A lot goes into deciding the outcome of a NASCAR race. Just favorable aerodynamics or top-notch speed doesn’t guarantee you a win in today’s next-gen stock car racing. With almost every car similar in terms of components, it essentially comes down to strategy. However, back in 2017, things were not that complicated. Teams could modify the chassis or make a certain permissible extent of modifications in the car to enhance its performance.

What has still remained a deciding factor is the condition of NASCAR’s tracks. The groove, banking, and even the material used to build a racetrack go a long way to determine the nature of the races. On that note, a few years ago, Texas Motor Speedway underwent revamping due to some damages caused by a natural calamity. Seasoned NASCAR drivers, including Chris Buescher, criticized the changes it received.

Chris Buescher revealed his feelings about the reconstructed 1.5-mile oval

131 acres of pure asphalt is what highlights today’s Texas Motor Speedway’s build. However, asphalt can be a tricky compound to deal with. Many drivers, including Chris Buescher, believe that asphalt requires a considerable amount of time to adjust to the track and offer the ideal level of grip to the car tires as they reach speeds of approximately 200 mph or even more.

NASCAR officials and Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage joined hands to introduce various new changes to the track. Thi was after a bolt of lightning struck it so hard that it left a hole 18 inches in diameter, that went 5.5 inches deep, reaching the track’s concrete base. They signed a $55 million deal that would assist the reconstruction, simultaneously closing Texas World Speedway and setting up a housing development including 400 homes, commercial sites, nature trails, and space for a school. RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher felt like this was not a good idea.

Buescher said, “We have seen it time and time again where new asphalt takes a long time to make decent racing. It is very difficult to get it to age appropriately to where it is not a one-groove race track. Turn 1 and 2 is extremely wide when you are talking in terms of pure asphalt but there is no banking change up the hill…”

Moreover, he explained how the application of PJ-1 has limited the lanes in Texas Motor Speedway to only two. Buescher argued that being a sensitive race track, the outermost grooves of Texas Motor Speedway deserved to be used.

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According to USA Today, Eddie Gossage said in a press release, “We owe it to the fans to present the best possible race track so they will be assured of seeing NASCAR and IndyCar races even if we face some brief inclement weather.”

Chris Buescher felt differently about the refurbished track while taking a test drive

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Besides putting a new surface, the reconstruction included an extensive drainage system under it. Moreover, the banking around turns 1 and 2 came down from 24 degrees to 20 degrees, while turns 3 and 4 remained as before.

Eddie Gossage said, “The racing surface had just gotten old and was holding water. We couldn’t get it to dry up no matter how many jet trucks, no matter how many air titans we put on it, it took way too long to dry.”

Despite not being quite happy with the new asphalt surface, Chris Buescher seemed to like the fact that the apron was quite wide and he could drive easily in the bottom lane and then take off around the corner, despite being on full throttle.

Buescher said, “Now you have so many options, where our old line used to be somewhere in here, we can go another 20-30 foot lower, all the way down to the apron…”

“That’s gonna be really nice,” he added.

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