I hate it. A long, drenching rain the night before fell on ground already saturated, and when the sun came out, the water rose to the surface and onto the track, turning the asphalt drag strip into the land of 10,000 puddles. Probably isn't good enough. And Kentling knows it. He knows important decisions need to be made concerning the track, which opened in 1989 to raves and continued to bask in the NHRA spotlight as records tumbled with regularity Ex-Lax would envy.
Asphalt starts to deteriorate after seven years.
Heartland Park's asphalt is nine years old. But despite its age, the track is as fast as ever. And that muddles the problem. LAST YEAR at this race, drivers set four NHRA national records. The Sears race here in September has featured national records five of the last six years.