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Row 12
23. Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
24. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daughtery Racing Chevrolet
Row 13
25. Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
26. Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Row 14
27. Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
28. Corey LaJoie, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Row 15
29. Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
30. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Row 16
31. Kaz Grala, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford
32. Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Row 17
33. Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
34. Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Row 18
35. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
36. Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Row 19
37. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
38. Josh Bilicki, No. 66 Power Source Ford
How to Watch NASCAR Sunday
2 p.m. on NBC.
Betting odds for Bank of America 400 NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte Roval
+375: Shane van Gisbergen
+650: Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger
+750: Tyler Reddick
+900: Chase Elliott, William Byron
+1000: Christopher Bell
+1100: Ty Gibbs
+1200: Chris Buescher
+1400: Michael McDowell
+1500: Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain
+1750: Alex Bowman
+2000: Daniel Suarez
+2250: Joey Logano
+2500: Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin
+3000: Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric
+4000: Chase Briscoe
+5000: Bubba Wallace
+6000: Todd Gilliland
+7500: Brad Keselowski, Carson Hocevar, Noah Gragson
+10000: Zane Smith, Josh Berry, Justin Haley
+15000: Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie
+20000: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., John Hunter Nemechek
+25000: Ryan Preece, Kaz Grala
+50000: Daniel Hemric, Josh Bilicki, Harrison Burton
Why is it important
The Roval race is the third and final race of NASCAR’s Round of 12 in the playoffs. Following Sunday’s race, four drivers, in positions 9 through 12 in the standings, will be lopped off the playoff roster for the Round of 8, which begins next Sunday at Las Vegas.
NASCAR playoff standings entering the Roval
Here’s the playoff picture entering the Round of 12 finale:
1. William Byron — Has clinched advance to Round of 8
2. Christopher Bell — +57 ahead of 9th
3. Kyle Larson — +52
4. Denny Hamlin — +30
5. Alex Bowman — +26
6. Ryan Blaney — +25
7. Tyler Reddick — +14
8. Chase Elliott — +13
9. Joey Logano — -13
10. Daniel Suarez — -20
11. Austin Cindric — -29
12. Chase Briscoe — -32
