- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
-
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
CUP: NASCAR Pleased With Test Runs
Officials optimistic after long day of testing at Charlotte…
Robin Pemberton, NASCAR Vice President of Competition, speaks to the media during NASCAR Testing at Charlotte Motor Speedway on January 18, 2013 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo: Getty Images)
NASCAR officials continue to express confidence that the new Generation-Six race car will produce significantly better racing this season.
“The car is better than last year,” said NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton during a Friday test at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “More drivers like this car better than the last car. When you put those things together, it should equate to better racing.”
Teams participated in a seven-hour-plus test at CMS Friday after a scheduled day of testing Thursday was washed out by an all-day rain.
An apparent emphasis Friday was durability testing, as teams experimented with new rear-suspension rules and NASCAR’s decision to allow significantly more camber (tire tilt angle) in the rear axle area.
“We know where the car was last year, and we’ve given the teams more areas to work in,” Pemberton said. “Our goal is to start better than we left the last car.”
Pemberton said officials were pleased with the speed levels recorded Friday. Top speeds late in the afternoon were over 192 miles per hour.
“The cars are more likely closer to what we’ll really race [than in the previous test],” Pemberton said. “Speeds are good. The things we’ve given back to the teams to work on are all an effort to have more tools to compete better.”
Sprint Cup Series director John Darby said NASCAR produced “a whole list of goodies that everybody is playing with and experimenting with.”
The goal is to produce better racing, particularly on the circuit’s 1.5-mile tracks. There will be much more work – at tracks and in team shops – before the season begins with racing at Daytona, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Bristol.
“I think, like in any test, teams will leave out of here, and some will be happy, some will be in the middle of the road, and you’ll have a couple of sad ones,” Pemberton said.
NASCAR SPRINT Cup Series Test at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Session Results
January 18th, 2013
Pos Car# Driver Make Laps Best Time Best Speed
1. 43 Aric Almirola Frd 74 27.832 194.021
2. 99 Carl Edwards Frd 93 27.882 193.673
3. 13 Casey Mears Frd 109 27.924 193.382
4. 9 Marcos Ambrose Frd 131 27.938 193.285
5. 48 Jimmie Johnson Chv 138 28.009 192.795
6. 55 Mark Martin Tyt 97 28.032 192.637
7. 16 Greg Biffle Frd 92 28.036 192.610
8. 56 Martin Truex Jr. Tyt 94 28.063 192.424
9. 15 Clint Bowyer Tyt 109 28.070 192.376
10. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Frd 131 28.075 192.342
11. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chv 85 28.092 192.226
12. 5 Kasey Kahne Chv 101 28.095 192.205
13. 20 Matt Kenseth Tyt 92 28.104 192.143
14. 29 Kevin Harvick Chv 121 28.108 192.116
15. 22 Joey Logano Frd 139 28.123 192.014
16. 14 Tony Stewart Chv 70 28.134 191.939
17. 18 Kyle Busch Tyt 156 28.158 191.775
18. 78 Kurt Busch Chv 67 28.172 191.680
19. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chv 97 28.194 191.530
20. 39 Ryan Newman Chv 66 28.196 191.517
21. 1 Jamie McMurray Chv 79 28.214 191.394
22. 24 Jeff Gordon Chv 62 28.216 191.381
23. 31 Jeff Burton Chv 97 28.241 191.211
24. 21 Trevor Bayne Frd 122 28.278 190.961
25. 11 Michael McDowell Tyt 204 28.315 190.712
26. 30 David Stremme Tyt 80 28.332 190.597
27. 10 Danica Patrick Chv 114 28.342 190.53
28. 2 Brad Keselowski Frd 96 28.355 190.443
29. 47 Bobby Labonte Tyt 46 28.468 189.687
30. 27 Paul Menard Chv 107 28.469 189.680
31. 7 Dave Blaney Chv 64 28.645 188.515
32. 34 David Ragan Frd 96 28.752 187.813
33. 95 Scott Speed Frd 41 28.882 186.968
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
“The car is better than last year,” said NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton during a Friday test at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “More drivers like this car better than the last car. When you put those things together, it should equate to better racing.”
Teams participated in a seven-hour-plus test at CMS Friday after a scheduled day of testing Thursday was washed out by an all-day rain.
