Bristol Motor Speedway postpones resurfacing until 2007
By JEFF BOBO
Times-News
BRISTOL, Tenn. - Bristol Motor Speedway will require the undivided attention of its paving engineer and contractors when it installs a new concrete racing surface on the World's Fastest Half Mile, and that's why the project has been put off until 2007.
The project was very close to being scheduled for this summer.
Wayne Estes, BMS vice president of communications and events, said Tuesday that Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO Bruton Smith left it up to track President Jeff Byrd whether or not to proceed with the resurfacing in 2006 or wait until 2007.
Speedway Motorsports also owns Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, both of which will receive a new surface in 2006.
Ultimately it was decided that spreading the attention of Speedway Motorsports' preferred engineer, construction company and developers three ways might not produce the optimum results.
"We wanted to be sure that they were going to have our undivided attention here," Estes said. "It reached a critical point where we had to say go or don't go. We all felt like we'd be a whole lot more comfortable if when they tamper with the most popular racing surface in all of NASCAR that they get it right the first time."
As it stands now, BMS will receive its new concrete racing surface following the 2007 spring NASCAR races, with the project to be completed by the time NASCAR returns to BMS for the August night races.
The existing concrete surface was constructed in 1992, and at that time technology was not as advanced as it is now with regard to race track paving, Estes said. He said the existing surface has served the facility well, but time is beginning to take its toll.
"It's reaching the end of its term, and I don't think anybody really wants to do this, but it's not a matter of what we want but what we must do," Estes said. "I think over time the competitors have become accustomed to the surface. Are there things that can be done to make it better? Yes, and that's tempting, but you also don't want to mess up what's working really well here.
"When this is completed we're going to continue to have 36 degree high-banked concrete corners. Everybody wants to get it back to the same place so that we can have high-speed half-mile Nextel Cup racing here and have it be the best racing it can be."
Indecision on whether or not to repave this year ultimately cost BMS one of its events for 2006.
In 2004 BMS scheduled a 150-lap race for the Late Model stock cars, which compete nationwide at the local short tracks. The race was sanctioned by the UARA-Stars Late Model touring series, which brought an abundance of race cars and fans to the track for the past two years.
The UARA events were scheduled for September in 2004 and 2005, but the series was seeking a BMS race for July 4 this year.
Until recently, that was the time BMS officials anticipated that the track surface would be under construction.
By the time the decision was made to postpone resurfacing until 2007, it was too late for the UARA race to be placed on the 2006 schedule, Estes said.
"Due to uncertainty about construction, the season schedule was set at such a late date that we just couldn't get together with the UARA on what our dates were going to be," Estes said. "We are not closing the door on Late Model racing here, and in fact we're probably going to have more than one race here next year. It's a good product, and we think people like it.
"We got some positive feedback about the Late Models, so we're not done with them."
Estes said there's a good possibility that a Late Model race could be scheduled at BMS in the spring prior to the NASCAR weekend, and then again sometime following the August night races.
Tentatively scheduled to follow construction of the new concrete racing surface is a redesign of the infield, which would make room for more haulers to park and improve their maneuverability. Estes noted that the new infield design is in the earliest planning stages, but the concept at this time is for all the buildings to be placed in the corners.
Most notably the infield media center, which faces the frontstretch grandstands, would be torn down and a new one constructed at one end of the infield.
Estes said the media center was in need of a technological upgrade anyway. Also to be improved would be the Wellmont Infield Care Center.
By JEFF BOBO
Times-News
BRISTOL, Tenn. - Bristol Motor Speedway will require the undivided attention of its paving engineer and contractors when it installs a new concrete racing surface on the World's Fastest Half Mile, and that's why the project has been put off until 2007.
The project was very close to being scheduled for this summer.
Wayne Estes, BMS vice president of communications and events, said Tuesday that Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO Bruton Smith left it up to track President Jeff Byrd whether or not to proceed with the resurfacing in 2006 or wait until 2007.
Speedway Motorsports also owns Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, both of which will receive a new surface in 2006.
Ultimately it was decided that spreading the attention of Speedway Motorsports' preferred engineer, construction company and developers three ways might not produce the optimum results.
"We wanted to be sure that they were going to have our undivided attention here," Estes said. "It reached a critical point where we had to say go or don't go. We all felt like we'd be a whole lot more comfortable if when they tamper with the most popular racing surface in all of NASCAR that they get it right the first time."
As it stands now, BMS will receive its new concrete racing surface following the 2007 spring NASCAR races, with the project to be completed by the time NASCAR returns to BMS for the August night races.
The existing concrete surface was constructed in 1992, and at that time technology was not as advanced as it is now with regard to race track paving, Estes said. He said the existing surface has served the facility well, but time is beginning to take its toll.
"It's reaching the end of its term, and I don't think anybody really wants to do this, but it's not a matter of what we want but what we must do," Estes said. "I think over time the competitors have become accustomed to the surface. Are there things that can be done to make it better? Yes, and that's tempting, but you also don't want to mess up what's working really well here.
"When this is completed we're going to continue to have 36 degree high-banked concrete corners. Everybody wants to get it back to the same place so that we can have high-speed half-mile Nextel Cup racing here and have it be the best racing it can be."
Indecision on whether or not to repave this year ultimately cost BMS one of its events for 2006.
In 2004 BMS scheduled a 150-lap race for the Late Model stock cars, which compete nationwide at the local short tracks. The race was sanctioned by the UARA-Stars Late Model touring series, which brought an abundance of race cars and fans to the track for the past two years.
The UARA events were scheduled for September in 2004 and 2005, but the series was seeking a BMS race for July 4 this year.
Until recently, that was the time BMS officials anticipated that the track surface would be under construction.
By the time the decision was made to postpone resurfacing until 2007, it was too late for the UARA race to be placed on the 2006 schedule, Estes said.
"Due to uncertainty about construction, the season schedule was set at such a late date that we just couldn't get together with the UARA on what our dates were going to be," Estes said. "We are not closing the door on Late Model racing here, and in fact we're probably going to have more than one race here next year. It's a good product, and we think people like it.
"We got some positive feedback about the Late Models, so we're not done with them."
Estes said there's a good possibility that a Late Model race could be scheduled at BMS in the spring prior to the NASCAR weekend, and then again sometime following the August night races.
Tentatively scheduled to follow construction of the new concrete racing surface is a redesign of the infield, which would make room for more haulers to park and improve their maneuverability. Estes noted that the new infield design is in the earliest planning stages, but the concept at this time is for all the buildings to be placed in the corners.
Most notably the infield media center, which faces the frontstretch grandstands, would be torn down and a new one constructed at one end of the infield.
Estes said the media center was in need of a technological upgrade anyway. Also to be improved would be the Wellmont Infield Care Center.
