New surface awaits at Martinsville Speedway

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Rusty Wallace is the leader among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway with seven career wins, and even he's unsure how the track's new surface will respond to racing.

The surface has been commended by drivers this week for being smooth and fast, but questions remain about it heading into today's Subway 500.

"I think there are a lot of unknowns right now," Wallace said.

The new surface, with concrete in the corners and asphalt in the straightaways, was put down this summer after part of the concrete came loose in the spring race, possibly costing Jeff Gordon a victory.

New tracks typically present problems after they are installed, because they haven't been raced on. Over time, small bits of rubber that come off tires will fill nooks and crannies in the surface, easing its grip on tires and allowing for more consistent racing.

"It's going to be tough to pass, I think,"said Jeff Green, a driver for Petty Enterprises.