NASCAR Testing News

NASCAR Car of Tomorrow News

June 21, 2007

COT test planned for Talladega fall race: NASCAR's decision to schedule a car-of-tomorrow test at Talladega Sept. 11, just after the Richmond cutoff for the Chase for the Championship, is probably a wise move, considering the troubles that the Talladega 500 Oct. 7 could present. NASCAR officials had pushed hard for teams to approve a car-of-tomorrow test at either Charlotte or Atlanta, to prepare for next year's even trickier car-of-tomorrow runs at the tour's midsize speedways. (Journal Now)

June 20, 2007

NASCAR studying testing policy: As the gap between Nextel Cup teams grows, NASCAR officials are studying changes to the testing policy to restore some balance. Testing is vital to a team's success because of the limited track time each race weekend. Some team officials say NASCAR's restrictive policy hinders them. NASCAR limits teams to seven tests per year at tracks that host Cup races. NASCAR selects those tracks based on team input. (News-Record)

June 12, 2007

NEXTEL Cup teams test at Milwaukee Mile: Several NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams will be testing at The Milwaukee Mile June 12, 13 and 14. The grandstands (only) will be open for spectators to watch free of charge 9am – 5pm daily. Teams that have indicated they will be testing are from Hendrick Motorsports, Evernham Motorsports, Hall of Fame Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and Ginn Racing. Other teams may be at the track one or more days. (Milwaukee Mile PR) Testing is open to the public and free of admission.

July 7, 2006

49 Drivers scheduled to test at Indy: Testing for the 13th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will take place Monday, July 10, Tuesday, July 11 and Wednesday, July 12 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A total of 49 Nextel Cup Series drivers are scheduled to test on those days. Teams can only test a maximum of two out of the three available days. The hours of testing are 9:00am - 6:00pm/et each day. This is the only test session scheduled before the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, Aug. 6. Fans are welcome to view the testing for free from the South Terrace grandstands, located inside the track between Turns 1 and 2. Testong Roster (Subject to Change): #01-Joe Nemechek, #07-Clint Bowyer, #1-Martin Truex Jr., #2-Kurt Busch, #4-Scott Wimmer, #5-Kyle Busch, #6-Mark Martin, #7-Robby Gordon, #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #9-Kasey Kahne, #10-Scott Riggs, #11-Denny Hamlin, #12-Ryan Newman, #14-Sterling Marlin, #15-Paul Menard, #16-Greg Biffle, #17-Matt Kenseth, #18-J.J. Yeley, #19-Jeremy Mayfield, #20-Tony Stewart, #21-Ken Schrader, #22-Dave Blaney, #24-Jeff Gordon, #25-Brian Vickers, #26-Jamie McMurray, #29-Kevin Harvick, #31-Jeff Burton, #32-Travis Kvapil, #37-John Andretti, #38-Elliott Sadler, #40-David Stremme, #41-Reed Sorenson, #42-Casey Mears, #43-Bobby Labonte, #45-Kyle Petty, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #49-Kevin Lepage, #55-Michael Waltrip, #61-Chad Chaffin, #66-Jeff Green, #72-Kertus Davis, #88-Dale Jarrett, #96-Tony Raines, #99-Carl Edwards, #00-Bill Elliott, #47-Jon Wood, #51--Mike Garvey, #70-Johnny Sauter, #78-Kenny Wallace.(IMS PR)

