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NASCAR teams competing at Michigan International Speedway this weekend will see several safety enhancements in place, including a temporary extension of the current pit wall by approximately 150 feet.
The extension, which lengthens the wall toward the Turn 4 end of the 2-mile speedway, comes after three drivers struck the inside of pit wall while competing at Pocono (Pennsylvania) Raceway earlier this month.
Kasey Kahne , Jeb Burton and Ray Black Jr. were involved in separate incidents at Pocono – Kahne’s impact with the pit road wall sent equipment flying and led to a delay in the race as officials worked to repair damage to the wall.
RELATED: Kahne hits pit road wall at Pocono
No one was injured.
According to a statement from MIS track president Roger Curtis, attenuators (energy absorbing barriers) will be placed at the end of the extension of the wall.
Curtis also said the addition of 700 linear feet of Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier to the wall at the entrance and exit of pit road, has been completed. That project was begun in April. Tire pack barriers inside Turn 1 will be in place for this weekend’s race as well, and the grass area at the exit of pit road has been paved to act as a skid pad should a car leave the racing surface in that area of the track.
Workers will begin installing another 7,500 linear feet of SAFER material along the outside walls on the front and backstretch and tri-oval wall along pit road after this weekend’s racing activities have been completed.
MIS is one of 12 facilities owned by International Speedway Corp. that hosts NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events.
The Pure Michigan 400 is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 16 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The day prior, the track will host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ Careers for Veterans 200 Presented by Cooper Standard and Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation (Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).