by Mike Fuori on Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 3:47pm ·
#17: A New Track, a New Track Record
In 1997, Atlanta Motor Speedway underwent a major transformation. Speedway Motorsports, Inc. had already added grandstands, improved all the facilities and changed the name of the track, but between the March and November events that year, they actually changed the shape, size and orientation of the track.
Atlanta International Raceway, as it was called in the old days, was a 1.5 mile “fat” oval, with long turns and relatively short straights for a track of its size. The new Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.54 mile “quad-oval”, with the start-finish line now on the north side of the track instead of the south side. Our infield spot was now in turn 3 instead of turn 1. Essentially, they kept ¾ of the track the same, but added two dog-legs to what used to be the backstretch, and made that portion of the track the front stretch. And, they repaved the whole track. The result was the fastest track on the series schedule at the time. In qualifying for the Cup race that weekend, Geoffrey Bodine set the track record at nearly 197.5 mph. And that first lap with all 43 cars side by side at full speed was insane.
Go to a race, and I promise that first lap will blow you away, and you’ll be hooked.
In 1997, Atlanta Motor Speedway underwent a major transformation. Speedway Motorsports, Inc. had already added grandstands, improved all the facilities and changed the name of the track, but between the March and November events that year, they actually changed the shape, size and orientation of the track.
Atlanta International Raceway, as it was called in the old days, was a 1.5 mile “fat” oval, with long turns and relatively short straights for a track of its size. The new Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.54 mile “quad-oval”, with the start-finish line now on the north side of the track instead of the south side. Our infield spot was now in turn 3 instead of turn 1. Essentially, they kept ¾ of the track the same, but added two dog-legs to what used to be the backstretch, and made that portion of the track the front stretch. And, they repaved the whole track. The result was the fastest track on the series schedule at the time. In qualifying for the Cup race that weekend, Geoffrey Bodine set the track record at nearly 197.5 mph. And that first lap with all 43 cars side by side at full speed was insane.
Go to a race, and I promise that first lap will blow you away, and you’ll be hooked.
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