June 28, 2006

Milwaukee Mile testing: If you're into numbers and know your NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams, car numbers 2, 5, 24, 25, 48, 40, 41, 42 and 19 were testing Tuesday at The Milwaukee Mile, on the heels of The Mile's big AT&T 250 Busch Series - Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200 Truck Series race weekend. In appreciation of our NASCAR supporters, the grandstands are open to this private team test to any Milwaukee Mile NASCAR fan who presents a ticket stub from The Milwaukee Mile's June 23 or 24 NASCAR events, Wednesday June 28 from 9:00am - 5:00pm. "The reason we test here at Milwaukee is that this track is 'rubbered-in' the best it can be. We are limited on tires and race tracks we can test at, and with all the rubber laid down on the track from the weekend, it really saves our tire wear," said 2004 Nextel Cup Series champion Kurt Busch. So what can point leader Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers learn with their Hendrick Motorsports teams, in addition to Ganassi Racing and their drives David Stremme, Reed Sorenson and Casey Mears, or for that matter, Jeremy Mayfield? "This track is very similar to New Hampshire, Phoenix, some small ideas apply to Indy," Kurt Busch said. "But The Mile is a sentimental track for me, as I tested here the last three years with my old team just trying to get ready for some of the flat tracks and what it can help you do when you get down to the 'Chase' and how you have to gain points. Hendrick Motorsports also practiced with their Car of Tomorrow at America's Legendary Oval. Most of the teams are expected to return Wednesday. No official times were recorded. (Milwaukee Mile PR)

June 10, 2006:

Testing loophole: NASCAR this season limited Nextel Cup testing to six tracks on which the series competes. So how did four Cup drivers test at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., last week? Well, Carl Edwards and Reed Sorenson tested Busch Series cars on the track. But Infineon has no Busch Series race. NASCAR officials said Friday that they don't condone using Busch cars to test on Cup tracks, but they have no penalty for it. Kyle Busch also tested at the track. The type of car he used could not be confirmed Friday. (Charlotte Oberserver)

June 8, 2006:

Two day testing wraps-up in Infineon: Four NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers completed a two-day test session on Wednesday at Infineon Raceway in advance of the upcoming Dodge/Save Mart 350 weekend, June 23-25. Carl Edwards (No. 99 Home Depot Ford), Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s Chevrolet), Reed Sorenson (No. 41 Target Dodge) and Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) traversed the twisting 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course in a variety of stock cars. Edwards toured the circuit over the two-day test in his Busch Series car, clocking a top time of 1 minute, 17.60 seconds. Edwards received coaching during the test from road-race specialist Boris Said, who will also compete in the Dodge/Save Mart 350 in his No. 60 No Fear Ford. (Infineon Raceway PR) No speeds were released.

June 8, 2006:

June 1, 2006:

LMS Car of Tomorrow testing complete: For the second straight day, drivers participating in NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow test at Lowe's Motor Speedway were impressed with how the new car handled and maneuvered on the race track. Teams from Hendrick Motorsports (Brian Vickers), Richard Childress Racing (Jeff Burton), DEI (Dale Earnhardt, Jr.), Evernham Motorsports (Scott Riggs), Joe Gibbs Racing (Denny Hamlin), Chip Ganassi (Casey Mears), and MB2 Motorsports (Joe Nemechek) participated in Wednesday's test. "This car drives and handles pretty well," Riggs said. "The rear wing is going to be a big help. It gives you a lot of adjustability. We made some adjustments with the wing today that allowed us to run a lot better than yesterday. "This was the first time I had driven this car but now we have some good, solid fundamentals to take away from this test and take to the next one later this summer at Michigan." Despite having the morning session pushed back due to a thunderstorm that passed through the area, the drivers spent more than three hours on the track in the afternoon, running solo and then also running three 10-lap group runs. Jeff Burton said he wasn't that surprised that the new car handled so well at this test. "We've put a lot of time and effort into this new car, so we kind of expected it to run well," Burton said. "For the first time running the wing at a big track like this, I'd say it was a successful test." Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby says that this two-day session at Lowe's should provide NASCAR with some valuable information to prepare for the next scheduled test Aug. 21 at Michigan International Speedway. (NASCAR PR)

May 31, 2006:

