As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads back to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the sport once again is talking about the resin that will be applied to the track to promote passing. And although many people are in favor of the substance’s use, Rodney Childers isn’t one of them.
Childers, Kevin Harvick’s crew chief, on Wednesday told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio in no uncertain terms that he doesn’t like the PJ1 TrackBite — formerly VHT TrackBite — that NASCAR uses at places that typically are one-groove tracks. The compound was applied at NHMS in July during the Overton’s 301, and the resin was praised by Kyle Larson and race-winner Denny Hamlin.
Drivers admittedly weren’t unanimous in their love of PJ1. Larson, for instance, said he likes that the substance’s rate of wear added another variable to the race, whereas Danica Patrick dislikes it for that exact reason — as does Childers.
“I have to be honest with you on this one, I can’t stand it,” Childers said. “I just think it doesn’t do us any good. It burns off a quarter of the way through the race and doesn’t effect anything. All we’re doing is changing the first 100 laps of the race, and it messes up all of our practices and qualifying.”
Even though Childers might not like the way PJ1 impacts the level of grip, it clearly doesn’t impact his ability to hone Harvick’s setup. The driver of the No. 4 qualified 12th for the summer New Hampshire race, but he was able to race his way to a fourth-place finish.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
