Texas Motor Speedway still has a ‘no-go zone,’ IndyCar drivers say following test
Graham Rahal described it as a “no-go zone.”
IndyCar drivers remain hesitant using the high-groove between Turns 1 and 2 at Texas Motor Speedway. That area remains slippery from a leftover rubber compound called PJ1 Track Bite from NASCAR races run in the fall of 2019.
“It’s a no-go zone,” Rahal told reporters following a testing session at TMS on Wednesday. “When they repaved the track [in early 2017] and used the lime wash, it was slippery. The first Cup race they raced here, a lot of guys crashing. I remember talking to Jimmie (Johnson) about it. It’s just very slippery. Everybody here at TMS does a great job trying to find ways to find grip.
“Unfortunately, the dark black stuff is, from the data we got, is about 20% less grip than the bottom lane and a half so it’s still going to be a no-go zone.”
Rahal, the 2016 IndyCar winner at TMS who drives the No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda, added a caveat that with the right downforce package, tire combination and cooler temperatures it could turn from a “no-go” to a “go” zone when IndyCar returns for the Genesys 300 on May 1 and the XPEL 375 on May 2.
At least that is the hope in order to put on the best show possible for fans.
“I think we’ll be able to put on a better show than what we had last year or the time before that,” Rahal said. “I’m sure when they repaved the track, they thought it was going to be the perfect combination. … Everybody here has done a great job to try to adjust to that and make it racy again. I think it’s getting closer.”
James Hinchcliffe, driver of the No. 29 Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport Genesys Honda, echoed those thoughts about cooler temperatures and the right package making it more realistic to run the high-groove lane.
“It might make that a little more feasible, but right now it’s still pretty slick up there unfortunately,” said Hinchcliffe, who has three top-five finishes in 10 career starts at TMS.
“We just need more guys trying to run up there at some point.”
Outside of the high-groove questions, the drivers also touched on the doubleheader weekend and the challenges that presents.
“Honestly, I think the challenges are pretty similar. It’s going to be about maximizing the points over both [races],” Hinchcliffe said. “You can’t really afford to make too big a mistake in the first one because it’s going to have consequences for Race 2 so that’s always kind of something in the back of your mind on the first race. From a physicality point of view, the ovals are generally a little less physical but Texas is fast, man. It’s fast and it’s hot.”
Added Rahal: “It’s mentally very exhausting. This place wears you out. The physicality has gone up. The cars are a little bit heavier, the steering weight is a little bit heavier, it’s a little grippier this year than it was last year with the new downforce and tire package and everything else makes the cornering loads a little bit tighter. All those things being said, it’s a physical race as well.”
This story was originally published March 31, 2021 at 8:46 PM.
