Bruton Smith’s decision not to seek driver input on how to fix Bristol Motor Speedway didn ‘t sit well with several competitors in the Sprint Cup Series. And not all drivers are convinced the decision by the Speedway Motorsports Inc., chairman to grind the top groove will return racing at the half-mile track in Tennessee to the bumping and grinding it was known for before the 2007 reconfiguration. ‘I think they ‘re wasting their time,’ points leader #16-Greg Biffle said on Friday at Richmond International Raceway. #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. agreed. ‘I believe the racing will be the same,’ he said. ‘I know they probably didn ‘t have a lot of time between now and (the August) race to do everything they wanted to do. Just grinding will take away a little groove, but once we lay a little rubber down it ‘ll be just like it was, which I think is fine.’ Kevin Harvick definitely took issue with Smith’s comment during Wednesday’s news conference that ‘I do not consult race drivers when I am building a speedway.’ ‘They were all gung ho on wanting to meet at Texas,’ Harvick said. ‘The next thing you knew, nobody showed up, nobody called, nobody wanted to talk anymore. I guess maybe they were embarrassed that they just wound up grinding it.’ Harvick said he was told by Don Hawk, SMI’s vice president of business affairs, that Smith wanted to discuss changes at Bristol with him at Texas. Hawk acknowledged that Smith wanted to meet with Harvick and his team owner, Richard Childress, and the meeting didn ‘t happen. Hawk said he apologized to Harvick and Childress via text. He added that several other drivers were contacted via text for input on the project, and that some responded and some didn ‘t. He said Smith talked to Brad Keselowski by phone.(ESPN)(4-28-2012)
