This time of the year is usual pretty quiet within the NASCAR community as teams and drivers prepare for the upcoming season that used to begin early in January. In the past, major manufacturers used to test at Daytona. But not this year. According to NASCAR's new rules, testing at tracks where the series race is not permitted anymore.
So NASCAR teams are scrambling to find race tracks where they can practice. Other than the tire test conducted by Goodyear a few weeks ago at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, there has been no indication that team have chosen a track or another facility to conduct testing though many sites were cited, places like the Pikes Peak International Raceway, the Texas World Speedway (not to be confused with the Texas International Speedway), the old Rockingham Speedway (used by ARCA but not by NASCAR's main series anymore) and road courses like Virginia International Raceway.
Unfortunately, no official announcements have been made concerning activities at those tracks. The question is, other than the Las Vegas test, how will the tires react at Daytona at the beginning of the season. How will they do at Auto Club Speedway in California the week after? Young Joey Logano used the ARCA testing session at Daytona not only to get better acquainted with the No 25 car he will drive during Speed Weeks at the legendary track in February but also to get some experience on the track itself. Unfortunately, not many NASCAR drivers can do so.
On the other hand, funny things are happening at the Owner's points standings. Indeed, with the DEI-Ganassi merger, two teams have disappeared, the No 15 and the No 01. These teams were in the top 35 (the No 15 was 27th and the No 01 was 32nd). So that gives a break to at least two teams to climb a few positions including the No 10 Dodge that was driven, for the better part of the year, by Canadian Patrick Carpentier. The car finished 37th so with the departure of the No 15 and the No 01, it will climb to 35th place.
And that will allow new driver Reed Sorensen to have a guaranteed starting place for the five first races of the 2009 Sprint Cup season. Ironically, the No 10 car will also participate in the Shoot Out mostly if the No 43 Petty car turns down the offer (the Pettys have been known to refuse to show any beer or alcoholic beverage markings on their cars!).
Auto123.com was able to reach Patrick Carpentier on the phone and his reaction was almost ironic: «They (GEM) got lucky, what can I tell you?». On the other hand, Carpentier is still waiting for some sponsors for next season. Though he already showed some interest for the Montreal Nationwide race, he still aims at the Sprint Cup in which he hopes to do «at least half the season somewhere, somehow». «At any rate, said Carpentier, we will have to wait until the first days of January before anything develops...»
So NASCAR teams are scrambling to find race tracks where they can practice. Other than the tire test conducted by Goodyear a few weeks ago at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, there has been no indication that team have chosen a track or another facility to conduct testing though many sites were cited, places like the Pikes Peak International Raceway, the Texas World Speedway (not to be confused with the Texas International Speedway), the old Rockingham Speedway (used by ARCA but not by NASCAR's main series anymore) and road courses like Virginia International Raceway.
Unfortunately, no official announcements have been made concerning activities at those tracks. The question is, other than the Las Vegas test, how will the tires react at Daytona at the beginning of the season. How will they do at Auto Club Speedway in California the week after? Young Joey Logano used the ARCA testing session at Daytona not only to get better acquainted with the No 25 car he will drive during Speed Weeks at the legendary track in February but also to get some experience on the track itself. Unfortunately, not many NASCAR drivers can do so.
On the other hand, funny things are happening at the Owner's points standings. Indeed, with the DEI-Ganassi merger, two teams have disappeared, the No 15 and the No 01. These teams were in the top 35 (the No 15 was 27th and the No 01 was 32nd). So that gives a break to at least two teams to climb a few positions including the No 10 Dodge that was driven, for the better part of the year, by Canadian Patrick Carpentier. The car finished 37th so with the departure of the No 15 and the No 01, it will climb to 35th place.
And that will allow new driver Reed Sorensen to have a guaranteed starting place for the five first races of the 2009 Sprint Cup season. Ironically, the No 10 car will also participate in the Shoot Out mostly if the No 43 Petty car turns down the offer (the Pettys have been known to refuse to show any beer or alcoholic beverage markings on their cars!).
Auto123.com was able to reach Patrick Carpentier on the phone and his reaction was almost ironic: «They (GEM) got lucky, what can I tell you?». On the other hand, Carpentier is still waiting for some sponsors for next season. Though he already showed some interest for the Montreal Nationwide race, he still aims at the Sprint Cup in which he hopes to do «at least half the season somewhere, somehow». «At any rate, said Carpentier, we will have to wait until the first days of January before anything develops...»