Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials "plan to install 1,560 additional feet of SAFER barriers at the 2.5-mile facility before on-track activities commence in May for the Indianapolis 500," according to Brant James of USA TODAY. IMS President Doug Boles said that the track will add protection "around sections of a curved wall that serves as an emergency vehicle entrance point on the backstretch and in the short chute, to the drivers' left, between Turns 3 and 4." Boles said that the upgrades "had been planned before but expedited" in wake of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch's incident at Daytona Int'l Speedway in February. Boles said that construction "is underway," adding that IMS "currently utilizes around 9,000 feet of SAFER barriers" (USATODAY.com, 3/23).
FOLLOW THE LEADER: SPORTING NEWS' Jason Boyd reports Martinsville Speedway has "fallen in line with tracks that have previously held NASCAR races this season and will put up tire barriers" for this weekend's three races. The barriers "will be installed on the backstretch of the track's .526-mile oval in place of SAFER barriers in time for Sprint Cup practice and qualifying" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 3/24).
TAKE YOUR SEAT, PLEASE: In Daytona Beach, Ken Willis reports the first of 46,000 seats overlooking the western half of the backstretch at DIS were removed yesterday as "work began on a massive demolition and salvage project." Indiana-based Bleacher Builders Owner & Operator Charles Jordan has a "long list of buyers" for the used seats being removed as part of the Daytona Rising project. All 46,000 are "already ticketed for their new owners." Meanwhile, Willis notes the suites topping the grandstand complex "will be put to use once more when NASCAR returns for its early-July race weekend." All of the suite tenants from the frontstretch "will be transplanted to the backstretch because the center section of the frontstretch stands will soon be demolished" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 3/24).