COT day 1 testing complete: For the first time in its developmental stages, NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow ran in groups of 6-8 cars with the aerodynamic wing attached to the rear, as the first of a two-day test session got underway Tuesday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The feedback NASCAR received from the drivers was positive and all indications are that the aero push in the group runs should make for some compelling racing. Teams from Hendrick Motorsports (Brian Vickers), Richard Childress Racing (Jeff Burton), DEI (Martin Truex, Jr.), Penske Racing South (Ryan Newman), Evernham Motorsports (Scott Riggs), Joe Gibbs Racing (Denny Hamlin), Chip Ganassi (Casey Mears), and MB2 Motorsports (Joe Nemechek) participated in Tuesday’s test. “We received some excellent feedback from the teams and drivers today,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR Vice President for Competition. “They were able to run in a pack today for the first time with the wing and for the most part, everyone liked what they saw out there. We’ll take this information, discuss it as a group, and come back Wednesday and test again. We’re optimistic about running this car with the wing and the type of aero push it is able to give us.” Following a series of single car runs in the morning, the teams met following a lunch break and then went through a pair of 20-lap group runs. The purpose of the morning session was to allow each driver to get comfortable driving the car, while the afternoon segment was designed to determine how the cars would run side-by-side and in groups. Ryan Newman, driver of the #12 Alltel Dodge, said that while this was his first time driving the Penske Racing South’s Car of Tomorrow model, he was encouraged with the performance. “This was our first Car of Tomorrow test and we have something to work from now, that’s for sure,” said Newman. “Our car was a little tight, but it really felt like it was easier to pass than in the regular (NASCAR NEXTEL) Cup cars. The aero push was pretty good. I think we took some pretty big steps out there today." Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Cingular Chevrolet, has participated in three of the four Car of Tomorrow tests this year, and continues to be impressed by the way the car handles on the track. “I really like how our car drove out there today,” said Burton. “Simply put, it drives like a race car. I think you will continue to see some subtle changes in the body of the car, but for the most part, we’re locked in with the center part of the chasis. I think this is the fourth Car of Tomorrow we’ve built and we’ve been able to accumulate a great deal of track time and gather a lot of information. To NASCAR’s credit, they’ve really moved this project along.” The teams are scheduled to test again Wednesday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, beginning at 9:00pm/et [hearing it is open to the public](NASCAR PR)

May 30, 2006:

COT testing today at LMS: Jeff Burton just finished two weeks of racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but his work isn't done yet. Burton is among at least eight Nextel Cup Series drivers who are expected to return to the track today and Wednesday for a NASCAR test of its "Car of Tomorrow," which will debut on the series' short tracks next season. This week will be the first large-scale test of the car, which will be utilized on the series' 1.5-mile tracks beginning in 2009, or earlier if the transition goes well. "I think (the) test is going to be very important for where the `Car of Tomorrow' goes with the (rear) wing especially. There is a tremendous amount to learn about the wing on the bigger race tracks," Burton said. "We've learned a lot about it on the small race tracks, but the big race track is where it needs to work well. It's going to be a huge learning tool." NASCAR is finalizing the design of the car, which will be 2 inches taller and 4 inches wider than current Cup cars, and could be several inches shorter in the rear. (Charlotte Observer)

May 23, 2006:

Cup Driver J. Burton to test Montreal track

May 1, 2006:

Lowe's Testing rescheduled: With rain postponing the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway until Monday, the testing session scheduled for Lowe's Motor Speedway has been cut from three days to two. NEXTEL Cup teams will now test the track's new asphalt on Tuesday and Wednesday in preparation for the May 20 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge and the May 28 Coca-Cola 600. Lowe's Motor Speedway's frontstretch grandstand will be open free of charge and fans should enter through Gate 5A, located next to the main ticket office. (Lowe's Motor Speedway PR)

May 1, 2006:

April 25, 2006:

Stewart, Kahne and Sadler tire test at IMS: The three NASCAR drivers who had the most success in the 2005 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard are getting a head start on this year's race. Defending champion Tony Stewart was joined Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by 2005 runner-up Kasey Kahne and pole winner Elliott Sadler for the first of a two-day Goodyear tire test. For Stewart, the test laps were his first on the track since the victory lap last August that marked the realization of a boyhood dream for the Columbus native. "I don't like testing," Stewart said. "I just like driving around this track. Period." The drivers represent each of NASCAR's three manufacturers: Chevrolet (Stewart), Ford (Sadler) and Dodge (Kahne). (Indy Star)

April 23, 2006:

Gordon not happy about drivers selected for test: Jeff Gordon expressed his dismay regarding Goodyear's selection of drivers for tire tests this season. His concern is understandable considering NASCAR severely limited testing this season. It is curious why Gordon, a four-time champion, has been excluded from testing this season, especially from this week's session at the Brickyard, where he leads all drivers in victories. (Yahoo! Sports/Sporting News)

