Texas Motor Speedway

Texas Motor Speedway stormed onto the Cup Series schedule in 1997 with all the swagger and ambition you would expect from the Lone Star State. The 1.5-mile quad-oval in Fort Worth was built to be a palace of speed, with 24-degree banking in the turns and a multi-million dollar facility that immediately ranked among NASCAR's grandest stages. Early races featured intense competition and dramatic finishes that quickly established Texas as a must-see stop on the circuit. The track has seen dominant performances from Texas natives and adopted sons alike, and the April date has historically caught teams at an inflection point in the season when setups are evolving and pecking orders are still being established. The repave in 2017 changed the surface character significantly, and subsequent PJ1 traction compound applications have altered the racing lines further. Texas rewards intermediate-track mastery — the ability to manage tire wear, exploit clean air, and execute flawless pit stops over a 267-lap distance. Under the lights, with the Texas wind cutting across the backstretch, this place takes on a personality all its own.

Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference