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Five NASCAR Repaves That Have Produced The Best Racing
Jul 4, 2015; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; A general view as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race cars line up for qualifying for the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
With the recent announcement of Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway undergoing repaves this year, here’s a look at Tracks that have gone through repaves that have provided the best racing.
One thing in racing will also remain true and that is that drivers and teams are not fans of tracks getting repaved. While repaving a track might be beneficial in the long-term, in the short-term it causes teams a lot of headaches as they aren’t sure how their cars are going to react to the new surface.
Track repaves also generally require a new tire which throws teams another curveball. Coming into a race weekend teams have stacks of notes and data about a certain track, how it is in certain situations, how the tires react throughout races etc. When a track undergoes a repave these notes are essentially worthless for those first couple of races back.
That being said, here is a look at the top-five track repaves in NASCAR history.
Jul 8, 2016; Sparta, KY, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Kyle Busch (18) leads the field across the start line during the ALSCO 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
5. Kentucky Motor Speedway
Before last season’s race, Kentucky motor Speedway announced a reconfiguration and repave of the 1.5 mile track. Kentucky Motor Speedway reconfigured Turns 1 and 2 by adding 3 degrees of banking changing it from 14 degrees to 17 degrees. This was to try to provide fun and challenging racing for the drivers.
Also changed, was the massive bump before the start finish line. General Manager of Kentucky Speedway, Mark Simendinger said of the challenge reconfiguring Turn and 2,
“Modifying Turns 1 and 2 will present an exciting challenge to the drivers while addressing issues of the track surface, SAFER barrier and drainage will improve safety, which is always our paramount concern,”
Kentucky motor Speedway also had a machine to pull tires around the track to put rubber into the track before NASCAR’s top three series came to town.
When the 3 Series finally raced there in July, the race’s put on a show. In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, you had the two Kyle Busch NASCAR Xfinity Series, Elliott Sadler came from nowhere to win with a pit strategy move late in the race.
Finally, on Saturday in the Quaker State 400, Kevin Harvick dominated the event leading 128 laps but ultimately winding up a disappointing 9th after having to make a late pit stop for fuel. That handed the lead to Brad Keselowski who came of turn two and looked like he was out of gas as well, only to get one last splash to stay in front of a charging Carl Edwards for the victory.
4. Phoenix International Speedway
Phoenix international Raceway announced a 100-million dollar repave to be done after the February 2011 Subway Fresh Fit 500.
According to Phoenixracway.com, the repave included the following:
What kind of racing did these changes produce? When the Series returned in the fall of 2011, The chase was in full effect. Tony Stewart was dominate only to falter at the end.. Following that race, Kevin Harvick went on a terror, finishing first or second in the next ensuing races with the exception of a 13th place finish in 2013. During this season’s Subway Fresh Fit 500, Carl Edwards used pit Strategy to close to Harvick’s bumper and drag race to the line finishing a near 0.010 Seconds in behind Harvick.
3. Michigan International Raceway
Michigan international Raceway is all about speed now. How fast can you go. In 2014, Marcos Ambrose screamed around MIS at a record 203.241. That speed was the fastest speed set in NASCAR in 25 years. Only 3 years later however, Jeff Gordon would again shatter the record at Michigan with an amazing 34.85 at 206.558. Since then, MIS has been home to some exciting finishes and the place to a first time winner.
In 2012, Dale Earnhardt Jr. snapped a 3 year win streak. When rain struck Michigan in 2015, Kurt Busch was out in front of the field. As a result, Busch won the rain shortened race with interim crew chief Johnny Klausmeier after his regular crew chief, Tony Gibson, was suspended for the race. Kyle Larson picked up an emotional victory in 2016 and “Parked It” in victory lane for late friend Bryan Clauson who lost his life a weeks prior.
2. Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway received its first repave since 1955. When first redesigning the track, track President Brandon Igdalsky said.
“We thought about [a configuration change], but the more we looked at it and the more we spoke to people, it was better to leave as-is for now,” Igdalsky said.
“If you look back to ’95 when we repaved and you look at the races the following couple of years, they were some unbelievable races,” Igdalsky said. “Speeds were up and passing was up. … With going to a 400-mile race and with everybody on a level playing field because nobody is going to have any information on the track, I think it’s going to make for one heck of a season of racing.”
From there, Pocono has hosted two Cup races a year and with the exception of Dale Earnhardt Jr., (swept the 2014 races) the track has not seen a repeat winner in that span of time.
Feb 21, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) beats NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (78) to win the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
1. Daytona International Speedway
At the start of 2011, Daytona International Speedway was repaved. In 2010 an accident between Juan Pablo Montoya and the jet Dryer caused a hole to form in Turns 3 and 4 that the crew had to repair for the remainder of the 2010 Daytona 500. Following the 2010 racing season, Daytona International Speedway went to work to repave the entire 2.5 mile track.
According to daytonainternationalspeedway.com, the numbers behind the repave are massive:
Employees: At a minimum, there will be 30 workers and at a maximum 100.
Asphalt: 50,000 tons
Light poles: In order to pave the daunting high banks, crews will have to remove 57 light poles from the upper rim road adjacent to the wall in Turns 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Catch fence: In order to pave the high banks, crews will remove a total of 5,948 linear feet of catch fence posts, cables, and fence fabric from the exterior wall in Turns 1, 2, 3, and 4.
SAFER barrier: 8,300 linear feet of SAFER barrier will be removed before paving begins
Trucks: 50 truck loads of concrete for pit road
How much paving?: There will be about 1,435,000 square feet of paving, that is about 33 acresThe type of asphalt being used to repave Daytona International Speedway will be a polymer modified asphalt with an elevated softening point. It’s sophisticated, high-quality asphalt that withstands the stresses of racing.
There will be no changes to Daytona International Speedway other than a new smooth racing surface. The repaving of Daytona International Speedway will remain true to Bill France Sr.’s original vision, layout and geometry of this legendary track back in the late 1950s.
What happened after?
Afterwards, NASCAR saw what drivers liked to call the two car tandem, where two cars lined up to go faster than the rest. Following the introduction of the new car in 2013, the series saw the two car tandem disappear and the return of pack racing. In the 2015 Daytona 500, Joey Logano held off Kevin Harvick in the final laps to score his first Daytona 500 victory. In this past year, Denny Hamlin made a Dale Earnhardt type move to go from 6th to 1st to the final lap and beat Martin Truex Jr. to the finish Line in a drag race.
Everyone has their own list of their favorite tracks. This is mine. What is yours?
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