Firebird Int'l Raceway has begun a very aggressive six-week track-resurfacing project. More than $200,000 of racetrack repairs and improvements are in progress.

The work culminates an exhaustive eight-week fact-finding mission by Firebird Int'l Raceway President and owner Charlie Allen and the track’s competition staff to determine the best plan for repairing the damage and improving the dragstrip’s surface. The evaluation process included numerous conversations with NHRA competition experts, consultations with other national event tracks throughout the nation, in-depth interviews with concrete and asphalt companies, and close work with NHRA consultant Wayne McMurtry on asphalt mixture compounds.

Allen acknowledged that the improvements come following a grueling and challenging period for the East Valley track.

The racetrack surface suffered enormous changes and damage following Arizona’s record-breaking rainy season coupled with the application of questionable traction compound.

“In the 27 years we’ve been here,” Allen explained, “we have never faced the type of challenges on the racetrack surface like the ones we faced during the first quarter of 2010. We’ve spent literally hundreds of hours researching the damage. We’re working closely with NHRA as well as every other source available to us to ensure the repairs and improvements are exactly what they need to be.”

Timing of the project is vital, according to Firebird Int'l Executive Vice President Franki Buckman.

“Two years ago, we put a little over a million dollars into overall facility improvements, including new grandstands, new signage, upgrades in parking and pit areas, as well as replacing the concrete on the dragstrip from the water box to approximately 180 feet. The current improvement project and budget are strictly focused on the dragstrip and racing surface.

“We have allocated six weeks for the project but hope to be done in four," Buckman said. "Doing this work now ensures us the track will have ample time for the new concrete and asphalt to cure long before our busy fall season begins."

The track’s first 700 feet is concrete; the remainder of the track is asphalt. This project includes Penhall experts grinding a large percentage of the concrete, removal and replacement of 30 feet of concrete starting at 180 feet, as well as milling and repaving the asphalt from the end of the concrete to just past 1,500 feet.

“We’re confident that this will get our track back to the record-breaking speeds our spectators and racers have enjoyed in the past,” said Allen.

As a result of this project, the track's popular weekly Friday Night Street Car Drags has been cancelled through May. Log on to firebirdraceway.com for June schedule updates and construction progress and photos.