Bristol Motor Speedway adds more SAFER walls

Bristol Motor Speedway officials announced the addition of more than 160 feet of SAFER barriers. Track operations personnel extended SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barriers at the exits of Turns 2 and 4. Work began last week and will be complete before NASCAR teams arrive for the Food City 500 weekend, March 19-21. "We believe with these modifications, we will not only increase driver safety, but will also create a different transition at the exit of the turns," said Jeff Byrd, BMS President and General Manager. "While we don't know exactly how this will impact the racing, the more confined racing area should create less elbow room and tighten up the racing groove at those points." A deteriorating track surface forced officials in the summer of 2007 to put down a fresh layer of concrete and an additional four feet of width to the racing groove was part of the change. The modifications will eliminate some of that added room. "Without question, this extra four feet added room and aided in creating three and, at times, even four-wide racing," Byrd said. "However, while it is breathtaking, many of our fans have responded that we went too far, in actuality, giving too much racing room to the greatest drivers in the world." For more information concerning tickets, please visit www.bristoltix.com or call the BMS ticket office at 423-BRISTOL (274-7865). BMS PR