Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says tracks should not to use PJ1 traction compound for now

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 500

CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 08: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, prepares to drive during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 8, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Getty Images

CONCORD, North Carolina — Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Periscope that NASCAR should not use the PJ1 traction compound “for a while” after issues this weekend and said that Charlotte Motor Speedway should run the Coca-Cola 600 in the day instead of at night to create better racing.

Earnhardt finished 12th in Sunday’s Bank of America 500 and discussed the race and the PJ1 traction compound afterward

Earnhardt, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and David Ragan wrecked in practice Friday. The traction compound was blamed. Busch wrecked again in Sunday’s race and also blamed it.

“It was a really a hard day as a driver,’’ Earnhardt said. “I know you guys want it to be hard and it should be hard, but it was hard for all the wrong reasons today. Hopefully they don’t use that PJ1 spray on any other race tracks for a while. I think they need to research that a little bit more before we use that again.’’

Don Hawk, senior vice president of business affairs for Speedway Motorsports Inc., told motorsport.com this weekend that the reason for the issues with the traction compound was the uneven application of it.

“We discovered the sprayer heads on our machine – one was partially clogged, the other was not spraying enough and there is not enough substance on the race track in Turn 4,’’ Hawk told motorsport.com.

The traction compound was not applied after Saturday night’s Xfinity race.

Earnhardt also said he would like to see Charlotte Motor Speedway run day races, including the 600, because he wants to see the track showcase the type of racing that can attract more fans.

“This was a night race and they moved it to the day time for this event,’’ Earnhardt said on his Periscope. “That’s really hard to do. All the fans want a night race because it is a little more comfortable, just a really difficult choice to make. I knew that the track went out on a limb to move this to a day race. I knew all along that this track would race a whole lot better in the daytime than at night.

“Had they not put the stuff down on the track, we would have been driving all on the fence and everything trying to find grip and hauling ass up there, but we just couldn’t get up there and use it.

“I was real disappointed that they sprayed that stuff down and it didn’t work. It’s easy to say that after the fact. I’m not trying to get too hard on the racetrack, but man I want to see this place see its real potential. Hasn’t been a great race here in a long time, and I just know it can be a great race here during the day, a really hot day, especially.

“I know the fansprobably don’t like it or like to hear it or think of sitting in the sun, 85 degrees or 90 degrees all day long is a lot fun, but I think the race would be fun to watch if they would run the 600 in the daytime here. This place has been struggling with attendance and all that stuff and I just know it can be so much better. I’m just rooting for it, that’s all.’’

Follow @dustinlong and on Facebook