CONCORD, N.C— Before the Coca-Cola 600 weekend began, VHT was added to the high groove at Charlotte Motor Speedway after a lackluster Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race the weekend prior.

 

This was the first time VHT was applied on an asphalt track. Many drivers came into the race cautiously optimistic about the VHT on the track.

 

After Saturday’s Xfinity race, NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway officials applied more VHT to the groove because many drivers weren’t optimistic after the race.

 

Before the rain fell, drivers were itching their way into the groove with VHT. Kurt Busch attempted to run in the VHT groove during the race, but compared it to driving on ice.

 

After the race, Martin Truex Jr and Austin Dillon explained how the VHT changed the complexion of the race.

 

“I think it was a huge factor.  I think last weekend the middle groove, middle to high middle, was nonexistent.  It was the slickest part of the racetrack.  Tonight for 375 laps of the 400 it was the main groove.  Where typically there is the least grip on this racetrack, it was the most tonight,” said Truex. “It definitely played a factor.  It changed the race quite a bit. I think the downforce rules this year changed it quite a bit as well.  The bottom of the racetrack is so bumpy and so slick, I’m telling you after 10 laps it’s all you can do to make laps without crashing down there. It definitely changed the race tonight.  It made it a lot of fun, I thought.  I thought it was a good addition.”

 

“I think it was pretty good to start the race. The middle groove took away from the bottom lane, which is pretty dominate here. After the rain, the bottom was pretty dominate. As the race went on, I could actually see the VHT leaving the track, and was getting clean higher and higher,” said Dillon.

 

When asked if VHT should be used on other asphalt tracks, Truex doesn’t believe it should be used on other asphalt tracks. However, Dillon would like to see it used more.

 

“I don’t think so.  I think this track is so unique, the pavement here, the geometry of the racetrack, the bumps that are in it.  It’s almost got a concrete feel the way the bumps are.  They’re really, really small, high-frequency bumps, almost like a washboard, kind of the feeling you get at Dover.  Most asphalt tracks are not bumpy that way.  They’re more of a swell.  The car kind of goes through swells, a place like Chicago or Atlanta. It’s very, very different here.  The pavement is different than anywhere we go,” said Truex. “The bumps in the racetrack are way different than anywhere we go.  I think both of those things kind of contribute to us needing to do some different things here to change up the racing. I think it was a good addition tonight.  I don’t know what it would have been like had we not had it.  The bottom was so slippery, I don’t know if it would have been a good race or not.  Just hard to say.

 

“We got something there as far as trying it. It’s not a bad thing. I really think we should try it more often. I think the next thing we need to look into is the placement of it. We needed more on the very top because the middle was really dominate, but you couldn’t really get into the top of it like you needed to. That would be my next thing. I like it,” said Dillon.

 

As the sport continues to enhance competition, VHT may be next on the list.

Caleb Whisler
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