April 22, 2006:

NASCAR ask teams to test COT at Lowes: NASCAR hopes to have at least eight Nextel Cup teams participate in its "Car of Tomorrow" test following the May 28 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The two-day test, scheduled for the Tuesday and Wednesday after the 600, will be the first this season for the newly designed car on a track of 1 mile in length or longer. The short-track version of the car was tested at Bristol, Tenn., and Martinsville, Va., earlier this season. "There is the possibility of a high of a dozen cars," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president for competition. "Basically so far the tests have been just about the guys getting used to running the cars. The big gains are to be made when we get to the higher speed tracks like Charlotte and Michigan and like that." (ThatsRacin/Charlotte Observer)

April 14, 2006:

Kvapil fastest in Thursday testing: Travis Kvapil recorded the fastest lap during the final session of the third and final day of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series testing at Richmond International Raceway on Thursday, April 13. The three-day test was in preparation for the Richmond 400 set for Saturday, May 6, "under the lights" at America's Premier Short Track. 1 32 Travis Kvapil Chevy 21.368 126.357, 2 78 Kenny Wallace Chevy 21.513 125.506, 3 49 Brent Sherman Dodge 21.661 124.648, 4 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge 21.823 123.723 (RIR PR)

April 13, 2006:

Mears fastest on 2nd day of testing at RIR: Day two of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series testing at Richmond International Raceway ended with Casey Mears at the top of the speed charts. For the second day in a row, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers tested from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in preparation for the May 6 race “under the lights.” Kevin Harvick, who thinks the 12 hour test sessions are a bit long, clocked the fastest time in the morning session (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) at 21.343 seconds (126.505 mph). “The testing is way to long first off, we should start it about noon. It’s the 24 hours of Richmond. The test is going good, we’ve run through a lot of stuff. They won’t sell us anymore tires. We only have one more set of tires so that’s what we’re gonna do for the rest of the night is burn up one more set of tires and go home.” Kyle Busch had the two best times in the afternoon session (1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at 21.331 seconds (126.576 mph) and 21.401 seconds (126.162 mph). Teams bring two cars to a test session so they can prepare a primary and back up car for the upcoming race. Casey Mears ended the final session of the night (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) with a 21.293 second run (126.802 mph). The top 10 fastest drivers of the day on Richmond International Raceway’s ¾-mile oval, regardless of morning, afternoon or evening session were:* 1. No. 42 Casey Mears - E 21.293 seconds 126.802 mph, 2. No. 5b Kyle Busch - A 21.331 seconds 126.576 mph, 3. No. 29 Kevin Harvick - M 21.343 seconds 126.505 mph, 4. No. 12b Ryan Newman – E 21.360 seconds 126.404 mph, 5. No. 5 Kyle Busch – A 21.401 seconds 126.162 mph, 6. No. 21 Ken Schrader – M 21.418 seconds 126.062 mph, 7. No. 66 Jeff Green – E 21.443 seconds 125.915 mph, 8. No. 40 David Stremme – E 21.447 seconds 125.892 mph, 9. No. 6b Mark Martin – A 21.492 seconds 125.628 mph, 10. No. 1b Martin Truex, Jr. – E 21.507 seconds 125.541 mph (RIR)

April 12, 2006:

