NSCS: Pocono Surface Should Start Seeing Signs of Age

This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be taking on the ‘Tricky Triangle’ for the 33rd annual Pocono 400. This track isn’t like any other track though, as it features three turns unlike four which is seen nearly every week, and provides something different to the race fans. Each of these corners share a distinct character as each is a replica of different historic tracks. Turn one signifies Trenton Speedway, turn two signifies Indianapolis Motor Speedway and turn three represents the Milwaukee Mile.

Prior to the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Pocono Raceway decided they would repave the 2.5-mile oval. The track was getting worn out and bumps along with cracks on the surface were starting to become a concern. This, at the same time, can offer an advantage or disadvantage to the drivers since most like the worn out surfaces much more. Jeff Gordon is one of these drivers who prefers the older surfaces over the newer ones.

There are many advantages, but also disadvantages when it comes to a track doing a repave. Many advantages, at least these are some that David Ragan listed, are that it helps the driver dial in the car much better because of its smoothness. This gives the car much more grip, and as long as its a good tire, teams pretty much don’t have to worry about tire wear and it takes out the tire management during the race. With a combination of these things, it pretty much takes out the driver element, because the smoothness takes out handling, then it makes the car much easier to drive. I know repaves are needed every once in a while like the Kansas Speedway a couple years ago where the asphalt was breaking apart, but if it’s not needed, then tracks shouldn’t do it.

Atlanta, Kentucky and Texas are all three examples of this as we saw some great racing at these facilities the last couple of seasons. As I said before, when you do a repave it takes out the character of the bumps, so they need to figure out a way to incorporate them with the repaves. When the Michigan International Speedway did their repave not too long ago, they found a way to keep some of these, so that it would still retain some of the character the track is known for.
Going into the third year since the repave, this weekend will certainly be interesting to see how much fall-off the track will have, given three years is about the time we saw this at Charlotte and Kansas. Given today’s technology, versus where it was back in the 90s, Ragan thinks the track will still have more grip and smoothness. This will certainly be interesting to follow what the drivers will say after getting on the track for practice on Friday afternoon.
Brett Winningham
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