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Atlanta delays resurfacing of 20-year-old NASCAR track

By The Associated Press

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — Get ready for more slippin’ and slidin’ at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

After numerous complaints from NASCAR drivers, the track announced Thursday it has postponed the repaving of the 20-year-old racing surface at least until after next year’s race weekend.

Speedway President Ed Clark said the decision was reached after consultations with NASCAR, Goodyear tire officials, race teams and their drivers.

“We appreciate all of the input we have received from key individuals in the NASCAR industry, as well as our customers,” Clark said.

“The overwhelming majority have urged us to hold off on paving so that we can enjoy at least one more weekend of high-speed slipping and sliding in 2018 before the new surface is installed.”

The 1.54-mile surface was last paved in 1997 when the track was reconfigured into its current quad-oval layout. Since then, it has hosted 32 Cup races, as well as a total of 36 races in NASCAR’s other two national series. In addition, there have been eight ARCA Racing Series events, four IndyCar Series races and countless U.S. Legends and Bandolero car races on the quarter-mile circuit in front of the main grandstands.

After Atlanta’s NASCAR weekend this month, which featured races in all three major series, the overwhelming majority of drivers expressed a preference for the aged, abrasive surface, saying it make the racing more challenging and exciting.

“Drivers hate repaves,” Brad Keselowski said after his March 5 victory in the Cup race . “My hope is they can get another year or two out of it.”

But the longer the resurfacing is put off, the greater the chance that a race could be delayed by crumbling asphalt or water seeping up through the track, known as “weepers.”

Atlanta plans to continue its extensive maintenance program in an effort to prevent further deterioration. In addition, patch work on the current asphalt will be carried out where necessary.

Track officials will reevaluate its condition following the 2018 NASCAR tripleheader weekend and determine then whether to go forward with the resurfacing plans, which called for new asphalt to be poured on top of the current asphalt.

“I feel bad for those guys because all it takes is one race where there’s weepers or where the track comes apart and you’ve got red flags and delays and everybody gets mad at them,” Keselowski said. “The reality is that nothing last forever, and this surface had made it a really, really long time.”

Turns out, it will make it at least one more year.

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For more AP racing coverage: http://racing.ap.org

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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