Despite being a pivotal event in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, the 2025 Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway witnessed noticeably sparse attendance. The Athletic‘s Jeff Gluck noted on X, “This is probably unfair to say since I’m not there in person, but I’ve been watching the in-car cams and the crowd looks…light? Is Speedway Motorsports really selling more tickets to the Roval than they would if this race was on the oval? Seems hard to believe.” This observation has led to growing concerns about the viability of the Roval layout as a long-term fixture for the series.
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Charlotte Motor Speedway, traditionally a hub for NASCAR, boasts a seating capacity of 95,000, yet the turnout for this event appeared to be a fraction of that number. The 2024 Bank of America Roval 400, held on October 13, attracted 2.42 million viewers on NBC, marking the highest viewership for the race since 2021. The event’s international appeal was evident, with fans from 14 countries, including Brazil and New Zealand, attending.
Beyond the Roval, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosts other major events like the Coca-Cola 600, which has a seating capacity of 79,000, with a total attendance reaching up to 95,000, when including an infield and standing areas. Collectively, events at the Speedway generate over $566 million in visitor spending, highlighting its economic impact on the region. But now, the attendance is sparking further debate on NASCAR’s significance, as compared to other sports.
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This is probably unfair to say since I’m not there in person, but I’ve been watching the in-car cams and the crowd looks…light? Is Speedway Motorsports really selling more tickets to the Roval than they would if this race was on the oval? Seems hard to believe.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) October 5, 2025
This is a developing story.