
Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage and Speedway Motorsports, Inc., Vice President of Operations and Development Steve Swift. Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway.
The 1.5-mile race track at Texas Motor Speedway will be a little different for drivers when the O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 NASCAR doubleheader takes place in April.
The track will undergo a reconstruction project starting Monday, Texas Motor Speedway announced. The project involves a repaving of the track, the installation of a French drainage system and a four-degree banking reduction on Turns 1 and 2. With the banking reduced from 24 degrees to 20 degrees on Turns 1 and 2, Texas Motor Speedway hopes to create a more challenging track by decreasing lap speeds and creating additional passing opportunities for drivers.
"For years, I've heard the absurd comments about 1.5-mile tracks being tagged as 'cookie-cutter' tracks," Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. "While nothing could be further from the truth -- all 1.5-mile tracks are different -- this assures once and for all that Texas Motor Speedway is unique, unlike any other track in the sport. That's the way we like it here in No Limits, Texas."
Gossage also cited drainage issues as part of the reason for reconstruction. He said the top level of the track's surface would get saturated with water during heavy rain and become difficult to dry.
Construction is expected to finish by early to mid-March. The O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 NASCAR doubleheader is scheduled for April 7-9.
Gossage said Texas Motor Speedway will not disclose the cost of the project.