Martin fastest at Richmond testing: More than 35 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers took their first laps “under the lights” at Richmond International Raceway tonight, to end the first of three days of testing. Through NASCAR’s new testing rules, teams are allowed two days of testing from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at America’s Premier Short Track, the only short track on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series test schedules. Kurt Busch topped the morning session (9:00 a.m. to Noon) with a fast lap of 21.583 seconds (125.360 mph), while former teammate Mark Martin clocked the fastest lap in the afternoon session (1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at 21.705 seconds (124.395 mph). Martin topped the charts again in the evening session (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) and was fastest overall for the day with a lap of 21.505 seconds (125.532 mph). Tonight’s testing will help the drivers prepare for the upcoming NASCAR Busch and NEXTEL Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway on Friday and Saturday nights, May 5 – 6, as well as the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 weekend September 8 – 9, which will mark the 26th race of the season and set the stage for the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. The top 10 fastest drivers of the day on Richmond International Raceway’s ¾-mile oval, regardless of morning, afternoon or evening session were:* 1. Mark Martin (E) 21.505 125.552, 2. Kurt Busch (M) 21.538 125.360,. 3. Casey Mears (M) 21.548 125.302, 4. Greg Biffle (E) 21.554 125.267, 5. Greg Biffle (E) 21.568 125.185, 6. Kurt Busch (M) 21.573 125.156, Mark Martin (M) 21.573 125.156, 8. Matt Kenseth (E) 21.589 125.064, 9. Kyle Busch (M) 21.595 125.029, 10. Kurt Busch (E) 21.598 125.012 (M=Morning, E=Evening) None fastest in Afternoon (RIR)

April 11, 2006:

NEXTEL Cup testing today at RIR: After more than 40 NASCAR Busch Series drivers tested at Richmond International Raceway last week, the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers will take their turn for three consecutive days starting next Tuesday, April 11. Below is the tentative schedule of when the drivers expect to test at Richmond International Raceway. Testing each day will run from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and the grandstands will be open for fans each day. Admission and parking are free and concessions will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. each day. Breaks in on-track activity are scheduled from Noon to 1:00 p.m. and again from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. Scheduled to test April 11-12: #01-Joe Nemechek, #09-Mike Wallace, #1-Martin Truex, Jr., #2-Kurt Busch, #6-Mark Martin, #7-Robby Gordon, #8-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #9-Kasey Kahne, #11-Denny Hamlin, #12-Ryan Newman, #14-Sterling Marlin, #16-Greg Biffle, #17-Matt Kenseth, #18-J.J. Yeley, #19-Jeremy Mayfield, #20-Tony Stewart, #21-Ken Schrader, #22-Dave Blaney, #24-Jeff Gordon, #26-Jamie McMurray, #40-David Stremme, #41-Reed Sorenson, #42-Casey Mears, #45-Kyle Petty, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #66-Jeff Green, #89-Morgan Shepherd, #96-Tony Raines, #99-Carl Edwards;
Scheduled to test April 12-13: #07-Clint Bowyer, #4-Scott Wimmer, #5-Kyle Busch, #10-Scott Riggs, #25-Brian Vickers, #29-Kevin Harvick, #31-Jeff Burton, #38-Elliott Sadler, #43-Bobby Labonte, #49-Brent Sherman, #51-Mike Garvey, #61-Kevin Lepage, #78-Kenny Wallace, #88-Dale Jarrett, #92-Chad Blount. (RIR PR)

April 4, 2006:

NEXTEL Cup Richmond testing: After more than 40 NASCAR Busch Series drivers tested at Richmond International Raceway last week, the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers will take their turn for three consecutive days starting next Tuesday, April 11. Testing each day will run from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and the grandstands will be open for fans each day. Admission and parking are free and concessions will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. each day. (Richmond Int'l Raceway PR)

April 3, 2006:

NASCAR COT testing at Martinsville: For the second straight week, NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow tested on a short track as preparations continue for next season’s debut of a safer, more competitive and cost-efficient stock car. On Monday at Martinsville Speedway, #29-Kevin Harvick of the Richard Childress Racing team, along with NASCAR’s Brett Bodine, tested the new car. While early morning rain delayed the start of the test, the results were extremely positive. “We went through our normal aero changes here today, just to back up what the wind tunnel has been telling us, and were able to get some quality laps on the track,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president for competition. “The wing continues to give us positive results. It is going to provide the teams with a lot of advantages when it comes to competition. We’ll even get more evidence of that when we test the Car of Tomorrow next month at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.” For Harvick, it was his first time driving the Car of Tomorrow and he was encouraged with his initial test run. “When you get in the driver’s seat, it feels like just another race car,” said Harvick. “We got a lot out of today’s test, because it helps us determine what kind of package we will need when we run the car next season. From everything I’ve heard about the wing, it should be a big help in helping the car behind you get some air on its nose. That seems to be what we’re fighting all the time; the aero push on the bigger race tracks.” Monday marked the second straight week for RCR to test its Car of Tomorrow, as #31-Jeff Burton participated in the session a week ago at Bristol. Harvick says that the RCR team has made a commitment to develop its Car of Tomorrow program. “We didn’t go to the Car of Tomorrow test at Daytona (held in January), so we came out of there saying that since we had a clean sheet of paper, we needed to work to get ahead of the game and come out of the gate strong with this car next season,” said Harvick. “Richard (Childress) has made a commitment to do that and we’ve assembled a team to take this car around and we should have a couple of more cars done by Charlotte.” The next NASCAR Car of Tomorrow test is scheduled for May 30-31 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord. (NASCAR PR)

