What is VHT and why did they use it at Bristol Motor Speedway?

There’s been a lot of talk about a sticky compound that is being used at Bristol Motor Speedway this spring, but it’s not because any of the NASCAR teams are cheating.

It’s not that often that a chemical compound comes up in conversation in NASCAR yet no one is doing anything against the rules. Yet that’s exactly the case for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, as something called VHT has been all the rage.

What is VHT, and why is Bristol using it?

For starters, it’s actually not called VHT anymore. The specially formulated resin was called VHT TrackBite in the past but is now commercially called PJ1 TrackBite. It’s readily available and can be used to increase traction either by applying it to the tires of a vehicle or to a racing surface. It’s been present at drag racing events for decades.

Obviously, more traction or grip is something NASCAR drivers want, but only in certain tracks and situations. One of those is the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway, which has gradually gone away from the way it was raced in years past.

NASCAR.com has a great explanation of why drivers don’t all agree on whether TrackBite should be a solution or whether there was even a problem that needed to be solved at all. But historically, Bristol races allowed good cars to stick to the bottom through the turns are required some bumping and banging at times to make passes.

Bristol officials decided to spray TrackBite on the bottom groove through all four turns so that cars can stay stuck to the bottom. Even the constant rain that the track saw through the weekend shouldn’t wash it all away, though Darrell Waltrip and the Fox Sports announcers noted that it still needs some heat from tires to fully take effect.

Will it actually work? We might no know that until the end of the Food City 500, but if cars are able to stay down low without being forced up the track against their will, it’s likely that the product formerly known as VHT is helping them do it.