Kentucky Speedway underwent a renovation of its 1.5 mile oval track. Some of the undertakings included a full repave of the tracks surface. It also increased the banking in Turns one and two and the addition of more SAFER barrier for the drivers protection. The work also included reformations to the venue’s drainage system. Engineers said it will be ready in time for the NASCAR weekend on July 7th through the 9th.
The repaving venture marked the first new asphalt for Kentucky Speedway since it opened for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event in 2000. Kentucky speedway has hosted the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series over the last five years. The Track had became known for its numerous bumps in the rough pavement.
Now that the improvements are complete, Kentucky Speedway may be best known for it uneven layout. Turns one and two had their banking increased from 14 to 17 degrees. This change tapered the racing groove in the development process. The track’s Turns three and four will remain at their original 14 degrees. Project manager Steve Swift commented on the changes made to the raceway.
“I am excited about the finished product as we wanted to present a unique challenge to the drivers,” project manager Steve Swift said, vice president of operations and development for parent company Speedway Motorsports Inc. “This design, with Turns 1 and 2 completely different than 3 and 4 accomplishes that goal. The big winner will be the race fan.”
The track also improved its safety with the extension of over 3,200 feet of the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction Barrier system. Kentucky speedway followed the trend of several other tracks on the NASCAR schedule, putting safety for the drivers as a priority.
Kentucky Speedway also aimed to improve the drainage issues it has struggled with from its birth. The addition of “weepers”, where water burbles up through cracks in the racing surface, were added. The water drainage problems in the past have hampered track drying efforts. Especially during last year’s NASCAR triple-header, which was mired with rainy weather.
The racetrack also displayed a test day for the latest down force aerodynamic set-ups. This new package is the base setup for the 2016 Sprint Cup Series season. Fourteen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams completed a two day testing trial at the newly renovated track in June.
The enlarged banking in the Turns one and two meant the cars carried more speed onto the backstretch heading into Turn three. In addition, the hot-rods were combined with the current aerodynamic package used the previous weekend at Michigan International Speedway. The same set-ups will be used for the race on the July 10th. Consequently, this could make for some unpredictable racing moments. Kevin Harvick commented on the changes the revamped track could make on race day.
“It’s definitely going to make Turn 3 more challenging,” Harvick, the 2014 Sprint Cup champion, said. “I think that’s already one trend that we’ve developed with this particular package. The car is looser getting into the corner, which it should be with the spoiler cut off the back of it.
“It’s going to be very similar to a Charlotte, Kansas-type speed once the track is where it needs to be. There is a bump where the two seams of asphalt meet that’s about three quarters of the way around the corner. It doesn’t do anything to the car right now other than move the car. But that will be one spot that you will have to navigate as the speeds keep coming up. By the time it’s all said and done, you’ll be well into the 28-second bracket.”
Brad Keselowski holds both the qualifying record of 28.603 seconds at 188.791 miles per hour and the race record 145.607 miles per hour at Kentucky Speedway. The lap times at the newly morphed track started off in the 31 to 32 second range on the new asphalt before winding down.
Some of the drivers had crept into the 29 second range prior to the afternoon testing break. The late afternoon period saw Kevin Harvick with the fastest single lap. He was followed closely by Team Penske’s Joey Logano, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. and road course guru A.J. Allmendinger.
In conclusion, nobody knows exactly what the long run lap times will be. There just wasn’t enough rubber laid down on the racing surface to get a good judge of the tracks speed. The new aerodynamic package combined with the enlarged banking, should make for some tight situations heading into Turn three. Fans can expect the drivers to have to learn on the go, which should make for some challenging, competitive racing on Sunday.
