Drivers take to Charlotte’s ROVAL for tire test

Kyle Busch was among the drivers testing on Charlotte Motor Speedway's ROVAL

A shortened-but-productive Goodyear tire test on the ROVAL, Charlotte Motor Speedway's road course oval, saw four of NASCAR's top drivers take to the 2.28-mile course in advance of the Sept. 28-30 Bank of America 500.

Trevor Bayne, Kyle Larson, Paul Menard and Kyle Busch made laps around the challenging circuit on Tuesday. Wednesday's portion has been tentatively rescheduled for May 1 due to inclement weather.
Bayne, the driver of the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford, said the ROVAL will offer a true test to drivers, teams and cars. He lapped the course for the first time on Tuesday.

"I just took some slow pace laps and got a feel for the race track," Bayne said. "I was nervous, but I wasn't anxious because I was never going to go out there and make qualifying laps. We worked our pace in and our plan, we stuck to it. I felt really good by the end of the day.

"You have to be on your game, that's for sure. You can't really let your guard down anywhere. There's no room to make mistakes. If you make a mistake, you're going to pay for it pretty quickly. If you try to do something and it doesn't work, you'll pay the price. It's going to be a survival race. … If you're smart, you take care of your car and you don't make mistakes, you'll have a really good shot at the end for a good finish. I enjoyed it. It was a challenge for me – something new – and I enjoyed that part of it." Charlotte Motor Speedway