Following the successful use of resin at Nashville in 2021, NASCAR began experimenting with its application at other tracks — most of which had previously seen PJ1 applied to the upper racing grooves. Despite PJ1 showing promise at Bristol in the past, NASCAR opted for resin during last year’s events. While the spring race delivered a solid result, the September event fell flat, prompting officials to pivot once again.
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For this year’s race, NASCAR has returned to PJ1 Trackbite, this time applying it to the bottom lane rather than the resin used previously. Joey Logano recently weighed in on the change.
Speaking during his pre-race media availability, Logano pointed out the many moving parts involved when PJ1 is in play. He noted that its effectiveness hinges on a host of factors — how it’s applied, track temperature, and how rubber builds up throughout the race. Reflecting on last year’s spring event, he cautioned against assuming history will repeat itself.
Logano explained that there’s no guarantee it’ll behave the same way, especially with the forecast calling for cooler conditions. He noted that during the truck race, the upper groove began to come to life late in the run. A handful of trucks ventured up there and managed to make it work, though the majority still stuck to the bottom.
As the Xfinity Series takes to the track on Saturday, there’s a chance the racing line could lay down more rubber, possibly reducing grip in certain areas. Ultimately, much will hinge on whether NASCAR chooses to reapply the compound before the green flag drops.
Discussing how he approaches a race when traction compound is in play, Logano acknowledged the challenge it presents. “It’s harder because it’s a moving target,” he said. “The question is like, ‘Is the track gonna apply more?’… and then, ‘What’s that gonna do? How long will it matter?’”
He explained that if NASCAR reapplies the compound, the bottom lane will likely be dominant early on. But as the rubber builds and the surface begins to break up, everything — from grip levels to car behavior — can shift dramatically.
“Are you still gonna be able to make it work down there? What do you need in your car to be able to make that happen? And then, if you can’t, then what does the top look like? You’re gonna need something different for the top to work versus the bottom to work,” he continued. Besides these things, to prepare for the race, drivers tend to study the track’s history closely, analyzing how it has behaved under various conditions and compounds over time.
In recent years, NASCAR and many of its tracks have gradually phased out the use of PJ1 Trackbite. Speaking on the Hauler Track podcast, NASCAR official Forde explained that resin had become the preferred choice due to its reliability.
Logano noted that it was more predictable, more consistent, and lasted kind of the entire race, contrasting it with PJ1, which required heat to activate and often lacked consistency. Still, for Bristol’s concrete surface, PJ1 has historically proven to be a better fit.
What remains to be seen is whether PJ1, when paired with Goodyear’s newly introduced softer tire compound, will shake things up and offer a fresh twist that fans have been craving for.
