Loudon's new asphalt draws mixed reviews

LOUDON, N.H. - Winston Cup drivers were generally pleased with the condition of the asphalt after Happy Hour at New Hampshire International Speedway and don't expect problems in Sunday's New England 300.

	Terry Labonte

"I think the track is virtually identical to what we had in both races here last year as far as the way it looks and drives," Jimmie Johnson said. "I know they got the asphalt down a lot sooner, so I think we're going to be fine where the track won't pull up.

"But it's the same. It really drives the same and we have a similar set up. I'm looking forward to a race like we saw here before, but hopefully without any marbles on the outside and no issues with that."

NHIS officials repaved the turns for the second straight year. Last year, drivers complained about the track tearing up.

"It was good," Terry Labonte said. "The track is in good shape and they did a good job paving it. It's real smooth. Hopefully it's going to stay like that, and we won't have any problems."

	Mike Ford

Will there be enough room in the repaved corners for two-wide racing? Probably not.

"It's actually pretty nice," said Mike Ford, crew chief for Bill Elliott. "They've done a good job of laying the new asphalt down. The setup isn't much different from the last time we were here.

"Don't know that it's going to offer two-wide racing. Seems like it's still going to be a single groove. Hopefully, the surface will stay down."

	Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick said the track drives "exactly like it did last year."

"They just painted a few more dots on the asphalt, and that's about it," Harvick said.

There were some complaints, however. Mike Wallace doesn't like the progressive banking in the turns. Last year, NHIS added a lower lane, but that has less banking than the rest of the corner.

"The pavement is good, but I wish the bottom groove was the same banking as the rest of the track," Mike Wallace said. "It appears to be flatter than the rest of it, so there's a little transition difference there.

	Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"You're going to see all the racing done in the second and third grooves."

If those grooves don't tear up.

"The track is a lot faster," Earnhardt Jr. said. "It's got more grip. I don't know how long that's going to last. It seems to build up a lot of stuff on the outside of the edge of the groove there. And if you kind of slip the tire into that you'd have big problems. That's the only thing.

"I think the biggest problem for Sunday is going to be for NASCAR to keep the track clean throughout the day."