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Kentucky Speedway plans to drag middle lane for drivers: ‘We listened’

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Xfinity Series drivers may be angered by Kentucky's handling of tire dragging, but the Speedway claims this is exactly what they did after the repave last year.

Kentucky Speedway plans to drag tires in the middle lane for a couple of hours after tonight’s NASCAR Xfinity race, following the advice of drivers.

“We listened,’' a Speedway Motorsports Inc. official told NBC Sports on Friday.

Track officials plan to do an 8-foot-wide section in each of the turns, going from the top of the groove on up. Track officials plan to drag tires for about two hours.

If weather does not allow the Tire Dragon to be used after tonight’s Xfinity race, the machine will be used Saturday. The Cup race does not begin until 7:30 p.m. ET, leaving the track all day to have time to do so.

The intent of dragging the middle lane is to provide additional grip for drivers there to allow for more side-by-side racing.

Track officials used the Tire Dragon on the bottom lane leading up to this weekend, but some drivers questioned why it wasn’t done up higher, saying that cars would run there and naturally add rubber to that portion of the track.

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