The owners of Houston Raceway Park have been hard at work for the last two months completely resurfacing and expanding the professional pit area in an effort to update and improve the racing facility. Up next, the track surface itself will be smoothed to perfection using the latest state-of-the-art equipment available.

"We listened to the racers and we listened to O'Reilly Auto Parts and we are taking the necessary steps to make Houston Raceway Park the absolute best it can be," track general manager Seth Angel said. "As soon as the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals had cleared out of here our crews went to work on the pits and the result is fantastic. The owners of Houston Raceway Park have been hard at work for the last two months completely resurfacing and expanding the professional pit area in an effort to update and improve the racing facility. Up next, the track surface itself will be smoothed to perfection using the latest state-of-the-art equipment available.

"We listened to the racers and we listened to O'Reilly Auto Parts and we are taking the necessary steps to make Houston Raceway Park the absolute best it can be," track general manager Seth Angel said. "As soon as the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals had cleared out of here our crews went to work on the pits and the result is fantastic.

"This racetrack is just 11 feet above sea-level and no more than half a mile from the bay. The ground is always shifting and it presents problems from time to time. We're committed to making sure we're on top of every change moving forward."

Angel explained a three-step process his uncle's business, Angel Brothers Enterprises, used to improve the massive pit area. First, the team did base repairs to fix all soft spots, cracks, and damaged areas to stabilize the base. Next, the "level-up" phase where two inches of asphalt were poured and smoothed using laser-guided levels. Finally, another 1.75 inches of hardy surface mix (Type C asphalt) was put in place.

The total projected cost of the pour was $400,000. This undertaking marks the first major professional pit area improvement since Houston Raceway Park opened in 1987.

Up next, the Angel family will grind and level the racing surface, with particular attention paid to the 660 feet of concrete from the starting line to mid-track.

"These facility improvements demonstrate the continued commitment of the Angel family to provide a first-class racing facility to the NHRA competitors and all of our local drag racers," said Greg Angel, President of Houston Raceway Park and owner of Angel Brothers Enterprises. "Our family enjoys the sport very much and we want to make sure everyone enjoys the racing here, from the fans to sponsors to the racers themselves."

For more information on Houston Raceway Park, visit HoustonRaceway.com .