TESTING Info (2010 season)

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Tire test at Auto Club: Goodyear has a tire test scheduled for Dec. 15-16 at Auto Club Speedway in California. #9-Kasey Kahne (Ford) is expected to attend along with the #12-Brad Keselowski (Dodge). #20-Joey Logano (Toyota) and #31-Jeff Burton (Chevy).(FoxSports)(12-2-2009)

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McMurray to test for EGR: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will have a dress rehearsal with Jamie McMurray and the #1 Bass Pro Shops team next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at New Smyrna Speedway. EGR principal Steve Hmiel says it will give the team an opportunity to get acquainted.(FoxSports)(12-2-2009)

I forgot that Kasey would be in a Ford this year; I was wondering why no Fords would be testing!

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Testing at the Rock: On Monday, December 7th, #31-Jeff Burton tested a Richard Childress Racing Sprint Cup Chevy at the "Little Rock" 1/2 mile oval at Rockingham Speedway. Ty Dillon tested a RCR Nationwide car. On Tuesday Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. tested a Roush Fenway Racing Nationwide Ford on the one-mile track at Rockingham. Rockingham Speedway is getting ready for the Polar Bear 150 on January 1st, 2010, more info at rockinghamracewaypark.com(12-10-2009)

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Goodyear tire tests scheduled:Goodyear has four offseason tire tests scheduled. #9-Kasey Kahne [Ford], #12-Brad Keselowski [Dodge], #20-Joey Logano [Toyota] and #31-Jeff Burton [Chevy] are scheduled to test Tuesday and Wednesday at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
#56-Martin Truex Jr. [Toyota], #5-Mark Martin [Chevy], #77-Sam Hornish Jr. [Dodge] and #60-Carl Edwards [Ford] are scheduled to test Jan. 12-13 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
#14-Tony Stewart [Chevy], #16-Greg Biffle [Ford], #83-Brian Vickers [Toyota] and #2-Kurt Busch [Dodge] are scheduled to test Jan. 19-20 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Biffle also is set to test with Roush Fenway Racing on Wednesday and Thursday at Phoenix. That test is for Goodyear's 17-inch tire, the bigger, wider tire Goodyear is developing for possible future use.(Hampton Roads)(12-11-2009)

I'm glad to hear that there still testing the bigger tire.

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Tire testing at Auto Club done: Security at Auto Club Speedway was very tight Tuesday and Wednesday as Goodyear conducted two days of tire testing at the Fontana, CA track. Unlike other tire tests in recent year, the track was off-limits to all (especially the media) from 9:00am until the 4:30pm conclusion. At other tests, drivers often have time for noon interviews, but not this week. One team from each of the four manufacturers participated in the tests. #9-Kasey Kahne was in a RPM Ford for the first time while #12-Brad Keselowski made his first runs in a Penske Racing Dodge. Joe Gibbs Racing's #20-Joey Logano represented Toyota while Richard Childress Racing driver #31-Jeff Burton was in a Chevy. It was difficult to distinguish one model from another as all were in primer gray. Tire testing can be a tedious exercise, but Burton certainly didn't have that attitude. He ran 500 miles on Tuesday and was prepared to run an equal number the following day, a few laps at a time. "We're hoping to help Goodyear get a better tire for Fontana," Burton said. "That's goal No. 1. Hopefully that's something we can learn. We really don't learn much about the race track because Goodyear doesn't want us to change the cars as they are studying the tires. I like testing, it's a real opportunity to learn, a real opportunity to try a lot of stuff. And for the driver, it's an opportunity to also try lots of different things." Since NASCAR implemented its testing ban following the 2008 season, tire tests are the only ones conducted at tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule.(Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)(12-17-2009)

Waiting for comments from Kahne being the first time in a FORD since, well you know when. This is not the time to be sarcastic, after all ITS CHRISTMAS TIME and all (most all) should be forgiven.

