Kentucky Speedway

Last time I made a lap around Ky Speedway was back in 2008. It was a late model car so it was pretty decent car but you really had to pick your groove. Man it was bumpy especially on the front straightaway. And in the turns low was a rubboard so it was in the groove or tip toe up high . Other than that it was a fun track so I think the boys will reopen that age ole bump and run game tonite.

The cars that handle well hugging the track may just beat the splitter off if they hang with passing low so watch what happens up high.

Now with that said who do you think will prevail ? Will the ways of old show its head and create a small amount of discontent ??

Or I'll bet some of you have a different train of thought.

updated by @johnny-mallonee: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

Well, it won't be a Waltrip in victory lane - that's a sure bet, unless there's one of those last minute buy a deal magic car number switcheroos or whatever. I know The Legend is breathing easier over that one. Watched the Nationwide race in parts last night. Let's just hope the first Cup race there doesn't turn into one of those who's gonna run outta gas first deals like last night was headed. I noticed when they dropped the green last night the announcers mentioned there was still a lot of traffic trying to get into the speedway. Doesn't bode well for late arrivals for tonight. Noticed our Charlotte writer, Jim Utter mentioningaccess problems. Johnny - you been there - what about that... will the fans be able to get in before the race tonight?

Utter's Observation:

OBSERVATIONS
Still work to be done
From a fans perspective, Kentucky Speedway certainly appears as if it will provide an exciting experience this weekend for its Cup debut. But some areas media facilities, access in and out of the infield leave a lot to be desired.
I understand the need to capitalize on the areas interest as soon as possible, but would one more season of two of racing at Atlanta while Kentucky prepared really have hurt all that much?
Just a thought.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

PK,

I remember back in the day when Harvey Walters, the old Charlotte track superintendent used to keep water sprinklers going all day in hot weather on the area of those Charlotte bumps trying to keep the asphalt from becoming more corduroy like. (Were any of you at the first Maryville, TN Smoky Mountain Raceway PAVED GN race - Don Naman's old track - when the asphalt just kept moving to the outside of the turns because of improper or no base work over the original dirt surface?) I'd have to disagree about the track resembling Charlotte. Charlotte has a double dogleg front straight and Kentucky has the "D"-shaped front ala Mr. Moneypenny's Daytona, Talladega, Richmond, Michigan, Texas World Speedway etc. designs. Also more banking at Charlotte.

PattyKay Lilley said:

Johnny, the minute I heard about the "bumps", my mind went immediately to Charlotte...the old surface with the "Humpy bumps" between turns 3 & 4. I've actually been over those bumps, though it was in a tour bus going about 80 mph, and I can attest that they certainly were there and they more than certainly could upset a car...they upset the bus, but not to the point of wrecking.

I'd say, if he shined at Charlotte, then he will shine here at Kentucky. I know the boobs on the tube made a huge deal out of saying how different the track is from anything else, but from what I've seen with Nationwide and Trucks, it sure looks like Charlotte to me...a bit flatter, but just as finicky.

I'll be looking for the short-trackers, strange as that sounds, to prevail, mostly because of those bumps. Harvick, Edwards, Joey, KyBu, Bad Brad, Ragan...that sort of driver. Every one of them knows the meaning of "bump and run"...both ways. ~LOL

~PattyKay

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

In my note above contrasting Charlotte's double dogleg front straight to the D-shape or tri-oval, I mentioned Mr. Moneypenny. One of my fondest memories of my late boss, Paul Sawyer at Richmond is that he tracked downCharles Moneypenny in retirement at age 90 to design the Richmond racing surface. He still had all of his original Daytona studies on radius and spirals of turns and Paul Sawyer was very proud thatMr. Moneypennyagreed to help with the Richmond transition from 1/2-mile to 3/4-mile because he believed in the project. When Mr. Moneypenny (then the Daytona Beach, Florida City Engineer) began to design Daytona in 1953, he went to the under construction banked Fordproving grounds in Dearborn, Michigan and collaborated with Ford engineers on transition from flat surfaces to banking designs to formulate his plans for Daytona. A lot of people have never heard of Mr. Moneypenny and someone who really knows ought to do a really good writeup on that genius. It would have to make a great story. Imagine designing the Richmond track at age 90!!

The note below is from a NASCAR story on the construction of Daytona Speedway:

Moneypenny would patent his construction plans for bank, radius and transition for superspeedways, then go on to design Talladega and Michigan, and at age 90, supervise the renovation of Richmond from a half-mile oval to a .75-mile tri-oval.

--
"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"