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Resurfacing of the Road America circuit which hosts both IndyCar and NASCAR’s Xfinity Series is now complete, after a month of work.
The entirety of the 4.048-mile (6.515km) track, including pit lane, was re-laid for the first time since 1995 and will now be left to cure before the 2023 motorsport season.
According to the venue, great care was taken to ensure that the new bitumen is faithful to the shape of the circuit as it was, with surveys taken to “ensure that the track width, camber angles, and curbing locations were accurate within a tenth of an inch.”
Improvements to drainage were also made as part of the project, for which work began on October 3.
“Our goal was to put the track back exactly as we found it to maintain its distinct features and preserve the track’s significance in the racing world,” said Craig Donze, Engineering Manager for the Walbec Group.
“High-quality aggregates were locally sourced from Wisconsin, and the team used a highly polymerised asphalt mix to maximise durability.
“Multiple tests were performed throughout the project to ensure the surface would handle the weather and racing stresses.
“Teamwork from initial planning through construction resulted in a racing surface that will provide competitors and racing fans enjoyment for years to come.”
Road America is not the only IndyCar track set for resurfacing, with Laguna Seca to close this month for that very purpose.
The Californian venue had become torturous in tyres, with Josef Newgarden finishing second at Laguna Seca this year with a four-stop strategy despite there being just a single Caution period and no rain.
Not all are happy about new asphalt however, including Newgarden’s team-mate Scott McLaughlin, who also pitted four times on his way to sixth that Sunday in September.
“I’m actually really enjoying the way that you’ve got to drive the car,” said the Team Penske driver that weekend.
“I’m kind of low-key sad that they’re going to resurface because it’s kind of fun, and you’ve really got to think about the pitch of the car and what you’re doing with the car and stuff like that.
“Yeah, it is what it is, and resurfacing will be good for the longevity of the track, but I’d like to just keep running on the old stuff.”
