Five NASCAR Repaves That Have Produced The Best Racing
By Dominic Lee
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 acres The 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.
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Everyone has their own list of their favorite tracks. This is mine. What is yours?