Texas Motor Speedway is an enigma amongst intermediate tracks. Video of the races from a decade in the past appears to be like like a totally totally different race observe. Many of the observe floor cannot even be utilized in present races for numerous causes, however how did we get right here?
Flashback to 2016: Drivers and groups had been dissatisfied with the weepers at TMS, making it inconceivable to dry the observe in an inexpensive period of time. Because of the drainage points and the getting older floor, a repave was scheduled for the low season that adopted. However this was no easy repave — it was a full reconfiguration.
The primary two corners had been flattened out a bit with the banking lowered from 24 levels to twenty levels, whereas the observe floor in that space was widened from 60 to 80 ft. There was additionally a nasty bump that appeared above the tunnel in Turns 3 and 4.
The traction compound conundrum
With the brand new reconfiguration, passing had turn into extraordinarily troublesome, even with the added room. Consequently, numerous traction compounds had been dumped onto the higher grooves in an try to enhance the on-track product. As a substitute, it ended up staining the observe and making it much more treacherous for drivers.
Vehicles entering into the higher grooves had been fortunate to not utterly spin out on the noticeably blacker floor. PJ1 traction compound could be very temperamental and it could actually really feel like velcro in a single spot, however slime or ice in one other. To be able to be correctly activated, it wants automobiles to undergo it and warmth it up, however there have been few volunteers as drivers scrambled for the protection of the underside groove.
Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Membership Toyota
Picture by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Pictures
As for the best a part of the observe — above the PJ1 — that grew to become simply utterly unusable. Whereas the traction compound has little grip, that space has none. Some have described going up there like ‘falling off a cliff’ and nobody races past the primary couple of grooves in the event that they might help it. Even venturing up close to the wall to keep away from a crash is a sketchy transfer.
The scenario has gotten barely higher because the years go by, but it surely’s nonetheless a far cry from the multi-groove Texas of previous, and the harm has already been completed. Texas misplaced considered one of its Cup dates, over 40,000 seats have been eliminated and IndyCar additionally deserted the power. There are at all times discussions round utterly tearing the observe up and making an attempt once more, or turning it into one other drafting observe like Atlanta. At one level, a metal mesh grate was dragged alongside the stained portion of the observe to try to alleviate the sensation of ‘black ice’ some drivers had been experiencing.
A very difficult race observe
And do not forget that bump we talked about in Turns 3 and 4? Its affect on the automobiles has solely gotten worse within the Subsequent Gen period. As we noticed a number of instances in final yr’s race, a automotive making an attempt to race side-by-side usually results in the automotive on the surface bottoming out and instantly spinning into the surface wall. Even with an try to grind down that bump, it did not appear to assist very a lot.
Kyle Busch, who has 4 Cup wins at Texas (most amongst lively drivers), not too long ago described it as follows: “Texas — it is a difficult race observe. Turns one and two being as flat as they’re and as extensive as they’re. There’s a whole lot of room for the place you possibly can go. However there’s most likely about six inches of that racetrack that feels actually good. And that is the groove that you simply wish to be in, and keep in, in an effort to get that grip.”
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Picture by: Getty Pictures
Oddly sufficient, the strangeness of recent races at TMS have really made it a little bit of a wildcard that has managed to placed on a present on occasion. Passing is troublesome and the observe is treacherous, resulting in extra aggressive strikes and a number of other heart-stopping moments. Final yr’s race featured 16 cautions and the earlier 4 Cup races there have had 11 or extra yellow flags.
The ever-evolving observe appears to be a bit totally different yearly, and even adjustments over the course of a race weekend because the floor reacts to any temperature change and any exercise in a approach much more pronounced than most circuits.
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