Not Just A Stretch of Tarmac!

Race tracks have characters, personalities, they are individual.

Martinsville is the flat short track with the paperclip turns. Bristol the high speed, high banked short track. Richmond, another short track, is totally different from the rest.

Even the road race circuits are individual from each other. Infineon a hilly hard hitting rollercoaster ride, Watkins Glen a more delicate, fast flowing example of right and left turns.

Some tracks on the NASCAR “circuit” are a bit too similar for their own good; Texas, Charlotte and Atlanta for example. Daytona and Talladega are very similar on paper but each has it's own personality. In this case that’s a good thing as one 'plate track would not be enough, and three probably too many.

Phoenix is a track all on its own, unlike any other. A strange combination of fairly flat banking, flowing turns and a tight kink on the back straightaway. Phoenix works. A handling track, sure. Not much grip, sure. Good for two wide racing, sure. Individual, definitely!

Unfortunately after last Sundays Sprint Cup race the track is due to be not only resurfaced, but also redesigned. New variable banking, wider turns and a less dramatic kink out back will be covered in new sticky tarmac.

The combination of a tight, tricky, slick but very racy 1 mile race track and a 312 miles short race made for a good race last Sunday. Another “storyline” to start the season... Jeff Gordon breaks his winless streak!

At a time when NASCAR are attempting to put the “character” back into the sport I hope the changes to Phoenix won’t rob the sport of one of its most characterful pieces of tarmac!