April 1, 2006:

Second Goodyear test at Lowes Tuesday: Goodyear is planning to do a second tire test at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Dale Jarrett and Kevin Harvick will test there Tuesday. (Roanoke Times))

March 29, 2006:

5 Kellogg's testing: #5 Crew chief Alan Gustafson has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 263 for Sunday's race at Martinsville. The Kellogg's team tested the car, which saw action in both Martinsville events in 2005, on March 22 at Caraway Speedway, a .455-mile oval in Asheboro, N.C. (Hendrick Motorsports Weekly Release)

March 28, 2006:

NEXTEL Cup teams testing ay KY: Four NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams are scheduled to test at Kentucky Speedway Wednesday, March 29. Tony Raines will practice with his No. 96 Texas Instruments DLP HDTV Chevrolet, yesterday’s Bristol Motor Speedway winner Kurt Busch will put his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge through its paces, Sterling Marlin will practice his No. 14 Waste Management Dodge and Morgan Shepherd will test his No. 89 Victory in Jesus Ministries Dodge. Sessions usually begin at 9:00 a.m. and last until 5:00 p.m. Fans can view testing for free from the designated area outside Turn 3. Test times will vary based on team goals. (Kentucky Speedway PR)

March 20, 2006:

More on COT testing; Hendrick/Childress/Roush to test: NASCAR will conduct its first test of its “Car of Tomorrow” on a short track next week when at least four teams are expected to test cars March 27 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. NASCAR officials expect at least one car from Roush Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing to participate. NASCAR will also test its own car. In 2007 and 2008, the car will be gradually introduced in the Nextel Cup Series, first on short tracks and road courses, then on 2-mile and longer tracks. The final tracks added in 2009 are 1.5-mile tracks like Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. (The State)

March 19, 2006:

R. Wallace to test COT: Rusty Wallace has been asked by NASCAR officials to help with the development of the new car. Wallace is scheduled to drive one at an upcoming Bristol test session scheduled for March 27, the day after the Nextel Cup race. (Yahoo! Sports)

March 16, 2006:

Paving complete at Lowe's, tire test set: Contractors have finished repaving the racing surface of the 1.5-mile oval at Lowe's Motor Speedway and Jeff Black, the Speedway Motorsports, Inc., paving engineer overseeing the project, says the result is "the best of any track we've ever done." Sunmount Corp., of Roanoke, Texas, completed work on the racing surface Monday night and Goodyear is scheduled to conduct a tire test March 28-29. With paving crews now working on the aprons and pit road, workers have begun re-installing the SAFER barriers which were removed when the $3.5-million project started in early January. The repaving of the racing surface required in excess of 10,000 tons (20 million pounds) of asphalt which included a special polymer that increases the material's softening point. The new surface was applied in two layers, a two-inch "binder" went down first followed by a 1.5-inch "finish" layer. An additional 4,000 to 6,000 tons of asphalt will be used to repave the aprons and pit road. Nearly 100 NASCAR teams are expected to participate in six days of testing on the new surface during early May. NEXTEL Cup cars will be on track May 1-3 with Busch Series teams slated to test May 8-10. Tickets for each of Lowe's Motor Speedway's 2006 NASCAR events, including the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge on Saturday night, May 20, and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday evening, May 28, can be obtained online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS PR)

March 15, 2006:

