Center cord row v-belt

A central cord row V-belt having: a radially centered cord row of helically wound tensile cords embedded in a very high modulus adhesive; a layer of upper cords; and a layer of lower cords. The adhesive has a substantially isotropic modulus, while the upper and lower cords have anisotropy in both rift and cross grain moduli. The cross-grain modulus of the upper cord and the lower cord is smaller than the modulus of the adhesive. The anisotropic modulus is the result of the oriented staple fibers and the rift modulus being axially oriented in the belt. The adhesive preferably does not have short fibers. The belt preferably does not have a reinforcing fabric layer and does not have a fabric wrap. The adhesive, the layer of the upper cord and the layer of the lower cord are preferably based on an ethylene-alpha-olefin elastomer having a peroxide sulfide, a reinforcing filler and a metal salt of an alpha-beta-unsaturated organic acid. The belt may have notches on one or both of the inner and outer radial surfaces