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Kesekowski tests in Texas: hearing Brad Keselowski tested the #12 Penske Racing Dodge at Texas World Speedway in College Station, TX this week.(1-8-2010)

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Goodyear Tire Test Concludes at Atlanta Motor Speedway: The second day of Goodyear tire testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway concluded with NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers feeling confident the two-day test will result in an improved tire for the upcoming Kobalt Tools 500 on March 7. Four NASCAR drivers – #99-Carl Edwards (Ford), #77-Sam Hornish, Jr. (Dodge), #5-Mark Martin (Chevy) and #56-Martin Truex, Jr.(Toyota) – assisted the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. with tire testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway and their shared sentiment provided high praise for Goodyear’s efforts to provide a quality tire compound for the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500. “We have a little more grip than we had in the old tire and they hold up just fine,” explained Truex, Jr., who posted a top lap time of 30.127 seconds (184.021 mph). “[There are] no issues at all with wear, which is kind of odd considering for how cold it is and the track being totally green with no rubber worked in – normally you see more wear – so I don’t see any issues coming out of the tires at all. They have a little bit more grip, which everyone will be happy about. It will definitely be a better tire.” For the second consecutive day, Martin posted the fastest lap time of 29.932 seconds (185.219 mph). “It’s going well,” said Martin, who won the pole for the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. “They have some stuff that grips better than the tire that we ran here last fall. That tire had great durability … and they’re trying to find something that has that same durability and be a little more grip friendly.” In addition to Martin and Truex, Jr.’s times, Edwards posted a top lap of 30.022 seconds (184.665 mph) on the second test day, while Hornish, Jr. posted a lap of 30.227 (183.412). “Goodyear’s brought a few different types of tires and I ran on a bunch of the tires today,” said Edwards. “This afternoon we’re going to do long runs on them. They seem pretty good. The tire we raced here last time, I’ve driven a couple on short runs. A couple tires they brought I think are better than that tire. “[They’re] more drivable and maybe lend themselves to better racing.” For more information on the Kobalt Tools 500 or to purchase tickets, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway Ticket Office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX, or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS)(1-13-2010)

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Goodyear Tire Testing at Texas.....with spoiler: NASCAR drivers headed to Texas Motor Speedway [Jan 19-20th] for a Goodyear tire test Tuesday and Wednesday will test with the new spoiler on the back of their cars, according to NASCAR officials. It will be the first on-track test with a group of drivers. Since its debut in 2007 when it was used in a handful of events, the new car has featured a wing instead of a spoiler on the rear deck lid. Drivers scheduled to participate in the two-day tire test include owner/driver #14-Tony Stewart (Chevy), #2-Kurt Busch (Dodge), #16-Greg Biffle (Ford) and #83-Brian Vickers (Toyota). NASCAR informed teams of the move away from the wing Jan. 15 (see more on my NASCAR News page about the change). A test session for all teams has already been scheduled for March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(SceneDaily)(1-18-2010)

