Track Surface History

2004

Late Summer & Fall 2004: Entire 2 1/2 miles resurfaced, following removal of approximately 2.5 inches from the surface.

2002

March 2002: Entire surface, including bricks at start/finish line, made even smoother by the process of "diamond grinding."

1995

Fall 1995: Entire 2 1/2 miles resurfaced, following removal of 5 inches from the surface, the first occasion on which all pre-exisiting surfaces no longer remained (with the exception of portions removed upon installation of tunnels).

1988

Summer 1988: Entire 2 1/2 miles resurfaced.

1976

Summer 1976: Entire 2 1/2 miles resurfaced with asphalt, the first complete resurfacing since fall of 1909.

1961

October 1961: Balance of brick on main straight covered with asphalt, leaving only the 3-foot strip at the start/finish line still of bricks.

1909

Fall 1909: 3,200,000 street paving bricks laid into the sand, seperated on each side by approximately one-quarter of an inch and, after each section rolled and declared level, a mixture of equal parts of sand and portland cement poured between each brick on all four sides for "fixing."

1909

Fall 1909: A 2-inch layer of sand placed on top of the existing damaged surface.

Spring & Summer 1909: Original surface of 2-inch layer of creek gravel, followed by 2 inches of crushed limestone topped by an application of taroid, followed by a half-inch coating of crushed stone chips mixe4d in with larger stones, followed by a second heavier coating of taroid and a top dressing of stone dust worked into the surface.