Latest News From Lowes Motor Speedway

Concord, N.C.--Lowe's Motor Speedway is being repaved and track officials are using lessons learned from last year to improve the 1.5-mile track's racing surface. After a process called "levigating" created a super-fast surface--and a rash of crashes and cautions brought on by worn tires--during last October's UAW-GM Quality 500, track president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler decided to go with a more traditional asphalt repaving this time.

Prep work for the three million dollar project is under way now and the facility should be repaved in time for testing before the Coca-Cola 600 in May. Wheeler said the repaving involves more than simply laying down new asphalt. A milling process will change the profile of the turns by smoothing them out and making more consistent radiuses, according to Wheeler. The goal is to make the track more conducive to side-by-side racing and passing.

"What our team is to do is pave this track as perfect as possible and as smooth as possible," said Wheeler during a press conference on Day 2 of the 2006 NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Lowe's Motor Speedway. "We've never really had an opportunity to do this before because we have not had this milling machine and have not had the ability to shoot the grade on the track. If you're talking about shooting the grades on a track like this, and you need to do it every foot or so, it's really difficult. But now, with satellites, you can do that."

Wheeler, of course, was a proponent of the levigating process employed less than one year ago, when the track was ground down to create a more tractive surface. The results were disastrous, however, as the October race, filled with 15 caution periods, took over four hours to complete. At one point NASCAR was ready to call an end to the event, and several drivers were especially critical of the track.

"We talked to a lot of drivers (subsequent to the October race)," said Wheeler. "But when you talk to drivers you get mixed reactions. Some people want you to pave; some people don't."

The entire track has been repaved twice since it opened in 1960. The first new asphalt was put down in 1973 and it was repaved again in 1994.

"This track is the smoothest right now that it's ever been, because of milling," said Wheeler. "So what we've got to do is go in and work on it some more and get the profile the way we want it, particularly the exits of the corners and the entrances."

The asphalt will be mixed with a special polymer designed to absorb heat and give more traction, according to Wheeler.

"We're using the best asphalt mix that's ever, ever, ever been done," said Bruton Smith, owner of the track. "I think the drivers, car owners, media and everyone will love it. The racing will be far better than it's ever been."

SMITH ON TOYOTA

Smith was in a jovial frame of mind during the press conference. He jokingly said he had applied for the NASCAR job recently vacated by George Pyne, former chief operating officer of the sanctioning body who recently resigned to become president of International Management Group, one of the world's leading firms in the representation of professional athletes.

Although he became serious when the subject of Toyota's scheduled foray into Cup racing was brought up, he still mixed in a little wit.

"Toyota has more money than God," said Smith, who owns several Toyota dealerships. "(Someone) once said to follow the money. Well, if you're going to follow the money, you're going to be right behind Toyota. They are jokingly referred to as the Bank of Japan. That's the strength. They have enough cash--cash--to buy General Motors and Ford Motor Company."

One sure sign of the automaker's willingness to raise the bar of competition in the sport is that Toyota has already outbid General Motors to become the official automaker of Smith's Lowe's Motor Speedway.

THE MARLIN FAMILY AND THE No. 14

After driving for Ganassi Racing for several years, Sterling Marlin will drive for MB2 Motorsports this season as a teammate to Joe Nemechek, driver of the Army sponsored No. 01 car.

Marlin will drive the No. 14 Chevrolet sponsored by Waste Management, Inc.

The number has special meaning to the Marlin family. Sterling's father, Coo Coo Marlin, who died last year, campaigned the number in Cup competition in the 1970s and `80s.

When the deal to drive to MB2 was being negotiated, Marlin said he called NASCAR and asked about the No. 14.

"I called Mike Helton and asked if anybody had that number yet," recalled Marlin. "He said he had a lot of people asking about it and I told him to save it for me. He said he would and the deal came together with Waste Management, and we got our deal put together.

"I'm proud to run the number. It's my dad's number, my race car number, and my football number, so it's been around the Marlin family a long time."

BALDWIN ON SPLIT WITH EVERNHAM

From the outside looking in, Tommy Baldwin Jr.'s decision to leave his crew chief position at Evernham Motorsports last year came as somewhat of a surprise. Baldwin and team owner Ray Evernham both hail from the Northeast and have similar backgrounds in the sport. Baldwin even acknowledges Evernham as a mentor.

A glimpse at life inside the team sheds light on Baldwin's decision to leave, however. He said life with his current employer, Robert Yates Racing and the No. 38 Ford driven by Elliott Sadler, is much more laid back than at Evernham Motorsports.

"We got that thumb release thing," Baldwin said of his move to the Yates team, as he dug his thumb into the palm of his hand to demonstrate Evernham's management style. "Ray did a good job of keeping--and rightfully so because it's his program, his company, and he can do whatever he wants--but he kept a very close, close eye on a lot of things.

"It's good to be here at Robert Yates Racing and know what your personal vision is and not have to rely on everybody else."

Baldwin still obviously respects Evernham's place in the sport.

"You can't knock Ray's history--you can't," said Baldwin. "I'm not going to sit here and badmouth Ray Evernham at all. He's my mentor and somebody I look up to this day, no matter what. He's accomplished a lot on his own, and he wants to continue stuff on his own. Some people are like that. Maybe someday I'll be like that. I hope not, but he's had good people there and a lot of people have left for the same reason."