I wasn’t aware the track was repaved..
Questions remain as teams ready for ‘new’ Darlington
http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/05/08/darlington.questions.new.surface/index.html
It’s gonna come down to t’ars I reckun..the track should be fast..
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excerpt
DARLINGTON, S.C. — The last time Darlington Raceway was repaved, the effects were felt immediately. On a new coat of asphalt applied over the previous winter, Ward Burton zipped to a lap of 173.797 mph in qualifying for the 1996 TranSouth 500, setting a mark that still stands at the old track today.
Or at least until Friday, when the Sprint Cup drivers qualify for Saturday night’s Dodge Challenger 500 on the gleaming new blacktop that adorns this revered, 58-year-old facility. After all, drivers hit 200 mph on parts of the egg-shaped racetrack during the first of two tire tests that Goodyear held at Darlington, and the fresh pavement smoothes over what had been the grittiest, most abrasive racing surface in NASCAR.
Everyone agrees — it’s going to be fast. But beyond that, no one quite knows what to expect.
“That track is unreal right now. It’s smooth, it’s super-fast, but it’s the same Darlington.” JEFF GORDON
“I know the track is going to be awesome,” said two-time Darlington winner Jeff Burton. “It’s just what tire do they have to bring to match the track. I know the first tire there was just incredibly fast, and I think their next tire they pulled a lot of speed out of it and I heard it takes a while to get going. Really, it’s just the first couple laps getting a feel for the tires. That’s how I look at it. I don’t have any answers, I just feel like I have all questions.”
Yeah if you look at the Darlington website they have pics. It was a big mess for awhile.
Jeff, Biffle Newman and someone else tested the tars there on the new surface for Goodyear. Jr took Truex and Keselowski and one other person [my memory is failing me] down for a look see but they could only drive the street car on the track.
Well ... the tires are gonna stick, that's for sure!
Elliott Sadler said Gordon told him his No. 24 Chevrolet got up to 203 mph entering turn three at the March tests. “If we’re going anywhere near that fast on that track it’s going to be interesting,” Sadler said.