Something—or someone—has to give.
That’s what Kyle Busch said about the changes to the backstretch chicane at the Charlotte Roval, which is now a slower corner requiring a more radical downshift than was the case last year.
But because the chicane is still tight, Busch doesn’t believe drivers will be able to run side-by-side through the entire chicane. Nevertheless, it’s an opportunity for drivers to pass by out braking fellow competitors into the what is labeled Turns 11 and 12.
“The bus stop at Watkins Glen, if you both really, really slow down you can go through there two-wide,” Busch said on Friday before Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying. “I don’t think you can go through this one (Charlotte) two-wide. If you’re a guy who’s going to dive bomb and make a move on the inside of somebody to out brake them getting into that corner, they have to let you go, because you’re going to be going so much faster.
“You’re almost going to be overstepping your braking zone over that guy to get in there, so you’re going to need as much room as you can have. You can’t turn that sharp corner and be two-wide. I hope guys will understand that if they’re getting out braked, they have to give it up and kind of fall into line.”
After qualifying 17th on Friday, Busch will need all of his road course braking skills to make his way to the front.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.