NASCAR’s 2011 season will kick off with a schedule of three full days of testing on Friday at the Daytona International Speedway, running from Thursday through Saturday.
This will be the second time only that the Sprint Cup teams run on the 2.5 mile superspeedway since the track was repaved. The high-banked oval hadn’t been repaved since 1978, but, the famous “pothole” of 2010 caused track officials to move up the completion of the project.
Drivers tested the new surface in December at speeds approaching the 200mph so NASCAR officials have tightened up the restrictor plate rules to slow down the stock cars.
Back in North Carolina the team shops have been hard at work.
“I don’t ever remember being this busy in my life,” said Alan Gustafson, the new crew chief for Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet). “We are so full-speed ahead already.”
“It’s a very demanding time of the year,” Gustafson, who had worked with Mark Martin until the end of last year at Hendrick Motorsports said, “but it’s very gratifying because you see projects get started and you see them come to fruition.”
Last month’s tire test on December 15th and 16th satisfied officials that Goodyear’s choice of tire compound is satisfactory for the season’s opening events.
“The upcoming test at Daytona should go a long way in helping the teams get their setups right for next month’s Speedweeks,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president of competition.
“We received a lot of positive feedback from the competitors about the new racing surface at Daytona following the Goodyear tire test last month. We believe the 53rd running of the Daytona 500 has all the makings of being the most exciting one we’ve ever seen.”
The test also known as NASCAR Preseason Thunder at Daytona means three days to shake down new equipment, personnel and strategies. And long, detailed checklists.
“It’s a huge race for everyone,” Gustafson said of the Daytona 500. “A race that everybody wants to win; the biggest race of the year.
“Everybody had some reservations, so going down there with the tire test and coming back, it just confirms that Daytona is Daytona – it’s the track we all love. That’s wonderful to know. So going back there now, it’s trying to exploit what little nuances of speed we can.”
On Friday, the 21rst, Pemberton and NASCAR President, Mike Helton, will have a 30-minute competition update with the media.
This will be the second time only that the Sprint Cup teams run on the 2.5 mile superspeedway since the track was repaved. The high-banked oval hadn’t been repaved since 1978, but, the famous “pothole” of 2010 caused track officials to move up the completion of the project.
Drivers tested the new surface in December at speeds approaching the 200mph so NASCAR officials have tightened up the restrictor plate rules to slow down the stock cars.
Back in North Carolina the team shops have been hard at work.
“I don’t ever remember being this busy in my life,” said Alan Gustafson, the new crew chief for Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet). “We are so full-speed ahead already.”
“It’s a very demanding time of the year,” Gustafson, who had worked with Mark Martin until the end of last year at Hendrick Motorsports said, “but it’s very gratifying because you see projects get started and you see them come to fruition.”
Last month’s tire test on December 15th and 16th satisfied officials that Goodyear’s choice of tire compound is satisfactory for the season’s opening events.
“The upcoming test at Daytona should go a long way in helping the teams get their setups right for next month’s Speedweeks,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president of competition.
“We received a lot of positive feedback from the competitors about the new racing surface at Daytona following the Goodyear tire test last month. We believe the 53rd running of the Daytona 500 has all the makings of being the most exciting one we’ve ever seen.”
The test also known as NASCAR Preseason Thunder at Daytona means three days to shake down new equipment, personnel and strategies. And long, detailed checklists.
“It’s a huge race for everyone,” Gustafson said of the Daytona 500. “A race that everybody wants to win; the biggest race of the year.
“Everybody had some reservations, so going down there with the tire test and coming back, it just confirms that Daytona is Daytona – it’s the track we all love. That’s wonderful to know. So going back there now, it’s trying to exploit what little nuances of speed we can.”
On Friday, the 21rst, Pemberton and NASCAR President, Mike Helton, will have a 30-minute competition update with the media.