Speedway Begins Repaving Project

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Now that the Coke Zero 400 is over, the big project started Monday at the Daytona International Speedway. It'll cost millions to repave the entire track after potholes cracked open during the Daytona 500.

Much of the paving work is done on a 31-degree angle, therefore making it a difficult task.

It's a massive construction project. It's more than three decades in the making; a complete rebuild on the track surface at Daytona International Speedway.

First, the safety walls, fences and all the lighting come out.

"We're getting ready to tear the old lady up. It's kind of a sad day. We have a lot of history on this track," track President Robin Braig said.

The surface that's being replaced barely made it through its last season. It has cracked and been filled hundred of times in recent years. Earlier this year, the Daytona 500 was put on hold for hours after a huge chunk of pavement came up, leaving a now infamous pothole.

"It just seemed like it was taking forever. I mean we were sitting in the super stretch watching it all and it was right there in front of us," Nascar fan Arnie Brazis said.

It was an embarrassing afternoon track operators don't want to see repeated. There is so much to do; an asphalt factory was built onsite to manufacture 30,000 tons of asphalt in four layers, spanning 33 acres of hi tech roadway and a special drain system embedded in it all.

"It's going to be amazing if they get it done before February. There gonna have to hurry," Nascar fan Angel Taylor said.

It's a huge undertaking that simply cannot miss its February deadline.

The new surface will cost at least $20 million, but track officials won't give an exact cost. Only one event has been cancelled, and that's the motorcycle races during Biketoberfest. Other events have been relocated.

The work crews are shooting for January 1 to complete the work.

WFTV