VHT is keeping the drivers and teams guessing at NHMS

When teams tested at the Magic Mile on May 30-31, there was no sticky substance — or VHT — on the track. Nor were there any additional series running different tire compounds at the track.

The changes have made for a curious combination of challenges for this weekends Overton’s 301.

“The race track obviously is a little bit different with the VHT,” Newman said. “And we tested up here, so it’s kind of ironic to come back and actually go a little bit slower in race trim with the added grip to the race track than what we tested up here.

“We’ve got ourselves scratching our heads a little bit. We’re more competitive than we were at the test; but speed-wise, the track seems to be a little bit off.”

VHT's affect on the racing surface

Newman completed 21 laps over 85-minutes in first practice. He was 18th in single-lap runs as he tried to figure out the surface after VHT was applied to the track.

“In general, I think the toughest thing is that VHT is a chemical,” Newman said. “So, it reacts with heat. It reacts with our tires. It reacts with friction differently and different times. And at the same time, I do believe it does spread around a little bit. So, what we do up in that higher groove, we actually pull that rubber back down and carry it down the straightaways. There are different aspects of it instead of just the typical asphalt race track.

“I think from our standpoint there are more questions about how long does it take for it to come in? How do our tires react to it with the chemical reaction that happens here compared to a concrete track at Bristol or a different tire and asphalt combination at Charlotte? There’s a lot of hesitancy, I think, to just going out and going bonsai fast. We kind of work our way up to speed and you’re biggest question after that is, is it going to be there the next time? It’s like a dirt track looking for the cushion. If that cushion gets knocked down, then you’ve got to adjust. And right now, it’s kind of acting as a cushion for us.”

When drivers were making mock qualifying runs during practice on Friday, several drivers picked up speed during their second lap despite putting an additional cycle on the tires.

Why would the drivers add a lap to their run?

“Courage,” Newman said with a laugh. “Seriously. You just kind of get a feel for it like qualifying-wise, it was more second-lap quicker than first lap and the tires just seemed wanting to take a little bit more time to come in than they typically do here, for whatever reason.”