The reconfiguration of the road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway has become a big talking point ahead of Sunday’s race. NASCAR and SMI chose to alter the infield section going into Turn 6 and with a longer straightaway, leading to a hairpin. The other one is while coming on the front stretch with the chicane now twisted to almost 90-degree turns before merging into the oval.

While the new changes are a topic of debate. However, the reviews from the drivers after the longer-than-usual practice runs haven’t been all great. Veteran JGR driver Martin Truex Jr. highlighted the ill effects of the turtles placed on the chicane of the front stretch section. “Feels like you get a concussion every lap.” This was his reaction to the new changes to the track. And it looks like Kyle Busch has also followed in Truex’s arguments, raising questions on why such drastic changes were made to the course.

Kyle Busch aiming a dig at NASCAR for putting drivers at risk at Roval

NASCAR seems to have prioritized driver safety when it comes to making changes to the racetracks. After collecting mouthpiece data from the Watkins Glen race and the impact it had on the drivers in the bus stop section, they made welcoming changes to the section for the 2024 event. The rumble strips were replaced with softer curbing, and it also allowed for a smooth follow-through for drivers without having to hit the brakes hard.

However, they chose to plant the turtles on the newly reconfigured section at the Roval. Now turtles are plastic-curbing, which forces the drivers to reduce speed while making the turns. But, given the momentum the Next Gen cars are carrying, it’s resulting in cars being launched in the air on two wheels. Bubba Wallace’s #23 was practically airborne after he missed a corner and hit the turtles.

Now, Kyle Busch isn’t one of those drivers who holds back in highlighting a concern. However, this time around, he took a more sarcastic approach when he came to know that Truex Jr.’s review of hitting the turtle was like having a concussion. “Glad somebody said it. It is.” In a follow-up question, Bob Pockrass asked if NASCAR could solve this issue overnight before the Cup race. To which he simply replied, “No.”

Not only that, Rowdy wasn’t able to process the idea of making the chicane section tighter on Turns 15 and 16. NASCAR hopes that these tweaks will encourage more passing opportunities, but the RCR driver wasn’t sold on the idea. “I don’t understand the reasoning behind making it tighter.” Further highlighting MTJ’s concerns, he added, “I don’t know when I’ll see the data, probably until Monday, but my head hurts.”

While the 2024 season hasn’t turned out according to the plans for the #8 team. But for Busch, his goal still remains to win a race.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway could turn out to be Rowdy’s winning ticket

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All the hype and the storyline at this stage of the season revolve around the playoff drivers. Who will make it through to the Round of 8, and who looks to be in good form to reach the championship 4?

Meanwhile, there are a lot of folks who are keeping a close watch on Kyle Busch to see if he can extend his winning streak to 20th year. If anything, the non-playoff drivers have refined supreme in the knockout stages. Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. have played the role of spoiler, and something similar is expected of Rowdy at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Busch’s struggles with the Next-Gen race car have been well documented. But when it comes to fall races at the mile-and-a-half track at Vegas, he seems to have done pretty well. In his last three starts during the fall event, he’s managed back-to-back P3 finishes, which just might turn into a win this time around.

“Vegas is a good spot for us; we ran good there in the spring. I think last fall we ran decent there as well. So we just gotta make sure we execute all day and do a good job. Qualify upfront; keep the track position; that’s always nice.” Busch added.

Surprisingly, he’s also been really solid at the Roval in the Next-Gen era, and like Vegas, he has two P3 finishes in his last two attempts. So keep an eye out for Rowdy; he is plotting to shake up the playoffs with his ambition to win a race in 2024.