NASCAR testing continues: Two tests for NASCAR's car of tomorrow, which will make its debut next spring at Bristol, are scheduled in the next month. The car will test at Bristol on March 27, the day after the Cup race there later this month. The Martinsville test is set for the day after the Cup race there next month. (News-Record)

Feb. 14, 2006:

NASCAR Testing at Kentucky Speedway: Today's testing at Kentucky Speedway will include, Ryan Newman's No. 12 Alltel Dodge, Penske South Racing; Travis Kvapil's No. 32 Tide Chevrole, PPI Motorsports; Robby Gordon's No. 7 Menard's Chevrolet, Robby Gordon Motorsports. Find more at Kentucky Speedway.

Feb. 8, 2006:

Richmond NASCAR testing: Nearly all Busch Series and NEXTEL Cup Series drivers are expected to participate in important test sessions leading into the May 5-6 doubleheader weekend at Richmond International Raceway. Busch Series drivers will visit Richmond’s 3/4-mile oval on March 28-30, while NEXTEL Cup Series drivers will test on April 11-13. Under NASCAR’s new testing guidelines set for this season, Richmond is the only short track where NEXTEL Cup Series and Busch Series drivers are permitted to test. Overall, only six NEXEL Cup Series tracks and four Busch Series venues will host official test sessions. Teams are still permitted to test at tracks that are not part of their respective series schedules. The tests will be crucial for the teams, especially since Richmond International Raceway hosts two NASCAR weekends each season, including the 26th race of the NEXTEL Cup Series season, the Chevy Rock & Roll 400. After that race on Saturday, September 9, only the top 10 drivers and those within 400 points of the series leader will be eligible to win the NEXTEL Cup Series championship. Those drivers will battle it out against a full field each week over the last 10 races in the “Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.” Details regarding the grandstand hours for fans will be announced shortly. (RIR PR)

Jan. 18, 2006:

Today Wednesday. - NASCAR Session 2 Day 3 Testing underway: Drivers began NASCAR preseason thunder testing. Drivers scheduled to test this week are: Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, and others.. NASCAR Daytona Thunder Preseason Monday AM/PM Testing Speeds

Jan. 16, 2006:

Kentucky testing today with Evernham and McClure Motorsports tomorrow: Evernham Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne began his climb toward championship-level consistency at Daytona International Speedway last week and continued the quest with a one-day test at Kentucky Speedway today. Kahne experienced success in spurts in 2005. He ended his second season 23rd in the championship standings after earning two pole awards, his first career NEXTEL Cup Series win at Richmond in May, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. While 2005 season graded out significantly lower than his 2004 rookie season in which he finished 13th in the standings with four poles, 13 top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, the 25-year-old from Enumclaw, Wash., is confident his experience and that of new Team Director Kenny Francis will deliver the consistency their No. 9 Dodge Dealers Dodge needs to make its debut in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. "Last year I learned a lot about ups and downs," Kahne said. "We weren't consistent and didn't finish enough races. We did get our victory, but we need to get more of those, be a lot more consistent and get top 10s. This year should be good. Kenny Francis is a great guy and has been really good to work with so far. We have a great race team here, we just have to improve on everything we're learning over the winter and hopefully we'll start out strong." The new combination has made handling the primary focus of its early-season tests. Testing continues at Kentucky Speedway tomorrow with Scott Wimmer and the No. 4 Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet. Fans can view testing from the designated area outside the speedway Fan Center for free. Testing usually begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. Team schedules will vary based on objectives. Kentucky Speedway season and single race tickets are on sale now. The 2006 season begins May 13 with the ARCA RE/MAX Series "Kentucky 150" and Cowboy Crush prerace concert. Visit www.kentuckyspeedway.com for complete schedule and ticket information. (Kentucky Speedway)

Jan. 12, 2006:

