Grinding down Bristol.
Once again we are privy to Bristol getting a face lift. Humpy Wheeler had change the track in order to make for better racing, altered the track so it would be a multi-groove track with progressive banking. Some drivers liked it while some others, the more aggressive types, did not. Used to be that if you wanted to pass a competitor, you would have to use the old chrome horn to eith shake them up so that they would let you go by or if they didn't aknowledge the horn, you'd simply move them out of the way, that simple. Multi-groove took that aspect out of the equasion and made Bristol a three groove track, sure there was plenty of passing and the driver were all polite with one another, the racing was jnust that....Racing. BUT....That's not Bristol. After all those years of seeing spectacular passed with the bump and run and drivers getting their cage rattled, fans wanted to keep the original Bristol.
Mr. Wheeler had no choice than to let the fans be heard. He put out a public internet servey and the the fans vote on what kind of track they wanted. The majority voted to get the old Bristol back the way it was at first.
Humpy didn't wait long, as soon as the race was over he got the constuction crews working, got rid of the progressive banking and made the track as close as what it used to be. Fast forward to yesterday, the Nascar Camping world truck series competed for the first time on the new surface. Timothy Peters led every lap of the race, the trucks raced on a two grove track, a far cry from the original Bristol, right ? Well maybe not. Those trucks have a lot less horse power and are slower than the Nationwide and Sprintcup cars so before you judge the track, hold your breath and wait until the weekend is over. Even then, since Bristol is completely new again it will take a while for the track to age proprely. It would not be fair to start screeming just now in my opinion.
Give it some time, be patient and maybe, just maybe all this will eventually pay off.