Ky. Speedway GM shoots down repave report

Kentucky Speedway may be due for a repave in 2016, but it's still plenty possible the Sparta, Ky., track chooses to wait out another year with its bumpy surface. That's despite what Lane Construction Corporation's Danny James said in a recent interview circulating social media Wednesday.

In a video published to Facebook, James said his company has been contracted to repave Kentucky Speedway and the Atlanta Motor Speedway, both owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc.

"I'm not exactly sure why he's talking about what we're doing," said Mark Simendinger, Kentucky Speedway's general manager. "If I were him, I'd be more focused on Lane Construction Corporation is up to -- not what we're up to."

Each time NASCAR's top series stop at Kentucky, condition of the track debuted in 2000 dominates conversation. During the July Quaker State 400 weekend, the asphalt's age also led to washed out practices, with rain water seeping up from under the surface long after skies had cleared.

Simendinger said repaving is something track officials have discussed with Lane Construction and other contractors.

"Have we made up our mind with what we're going to do? No," Simendinger said.

It's an answer similar to what Simendinger gave in 2014, between the track's summer and fall NASCAR weekends. The solution then was to patch a portion of the track out of Turn 4 as well as over the start/finish line.

"We're not going to ask (James) to make our media announcements for us," Simendinger said. "...We evaluate it every year. We're evaluating it right now. That shouldn't come as a surprise."

Atlanta Motor Speedway followed up in a tweet Wednesday afternoon: "A repave has been looked into, but at this time, there are not any plans to do so."

Before Simendinger had the chance to speak, NASCAR's most-popular driver also weighed in via social media with his opinion on a would-be new surface.

"I'd just repave the front stretch @KySpeedway," tweeted Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Awful rough there. It's a pretty fun slick race track otherwise."