It is finally that time of the year when drivers buckle up to fling mud at each other. Oh, wait, isn’t the 2024 season set to mark the end of NASCAR’s experimentation with the World’s Fastest Half-Mile track? Well, it is finally happening after much anticipation and deliberation, as NASCAR bid its adieu to a track covered with layers of dirt and welcome to racing on a concrete track. However, a majority of the drivers had been left fuming over the decision. One such being Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Martin Truex Jr, as he begs to differ with the popular opinion.

Martin Truex Jr is left disappointed with the re-modification of the track

After a gap of three years and without the layer of red clay, Bristol is finally ready to go back to its roots. Moreover, striving to improve the quality of racing, the track underwent a makeover, after a resin-based traction compound was poured through the turns along the inside areas of the track to add groove to the track. However, it seemed the makeover failed to excite the drivers, as they complained of resin running off from the track. Even Martin Truex Jr didn’t seem very excited about the prospect of running on the concrete coliseum, in a media address. 

The former Cup Series champion seems to be in support of dirt racing, especially after Saturday’s qualifying. While replying to a Frontstretch reporter, Truex Jr exclaimed, “Our cars and tires are so different now than theirs. It’s really hard to say.” Further, when the reporter asked whether the driver wanted the dirt track to return or are they ready to embark on a new journey on the “uncooperative racetrack”, the driver revealed, “I don’t know, it’s Bristol,” before adding, “In general for me so, I feel like I did better on the dirt than the concrete. Concrete’s not been very good to me here, but we have had some strong runs over the years, not any good finishes. So hopefully we change that around tomorrow.” 

Even Truex Jr’s teammate and NASCAR’s very own “bad boy”, Denny Hamlin wasn’t very happy with the changes.

Denny Hamlin lashes out at the degrading quality of Bristol concrete

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The short tracks that hold the real essence of NASCAR have been notorious with Next-Gen for a plethora of reasons. Although the governing body has made strides to improve racing by implementing various packages, the perfect solution is yet to be deciphered. Moreover, a similar hiccup was seen during the practice session in Bristol. The resin cover seemed to wear off sooner than it predicted.

As a result, the drivers strived to get hold of their cars as they went sliding over the track. Complaining about the compound, Martin Truex Jr’s teammate Denny Hamlin sighed, “I think someone p*e-p*ed in the Goodyear rubber mixture, I’m not really sure.”

“It’s definitely really different. It’s kind of enjoyable ’cause everyone’s so out in left field right now. It’s certainly different to be the same tire (from 2023). I’m not really sure (about) the mixture of the resin and the tire. It’s throwing all of us for a loop in the short term.”

Also Read: From Size to Materials, HMS Details Massive Wheel & Tire Differences Between the Cup & Xfinity Series

With that being said, it will be interesting to see what the iconic track of Bristol holds for the Cup Series driver. Will the track be worse than its dirt races or will it deliver up to its promises?