Racers who rode during the Team Hammer practice day Thursday and during CCS/Formula USA practice Friday morning gave generally positive feedback regarding the repaved infield road course at Daytona International Speedway. The rest of the infield road course was repaved this June, following the addition of a new, motorcycle-only section of infield course last winter. Sections of the newly-added infield course were also repaved this summer, including a section from the new west horseshoe to the following right-hander, turn seven. In addition, a dip at the apex of turn eight, the left-hander leading onto the back straightaway, has been filled in and repaved. “It’s excellent,” said Rick Shaw, the all-time mileage leader in the Daytona 200, who rode an ex-Aaron Gobert 2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 Thursday and Friday. “There’s grip all over the place. I can make line corrections mid-corner. I can go full throttle exiting the International Horseshoe with no slip at all. That’s the best thing they’ve done here.” Shaw said the new surface in the new west horseshoe has more grip than in the spring but there is now a transition that slightly upsets his bike where the motorcycle-only course meets the newly-repaved, last-generation infield course between the new west horseshoe and turn seven. Shaw also said the repaired dip at the apex of turn eight is better. Arclight Suzuki’s Jeff Wood said the new pavement in turn one and the International Horseshoe definitely has more grip but added that the International Horseshoe is now bumpier at its entrance.