NEXTEL Cup team not testing at Watkins Glen: NASCAR Nextel Cup testing is in full swing this week at Daytona International Speedway as teams prepare for next month's season-opening Daytona 500. However, for the first time in several years, NASCAR's top division won't test its cars at Watkins Glen International. Eiron Smith, WGI's senior manager of public relations, said Wednesday the annual Glen test, usually held a few weeks before its Nextel Cup race in August, will not take place this year. "The Cup teams won't be testing at the Glen, but we will still have the Busch Series teams here," Smith said. NASCAR's new testing rules for 2006 set schedules of where and when teams can test and also limit the number of Nextel Cup tracks where teams can test to six. And Search for Race Sponsor: As the new year begins, Glen officials are turning their focus toward finding title sponsors for the track's two biggest race events: NASCAR Nextel Cup and IRL IndyCar Series. "We're working on both title sponsorships right now," Smith said Wednesday. Track officials were surprised to learn last month that the Glen's Nextel Cup sponsor, satellite radio provider Sirius, had opted out of its three-year contract renewal that began in 2005. "It wasn't something that we planned on, but we're already talking to new potential sponsors," Smith said. "It's looking pretty good so far. We hope to announce something at some point not too far down the road." Smith said race ticket prices, which are already set, won't be affected by any loss of income from a title sponsor. "We look at it as a benefit," she said. "We have good (Nextel Cup) TV numbers and a well-attended event." (Star-Gazette)

Jan. 11, 2006:

Mon - Wed. - NASCAR Day 1-3 Testing underway: Drivers began NASCAR preseason thunder testing. Drivers scheduled to test this week are: Jimmie Johnson, Mike McLaughlin, Elliott Sadler, Ryan Newman, Jeremy Mayfield, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, two-time Busch Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne, David Stremme, Reed Sorenson, Ken Schrader, Bobby Labonte, Bill Elliott, Greg Sacks and Scott Wimmer. NASCAR Daytona Thunder Preseason Monday AM/PM Testing Speeds

Busch, Edwards to tire test: Kurt Busch sported new colors today at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Dressed in a brand new blue firesuit, Busch took his first laps in the historic #2 Miller Lite car. Busch and three-time Atlanta Motor Speedway winner, #99-Carl Edwards, were at the track today to assist Goodyear Racing Tires with the first of a two-day test session. Busch's new crew chief, Roy McCauley said, "Today, Goodyear is looking at wear, heat, overall lap times, grip level and load. Based on all the data taken during the test, they will choose the tire that will not generate too much heat, but provide enough grip to make the driver comfortable." Edwards posted the fastest unofficial time of the day with a lap of 189.993 mph (29.18 seconds), while Busch's fastest lap was 187.869 mph (29.51 seconds). Both times were comparable to race speeds. "Atlanta...man, this place is fast," said Busch. "I enjoy coming here. I think all the drivers enjoy coming to this race track. With the new testing rules, this test is beneficial for our team," said Busch. "Goodyear gets to use our resources to test their tires, but the biggest thing is we get track time." Tickets are on sale now for all three days of racing excitement during the March 17-19 Golden Corral 500 race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, with ticket prices starting at $30. For fans who want to attend all three days or racing action, including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck, Busch and NEXTEL Cup races, three-day tickets start at $70 (quantities are limited). For more information, call the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211, 1-877-9AMSTIX or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com. (AMS PR)

Jan. 9, 2006:

Busch/Penske testing: Kurt Busch was at Lakeland Speedway last Wednesday getting acquainted with his new team. Breaking in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge with Busch was crew chief Roy McCauley and new car chief Corey Tucker, who honed his skills on Ryan Newman's Penske team that won six races in nine Busch Series starts last year. (Sporting News)

Jan. 5, 2006:

Tracy to test for R. Gordon at Daytona: Paul Tracy’s desire to campaign a partial NASCAR season in 2006 will kick off at Daytona next week, when the Canadian is scheduled to test for Robby Gordon’s Nextel Cup team. According to this week’s Autosport magazine, Tracy will handle the beginning of next week’s sessions while Gordon travels back from the Dakar rally, which doesn’t end until January 15. "It helps me out and it helps him out, it's a win-win situation for both of us. It lets him work around NASCAR when he's not testing his Champ Car,” Gordon revealed. "He'll get some more superspeedway experience. He can learn from my engineers, but at the same time it helps me because I need a driver who can drive and test as well." (SPEEDTV)