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Drivers conduct 1st test with new spoiler at Texas: #14-Tony Stewart, #2-Kurt Busch, #16-Greg Biffle and #83-Brian Vickers became the first drivers to conduct an on-track test with a new aluminum spoiler package that could be implemented for the 2010 season during Tuesday's Goodyear Tire test at Texas Motor Speedway (see images of the cars here). Stewart was the first of the group to test the spoiler in the morning session, which was delayed nearly two hours from its 9:00am/ct start time due to moisture on the 1.5-mile, high-banked oval from heavy morning dew. The session kicked off at approximately 10:53am/ct with temperatures in the 60s as Stewart rolled out with the wing and less than 40 minutes later was utilizing the spoiler. Vickers also got an opportunity to run the spoiler in the abbreviated morning session.
"It (the spoiler) was on a bunch. It didn't seem to be a big balance change which was good," Stewart said. "That means you won't have to invent the wheel necessarily. It was a balance shift, but it wasn't a big balance shift. You've got two kinds of grip  you've got aero grip and you've got mechanical grip. The spoiler is the aero grip and the tires are mechanical. The mechanical grip is real important because it doesn't know if you are running first in line or 10th in line. I'm more of a mechanical guy."
"I thought it (spoiler) was good," Vickers said. "I thought it added a little bit of front downforce, which is a good thing. I think it's going to be more accepted to the fans. It looks cooler  a little more retro back to the older car. We haven't been in a lot of traffic yet, so the big question is how it's going to handle in traffic. Theoretically, from what I've been told, the difference between the two is that the spoiler is better in traffic. The spoiler is going to be more efficient in dirty air and a wing will be more efficient in clean air. Once you get in a lot of turbulence, the spoiler's not going to lose a lot of efficiency while a wing really will."
NASCAR has not determined the specific dimensions as yet for the spoiler, but the one that was being used as a baseline at Tuesday's session was 64.5 inches wide and four inches in height with no contour in the design. Also, the rear quarter panels were extended four inches toward the ground. NASCAR phased out the traditional spoiler on the rear deck lid of the Sprint Cup Series cars and went to a rear wing when the "Car of Tomorrow" project was unveiled in 2007. The return to the traditional look provides fans with the ability to differentiate between the four manufacturers more easily and hopefully enhance the passing ability of the cars and overall race action. Tuesday's tire test was the first opportunity for drivers to test the package and provide feedback on its effects on the car. Biffle and Busch had to wait until the afternoon session to test out the spoiler, with Busch not getting an opportunity until nearly the culmination of the session.
Stewart, Busch, Biffle and Vickers will conclude the Goodyear test Wednesday, where they are scheduled to test the spoiler package once again. NASCAR will conduct another test with the spoiler March 23-24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway  another 1.5- mile oval and sister track to TMS  that will be open to all Sprint Cup teams. If NASCAR is pleased with the progress and performance of the spoiler, the new package could be implemented for the Samsung Mobile 500 scheduled for April 15-18 at Texas Motor Speedway. Following Tuesday's test session, Stewart, Busch, Biffle and Vickers graciously volunteered their time to participate in the "Gear Up For The Green Flag" fan event in the Grand Ballroom of The Speedway Club. A full house of more than 500 season ticket holders and special guests were on hand for a dinner, giveaways and a question-andanswer session with the drivers to officially kick off the upcoming racing season. "This was truly a special treat for our fans and the thanks goes to Tony, Kurt, Greg and Brian for making the time to be part of this event," Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. "We had a ton of laughs and shared some entertaining stories to make for a great evening." Tickets for the Samsung Mobile 500/O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 NASCAR doubleheader weekend are available by calling (817) 215-8500 or by visiting the speedway's website at www.texasmotorspeedway.com.(TMS)(1-20-2010)

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Test at Talladega Open To The Public: Talladega Superspeedway officials announced that the NASCAR Test Session on March 16 will be open to the public. This will give fans their first glimpse of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars circling the track using the new spoiler while confirming the restrictor plate size and gear ratio for the Aaron’s 499 race on April 25. It will also give fans the opportunity to experience the renovated frontstretch grandstands. Parking lots open at 8:30 am with the test officially kicking off at 9:00 am. The event is free to the public and food and beverages will be permitted. For questions on permissible items ot tickets for the 2010 Aaron’s Dream Weekend, please contact the Talladega Superspeedway Ticket Office at 1-877-Go2-DEGA or www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.(TSS)(2-24-2010)

I can't wait to see what happens when they put the spoilers back on. Maybe it will bring Hendrick back to earth and take away some of their dominance!

I sure hope it will, Andrew. That's awesome the testing is open that day- maybe I'll have to be sick that day.

TeamBlueOval wrote:

I can't wait to see what happens when they put the spoilers back on. Maybe it will bring Hendrick back to earth and take away some of their dominance!

Let's hope!

roosterrage wrote:

I sure hope it will, Andrew. That's awesome the testing is open that day- maybe I'll have to be sick that day.

Cough cough!!! Feel better Matt.