SAFER barrier extension at BMS to tighten racing groove by nearly three feet

BY ALLEN GREGORY
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Bristol Motor Speedway is about to undergo a transition.

Due in part to feedback from fans who long for more action on the infamous concrete oval, BMS officials have decided to tighten the racing groove by nearly three feet.

Last week, track operations personnel began the process of extending the SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barriers at the exits of Turns 2 and 4 by more than 160 feet.

According to BMS Vice President of Events Kevin Triplett, the modifications will translate into improved safety, and perhaps, more compelling action for the March 19-21 Food City 500 weekend.

The BMS racing surface was a given facelift in 2007 in the form of a fresh layer of concrete. The new version of the track features an additional four feet of width to the racing groove. That extra room has led to less bumping between drivers and frustration from many hardcore fans who favor contact.

“There was a percentage [of fans] who said you’ve given the best drivers in the world a whole lot of room now,” said Triplett, during a press conference Wednesday. “When the best golfers in the world go to the U.S. Open, they go to Bethpage Black, Winged Foot and Oakmont, some of the toughest golf courses in the world. They make those courses even tougher when those guys get there.”

By creating a different transition at the exit of the turns, drivers at BMS will now face a more nuanced challenge. Triplett again pointed to the example of adding to the complexity for championship caliber golf courses.

“The ancillary effect of us adding these walls is going to do the same thing, maybe tightening the fairways a little,” Triplett said. “We’re able to enhance the safety of the drivers and address some of the things our fans have said.
“The transition now where they dive down into [turn] one and come around and start drifting up towards the outside [wall]. Now that wall will be three feet closer.”

Without the benefit of testing, Triplett admitted that he’s not certain how drivers will respond to changes. Recent Sprint Cup events at BMS have featured more of an emphasis on technique than pure survival, with the number of caution periods being dramatically reduced.

“If there is an effect, where it will probably be seen is it’s not uncommon to see guys go three and four wide because of the transitions out of the turns,” Triplett said. “Now with almost three feet of that room taken away and with 84 feet of our frontstretch and backstretch, the SAFER barrier will almost go to the start-finish line and on the backstretch about halfway down.”
“But I don’t think we’ll see anything until the Scotts Turf Builder 300 [Nationwide Series] when there’s 43 cars out there or the Food City 500.”

Meanwhile, BMS officials continue their goal of achieving their 56th consecutive sellout. The regional print and television advertising campaigns are underway, while national ads will be shown Sunday’s Sprint Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“We’re pulling out all the stops and doing things we’ve never done,” Triplett said. “The challenge is when you have 160,000 seats in this [economic] environment…that’s a steep hill to sell all those tickets.”
Triplett said that 62 percent of fans who opted not to renew their tickets at BMS this season cited economic reasons.

After an announced sellout for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 14, there were tens of thousands of empty seats for last week’s Sprint Cup event at Auto Club Speedway in California. Triplett remains undaunted, however.

“We firmly believe that we’re going to sell more tickets for a Cup race then any facility on the circuit this year, but we could do that and still have empty seats,” Triplett said. “So we’re trying to add value to the ticket and show fans that’s it worth the trip to Bristol.”

One of those added treat to fans is the Scotts EZ Seed Showdown. The 12-lap, 35-lap event returns for a second year on March 20.

BMS officials revealed Wednesday that David Pearson, Larry Pearson, Harry Gant and Rick Wilson have been added to the field which features Cale Yarborough, Charlie Glotzbach and Dave Marcis.
The 75-year-old Pearson, who won three NASCAR Cup championships and 105 races, was unable to participate in last year’s debut event due to back pain. Pearson’s resume includes five victories at Bristol.

“The addition of David completes what we had hoped to do last year,” said Wayne Estes, BMS Vice President of Events. “David is confident that he wants to do this.”

With passionate competitors such as L.D. Ottinger, Yarborough and Jack Ingram, Estes said the Showdown could turn spicy.

“Several of these guys made it very clear that they were not coming up here just to show up,” Estes said.

Wilson will be competing in a replica of the Food Country USA Oldsmobile he drove to victory in the 1989 Budweiser 200 Busch Series for Abingdon car owner Charlie Henderson. Wilson also drove for Abingdon-based Morgan-McClure Motorsports Sprint Cup Series team.

“We were very pleased with the idea of the Showdown, but we weren’t as pleased with the product,” Triplett said. “We knew we could make it better and we have.”

Triplett said that ESPN officials are in discussions to televise the Showdown.

Ticket packages for the Food City 500 weekend are available for $99. The deal includes Ford Fan Friday qualifying on March 19, followed by Saturday’s doubleheader, the Scotts Turf Builder 300 and the Scotts EZ Seed Showdown, culminating with the Food City 500 on Sunday. Single-day tickets for the Food City start at $93.

agregory@bristolnews.com I (276) 645-2544.