HAMPTON, Ga. — For the first time in nearly a quarter century, the Atlanta Motor Speedway will repave its asphalt surface. The changes bring some innovation that will make AMS one of a kind on the NASCAR circuit.
Sunday's Quaker State 400 will be the last race at Atlanta Motor Speedway before the dawn of a new era.
"We're going to repave our surface and create the next generation of racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway," said AMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison.
AMS will repave its mile and a half asphalt track for the first time since 1997 and in the process increase its banking -- the angle of the turns -- from 24 degrees to 28 degrees.
"The cars are grouped together, it creates a better entertainment and a better competition for the sport and definitely for these intermediate tracks. Atlanta will be its first. It will be the first to have this type of racing. It'll be the first to have a mile and a half over 24 degrees," said
Speedway Vice President of Operations Development Steve Swift says the AMS team worked with motorsports simulator iRacing to develop the new banking concept and will take the guesswork out of ensuring the track is optimized with next gen racecars.
"With iRacing's innovation today, it's made it so much easier because like we've been working on for the last 3 years, it gives you that ability to see what you're designing in lieu of hoping your design is gonna workout," Swift said.
About 5 years ago, NASCAR drivers lobbied not to have the track repaved, but some like Douglassville native Chase Elliott think now is as good a time as any.
"It's fun for the drivers and it does have a lot of character to it. As bad as I hate to say it, you kind of have to bite the bullet and do it," Elliott said.
"There's some significant cracks and wear so now was the right time," Hutchison said.
"The speedway will begin construction on the new asphalt after this Sunday's Quaker State 400 race and anticipate it will be completed by the end of October.