Agreed but...

...did you really need to remove the dirt and whip the horse one more time?

Everyone knows the condition of the track isn't conducive to quality side-by-side racing, at least not consistently.  The upper grove has made appearances, in particular turn 1-2.  Turn 3-4?  Not so much.  But there have been weeks when the upper groove has worked.

The cries for a new surface have subsided a lot this year, mostly because people have given up, not because it's better.  Hopefully it happens sometime soon, but it's a long ways off I think.  Hopefully it arrives before the track's expiration date.

I'd prefer to focus my attention on improving the track's current short-term fix:

If I could make one suggestion it would be to apply the "Coke syrup" much earlier in the day to give it time to bake and get "gooey".  If the weather permits, put it on the day before.  Any track I've heard about that has had success with the syrup puts it on a day before to let it really set and cure.

Putting it on 5 minutes before practice, well I have two problems with that.

1)  You aren't giving it time to set before cars make use of it.  The stuff is in liquid form prior to application, so guess what?  It's wet when it goes down on the track.  The stickiness comes after baking in the sun for many hours.

2) The syrup is actually setting as the practice and racing is occuring on top of it making for a very inconsistent upper groove from session to session.  Even lap to lap sometimes.  Put it down way ahead of time so by the time cars use it, it's set.  Good or bad, it's going to be more consistent.

I agree that the syrup need to go on earlier and the day before is a great idea weather permitting.
I think if you really look at it the outside grove is getting there and I know it is only coming in later in the evening when the syrup has had time to cure.
1and2 are for sure better then 3 and 4 and I think the biggest reason for this is when they apply the syrup they do not go right up to the wall off 4 and a thin layer through the centre.
If they are going to do it I think they need to do it right you can see where they have put it in 1and 2 and if they lay it all the way off the corner the cars get great bite off it whenit cures
If anyone need and example of the outside grove working and that it can work all you had to do was watch the 77 in the SS race last Friday or a even better example the 10 in the late model race.

Thanks for all the interest and comments on the racing surface at Delaware Speedway.

Yes, consistency with the race surface can be an issue because of weather (rain), and previous race programs (ie enduros or other specials).  For example, last weeks enduro ran in the rain and the cars use street tires with treads - - these act like a scrub brush and clean all race rubber from the race track.  This week the track is "green" (no bite).  This is simply an effect of running an Enduro - - a very exciting and important racing program at the speedway.

I spoke to the race director regard the syrup.  Here is some useful information:

Applying the syrup promotes rubber adhesion.  The cars do not stick to the syrup - - they stick to rubber that is laid down because of the syrup.  We have tried applying it the day before or earlier in the morning and it simply "sugars off" (in the words of Race Director Jeff), and turns into a hard sugar-like coating on top of the race track.  There's no grip on that.

The syrup has been going on late a few nights recently because of a few minor technical issues.  (Sprayer plugged up one week, water pump problems).  All of this goes without saying, we can and are working on doing better.

The reason the track gets better as the night goes on is because the more laps we run, the more rubber gets put down.  This past Friday evening was probably the best the race track had been in about 8 weeks.  The Super Stocks, Modifieds & Late Models all enjoyed side by side racing for multiple laps, and at the end of the night was clearly demonstrated with Lindsay (#20) and Kennedy's (#10) multi-lap battle.

As far as updates on the resurfacing, the owners are wanting to move ahead, meetings are ongoing.  No dates will be announced until an absolute final agreement has been reached with all involved parties.  Remember; the announcement in the spring indicated the agreement was reached in principal (intent), but it takes time to finalize.  You will hear more in the future.

-John Houghton
Announcer / PR
Delaware Speedway
(519) 652-5068 Ext 201

Yes, consistency with the race surface can be an issue because of weather (rain), and previous race programs (ie enduros or other specials).  For example, last weeks enduro ran in the rain and the cars use street tires with treads - - these act like a scrub brush and clean all race rubber from the race track.  This week the track is "green" (no bite).  This is simply an effect of running an Enduro - - a very exciting and important racing program at the speedway.

Consistency from week to week is a given.  No problem there.  Whether it be from an enduro, rain, or a farmer missing his field and crop dusting the track on Thursday evening.  The track is different week to week and that's part of the challenge.

My concern was more the inconsistency encompassed in a single night as the syrup changes right beneath the racers.  Applying it earlier would help alleviate this issue, IMO.

As far as breaking down and "sugaring off" when it's applied the day before, I can't really agree or disagree. I've only heard from other tracks, mainly in the US, that the best results were obtained when the syrup was applied the day before.  But who's to say the concentrations of the mix were the same?  Or that they weren't using Pepsi to our President's Choice? No idea there.  So take that for what it's worth.

As far as how the syrup works, all you have to do is step onto the syrup after practice and feel it grab your shoes.  It's sticky.  Promotion of rubber adhesion mumbojumbo aside, that stickiness promotes tire grip.  Just simple physics at work there.  ;D

To LMFAN:  I can't say I've noticed the difference in the application of the syrup from 1-2 to 3-4, but I also haven't paid attention.  Interesting observation.  Turn 1-2 has definitely had an awesome upper groove a few times this year though and 3-4 you're just hoping to break even.

If you have to pick one it would be nice if 3-4 was the better of the two outside grooves just so the benefit could be felt on starts/re-starts as well.