13 Drivers Hit Charlotte Motor Speedway for Testing

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CONCORD, N.C. (Wednesday, March 11, 2015) β In a sport where fractions of a second can be the difference in victory and defeat,Β NASCARβs open test dates are critical to teams looking to gain any advantage over the competition.Β WednesdayβsΒ test atΒ Charlotte Motor SpeedwayΒ was no different, with 13 of NASCARβs top teams working to gain an edge looking ahead to MayβsΒ 10 Days of Thunderat the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway.
Some of the biggest names in the sport, includingΒ 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, defendingΒ Daytona 500 winner Joey LoganoΒ and defendingΒ NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winner Jamie McMurrayΒ were among the drivers taking part inΒ WednesdayβsΒ test.
Harvick posted the fastest unofficial lap of the day at 190.718 mph, followed byΒ Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 43 Ford forΒ Richard Petty MotorsportsΒ (190.228 mph),Β Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 5Β Hendrick Motorsportsβ Chevrolet (190.128 mph), Logano (189.707 mph) and McMurray (188.877 mph).
For Almirola,Β WednesdayΒ marked the second straight day of testing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. After taking part inΒ TuesdayβsΒ GoodyearΒ tire test, Almirola said todayβs test was a great opportunity for his team to test setups and aerodynamic packages in hopes of gaining critical speed for MayβsΒ NASCAR Sprint All-Star RaceΒ andΒ Coca-Cola 600.
βI think the All-Star Race is going to be unique, interesting and exciting all on its own,β Almirola said. βIβve heard thereβs a possibility that weβll run the 2016 package in the All-Star Race. That would be really cool for all of us to go out and have fun and race something completely different than what weβre used to with no points on the line.β
As for the Coca-Cola 600, Almirola said itβs a race thatβs on every driverβs bucket list.
βEverybody wants to win the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Southern 500. Those are the four major races in our series,β the 2012 Coca-Cola 600 pole-sitter said. βAnytime you come here in May, you know itβs a grueling race. Itβs 600 miles. Youβve got to have a car that will last. Thatβs kind of what weβve worked on today. Youβve got to make it last on a long run. Youβve got to make it consistent in the heat of the day when itβs hot and sunny and slick and when it cools off like it does at nighttime. You just go through so many swings and transitions with the racetrack that youβve got to have a really consistent racecar.β
Keith Rodden, crew chief for Kahne, said with NASCARβs new testing rules, opportunities to turn laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway are vital for data collection.
βBeing able to try things and look at the data acquisition and see what it did (is a significant advantage),β he said. βOn a race weekend, you donβt get to run with sensors, so you can make changes but not really know what happens. Thatβs the biggest advantage we get from these tests.
β(The conditions) might be different (in May), but theyβre going to be way closer than if this test was last week. I think itβs like 75 out there. I feel like this test is going to help when we come back because thereβs not going to be that 40 or 50 degree jump in ambient temperature, but thereβs so much you have to be cognizant of.β
In addition to a full day of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing, fans were treated to an autograph session with NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson, discounted ticket offers, spin-to-win giveaways and more as part of a free fan event called NASCAR Fan Fest.
Article Courtesy of Charlotte Motor SpeedwayΒ