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Daytona to repave area charred by track fire

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) Daytona International Speedway is getting another repave.

Track president Joie Chitwood III says the asphalt in Turn 3 will be removed and repaved following Saturday's motorcycle racing event.

Workers have washed and cleaned the area of the track multiple times since a fiery explosion charred and damaged the track during the Daytona 500 on Feb. 27. Juan Pablo Montoya's car broke during a caution lap, crashed into a track dryer carrying about 200 gallons of jet fuel and ignited a fire that halted the nighttime race for more than two hours.

Chitwood expects the damaged portion of the famed track to hold up during Saturday's AMA event, and believes the track will be back to normal before NASCAR's July race at Daytona.

The track had a complete repave in 2010.