News from the International Grooving & Grinding Association

The first official race at the new Bristol Motor Speedway track was held on August 25, 2012, and the positive feedback hasn’t stopped since. The short race track is known as one of the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its extraordinarily steep banking, an all concrete surface, two pit roads and stadium-like seating. After a reconfiguration in 2007 for the addition of variable banking, the track produced more side-by-side racing and therefore lowered the amount of physical contact among competitors’ vehicles. Fan response to Bristol’s new banking was not favorable, since the number of cautions was significantly reduced. In an effort to build attendance and please the fans, the owner enlisted the help of several industry professionals to get the job done.
Diamond grinding was implemented to reduce the degree of banking in the upper track groove. The project involved removing approximately 1.5 inches of the existing concrete surface on each corner of the race track. More than 80 tons of concrete pavement used in the progressive banking were removed. Following the removal of the existing concrete surface, diamond grinding was performed to smooth out the surface texture and prepare the track for racing.

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