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Texas Motor Speedway Announces Surface Reconstruction

7 April 1998

Reconstruction Of Racing Surface At Texas Motor Speedway Announced Today

    FORT WORTH-DALLAS, April 7 -- Texas Motor Speedway announced
today a reconstruction of the racing surface following Sunday's Texas 500
NASCAR Winston Cup race.
    "Obviously, the changes made after the inaugural race weren't adequate,"
Speedway Motorsports Chairman Bruton Smith said.  "What we need is a complete
revamping to make it similar to Charlotte.  Texas is the same size and
configuration as Charlotte and what we will do is follow, as closely as
possible, those contours of Charlotte, which is one of the best on the
circuit."
    Smith said the turns would be modified to make the entrance and exits
compatible for the big NASCAR Winston Cup cars.
    "In addition, we will repave with a much smoother and tighter asphalt mix
that will drain quickly.  We will also install a more complete drainage system
to solve our seepage problem," he said.
    Smith said he estimated costs of the new revamping at $1 - $2 million.
    "How and when we complete this will be decided soon.  We are working on
the seepage problem now, and that comes first.  The water problem will be
rectified in the next few weeks," Smith said.
    The next racing event at Texas is the NASCAR Craftsman Truck/Pep Boys Indy
Racing League (IRL) weekend, June 5-6.
    "We have built a tremendous motorsports facility in Texas for our fans.
What we must do now is build the best racing surface we can for the drivers,"
Smith said.
    Smith said he will confer with a team of engineers and asphalt specialists
as well as NASCAR officials, drivers and crew chiefs, to determine the exact
changes to be made.
    "We want to assure everyone, especially NASCAR and competitors, that we
are putting forth maximum commitment to solve these problems and that they
will be solved," said Smith.

SOURCE  Speedway Motorsports, Inc.