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Noticeable 3,800-foot black patch between Turns 2 and 3 where cracked asphalt fixed.

Kyle Busch takes practice run for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 auto race in Long Pond on Friday. Busch is trying to become the first driver to race in all three national series at three different tracks this weekend.

AP photo

LONG POND — It’s only a one-lane strip of asphalt that stretches a short distance around Pocono Raceway.
But its impact could last for miles.
Drivers in Sunday’s Pocono 500 could find a major advantage if they get near the top of the wall between Turns 2 and 3 at the track.
That’s where a noticeable black patch extends for 3,800 feet as it snakes its way from the second lane closest to the wall before ending in the middle lane to set up a run down the homestretch.
“There’s a lot of speed running on that new asphalt,” said Jeff Burton, who has six top five finishes at Pocono and 13 top 10’s at the track. “It’s smooth. It’s way faster than not being in it.”
According to Pocono Raceway representatives, Pocono Raceway owner Joe “Doc” Mattioli noticed a chunk of asphalt was beginning to loosen on the track following the Pennsylvania 500 this past August. While walking the path to assess the damage, Mattioli discovered baseline cracks in a 15-foot-wide section of the track between Turns 2 and 3. Mattioli decided to mill out the section and had it filled with asphalt identical to what is on the rest of the track. But the strip stands out like a freshly-cut line of grass in an overgrown meadow – because it is newer, darker and even clingier than the rest of the track.
“Whatever the patch is, you have 30 percent more grip (running on it),” said Jimmie Johnson, who has won twice at Pocono. “Even if your left side’s low, you have more grip.”
Which means drivers can pick up more speed for a short stretch each time they hit the new asphalt.
“I don’t know what went on or why they did it,” Johnson said, “but it wasn’t intended to be a passing lane. You could tell by the configuration, because it doesn’t just stay in the same lane.”
Drivers first noticed the potential advantage last week – when they spent Tuesday and Wednesday testing at Pocono.
“I came here and I was like, ‘That’s weird,’ ” said current points leader Kyle Busch.
“I was thinking, ‘I’ve got to try (driving on) that,’ ” said Clint Bowyer, who won the last race at Pocono before the track was repaired – last year’s Pennsylvania 500. “The first lap, I look up, there were three cars in front of me thinking the same thing.”
The challenge for drivers will be to stay on the fresh asphalt, because it switches lanes and doesn’t allow enough space for more than one car to use it at a time.
“It’s not two lanes wide where two of us could go through there side-by-side,” Busch said. “It’s just one lane wide, so it’s going to be hard to have two of you on it.”
And if drivers jockeying for space in the “spot” don’t create some tense moments, the challenge of staying on that 3,800-foot strip will.
“If you get out of the (new) asphalt, on the outside of it is the tire buildup,” Burton said. “You’re going to see some right-sided cars.”
No matter.
Everyone on the track will roll the dice and take that gamble for the chance to pick up some extra speed.
“I don’t know what that’s going to do as far as the race,” Bowyer said. “But you have to be on that.”
Pocono 500 schedule

Today

10-10:45 a.m.…Sprint Cup practice
11:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m.…Sprint Cup practice
1 p.m.…ARCA/ReMax Pocono 200

Sunday

1:30 p.m.…Driver introductions
2 p.m.…Sprint Cup Pocono 500