Drivers talk about concrete patch at Daytona

Drivers at the test for NASCAR’s new Nationwide Series car last week at Daytona International Speedway had more than just the new car to test.

They had a new concrete patch on the Daytona track to test as well.

The patch – 6 feet wide, 18 feet long and 6 inches deep – covers the pothole that developed between turns 1 and 2 during the Daytona 500. The rest of the track surface is asphalt, but drivers reported no issues in going from asphalt to concrete and back the asphalt.

“The patch felt fine," said Kevin Harvick. “You really couldn’t even tell that it was there. Everybody ran through it lap after lap and it didn’t bounce the car around. They did a good job fixing it. I don’t think it will be an issue."

Daytona will host Sprint Cup and Nationwide races with the patch July 2-3, and then repave the entire track after the July race weekend.

“I didn’t even see it and until someone brought it up, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, we patched the race track somewhere,’" Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch said. “I found it and it didn’t do anything. Nothing – no concerns there."

Michael Waltrip Racing rookie Trevor Bayne said his car bottomed out over the patch but it had no effect. Track officials say cars bottoming out and scraping the track was one of the issues – as well as heavy moisture and cold temperatures – that resulted in the pothole.

“These cars are hitting the earth pretty good right now … so for it to hold up that well is awesome," Bayne said. SceneDaily.com