The Bristol Fix???

SMI to knock down some banking at Bristol
By Jim Utter - jutter@charlotteobserver.com
Wednesday, Apr. 25, 2012

BRISTOL, Tenn. Wider was not necessarily better for Bristol Motor Speedway.

At least for a loud contingent of fans.

NASCAR's most popular short track is going to some modifications to its surface to eliminate the top racing groove and remove the progressive banking in the turns all in time for the track's August Sprint Cup Series weekend.

Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman Bruton Smith announced the changes on Wednesday at a news conference in Bristol, Tenn., flanked by signs proclaiming, Fans Spoke We listened.

The changes focus on the progressive banking applied when the current track surface was put in place in the summer of 2007.

The majority of fans we heard from said they wanted adjustments made and the bulk of those said the progressive banking was what they didnt like, said Smith.

So, thats the focus of our efforts. And that is what we are working to change.

When Smith first began soliciting input from fans on possibly changing the track, the response was overwhelming to change the track. However, once Smith announced he was actually going to make a change, the response began to shift to leaving it alone.

More and more fans kept asking us to do something to the track, Smith said. So I put it out there. They spoke and we listened. I want them to be happy; I want them to love their experience in Bristol.

A grinding process will remove the top lane from the concrete surface and the progressive banking will be knocked down.

A 2007 repaving of the roughly half-mile oval widened the track's racing groove, providing drivers the ability to race side-by-side and pass without having to bump each other out of the way, which was long a prominent feature of the racing.

While attendance at the track's August night race has remained at or near capacity, the last two spring races at the track have only filled half the 160,000 or so seats.

The project will be completed in time for Goodyear to come to Bristol for a tire test before the August Cup, Nationwide and Truck series races. The Goodyear test is scheduled for June 12-13.

Read more here: http://www.thatsracin.com/2012/04/25/85553/smi-to-knock-down-some-banking.html#storylink=cpy

I still say that if they want to do something constructive, pave it with asphalt. Concrete is for sidewalks.

From an old NASCAR.com article about levigating CMS:

In an effort to make the racing better and remove some of the bumps, track president Humpy Wheeler had the 1.5-mile surface ground down, or levigated, between the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Instead, it produced a record 22 cautions in the 600-miler, so Wheeler repeated the process before NASCAR's premier series returned in October.

But tire testing prior to the fall race -- producing record speeds and multiple crashes -- hinted at the disturbing possibility of an event that would be unusual in its scope. There was just no time available for Goodyear's engineers to come up with a tire compound that would hold up to the new surface.

It become evident early on that tires were going to be an issue. No fewer than 16 incidents, including blown tires by points leader Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler and Kasey Kahne -- all while leading -- forced NASCAR officials to take the unusual step of throwing a mid-race competition caution and mandating maximum tire air pressures, with the threat of points reduction to any team that failed to follow the rules.

I don't hold much hope for these changes. Before it's over Bruton will rip out all the concrete and try to get it back to what it was. I'm not sure it will fill the seats because I don't think all the fans that have come to the sport in the last 10 years are true diehard fans. When you look at the seating for 160,000 people I have to ask, are there that many true fans that will travel and pay Bruton prices for tickets? Just not sure if a sell out is possible with the economy and the fan base. JMO.

ditto

Without question, i am NOT an engineer. But I have lived my whole life in Tennessee. East TN winters don't compare to places like Minneapolis, Nome or Buffalo. But they can be quite brutal - especially when contrasted with hot summer days those other places don't have. Combine those extremes with 36 or so degreed banking and I THINK that's why the decision was made to replace the asphalt w/concrete. Doesn't necessarily make for better racing - but it does likely make for more cost effective track maintenance. I think continuing w/asphalt w/temp extremes and those turn angles was like trying to get Joan Rivers face lifts to stay.

Yet Bristol DID manage to do so from 1969 thru early 90s. And despite claims from the global warming crowd, the summer and winter temps of that area haven't changed that much. But... the tires have. That as much as anything is probably what contributed to the change from pavement to cement.

Also, Bruton was faced with a true reality. He has a short window to make a change & still be ready by August. There is only so much that can be done for now. If this change doesn't work, he's likely facing a more significant overhaul to be scheduled between August 2012 and March 2013... including work on some of those cold blustery East TN winter days.

After all is said and done,and this has been proven more than once,take the pavement up and make it a dirt track---youve seen it done several times for the sprint cars.... Why not run the so called sprint cars ,AKA CAR OF TOMORROW, Bet that would really fill the stands. But of course im kinda partial you see.

Dave,dont you think that would work???

Remember, a few years back, they covered it in dirt for a show?

I'd love it.

Appears to be more of a smoke and mirrors solution than a real one. It's like every politician proclaiming "I'm for education........"

PKL, last time I checked, at the local MIDDLE SCHOOL, for gosh-sakes, .........THERE WAS AN ARMED LAW OFFICER ON DUTY...... with the politically correct title of "resource officer".

I would vote that being a suitable permanent solution...except there is already a well-established dirt track with 36 degree banking just down I 81 at Bulls Gap, TN called Volunteer Speedway.

yeah but wouldnt it be great to have a Vintage on dirt show there? You could really pack the house there .. Seems as though there are enough great cars and drivers just itching to throw mud in your eye