An apparent emphasis Friday was durability testing, as teams experimented with new rear-suspension rules and NASCAR’s decision to allow significantly more camber (tire tilt angle) in the rear axle area.
“We know where the car was last year, and we’ve given the teams more areas to work in,” Pemberton said. “Our goal is to start better than we left the last car.”
Pemberton said officials were pleased with the speed levels recorded Friday. Top speeds late in the afternoon were over 192 miles per hour.
“The cars are more likely closer to what we’ll really race [than in the previous test],” Pemberton said. “Speeds are good. The things we’ve given back to the teams to work on are all an effort to have more tools to compete better.”
Sprint Cup Series director John Darby said NASCAR produced “a whole list of goodies that everybody is playing with and experimenting with.”
The goal is to produce better racing, particularly on the circuit’s 1.5-mile tracks. There will be much more work – at tracks and in team shops – before the season begins with racing at Daytona, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Bristol.
“I think, like in any test, teams will leave out of here, and some will be happy, some will be in the middle of the road, and you’ll have a couple of sad ones,” Pemberton said.
NASCAR SPRINT Cup Series Test at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Session Results
January 18th, 2013
Pos Car# Driver Make Laps Best Time Best Speed
1. 43 Aric Almirola Frd 74 27.832 194.021
2. 99 Carl Edwards Frd 93 27.882 193.673
3. 13 Casey Mears Frd 109 27.924 193.382
4. 9 Marcos Ambrose Frd 131 27.938 193.285
5. 48 Jimmie Johnson Chv 138 28.009 192.795
6. 55 Mark Martin Tyt 97 28.032 192.637
7. 16 Greg Biffle Frd 92 28.036 192.610
8. 56 Martin Truex Jr. Tyt 94 28.063 192.424
9. 15 Clint Bowyer Tyt 109 28.070 192.376
10. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Frd 131 28.075 192.342
11. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chv 85 28.092 192.226
12. 5 Kasey Kahne Chv 101 28.095 192.205
13. 20 Matt Kenseth Tyt 92 28.104 192.143
14. 29 Kevin Harvick Chv 121 28.108 192.116
15. 22 Joey Logano Frd 139 28.123 192.014
16. 14 Tony Stewart Chv 70 28.134 191.939
17. 18 Kyle Busch Tyt 156 28.158 191.775
18. 78 Kurt Busch Chv 67 28.172 191.680
19. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chv 97 28.194 191.530
20. 39 Ryan Newman Chv 66 28.196 191.517
21. 1 Jamie McMurray Chv 79 28.214 191.394
22. 24 Jeff Gordon Chv 62 28.216 191.381
23. 31 Jeff Burton Chv 97 28.241 191.211
24. 21 Trevor Bayne Frd 122 28.278 190.961
25. 11 Michael McDowell Tyt 204 28.315 190.712
26. 30 David Stremme Tyt 80 28.332 190.597
27. 10 Danica Patrick Chv 114 28.342 190.53
28. 2 Brad Keselowski Frd 96 28.355 190.443
29. 47 Bobby Labonte Tyt 46 28.468 189.687
30. 27 Paul Menard Chv 107 28.469 189.680
31. 7 Dave Blaney Chv 64 28.645 188.515
32. 34 David Ragan Frd 96 28.752 187.813
33. 95 Scott Speed Frd 41 28.882 186.968
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
LATEST HEADLINES: FORMULA-ONE
-
F1: Lotus Sells 35 Percent Stake To US-Funded Consortium
Lotus has named a new United States-backed investor in the team...… -
F1: Fox News Pundit Behind New Lotus Shareholder
A FOX News analyst is involved in Lotus' new partnership... -
F1: Grand Prix News Briefs (Update 5)
Adrian Sutil returned to the grid this year and is making slow but… -
F1: 'Heads Will Roll' As Tire-Gate Reaches Paris
F1's president Jean Todt's new international tribunal is Thursday… -
F1: Former Ferrari Driver Jose Froilan Gonzalez Dead
Jose Froilan Gonzalez won Ferrari’s first Grand Prix at Silverstone… -
F1: Ecclestone Backing Pirelli Over Mercedes Test
Bernie Ecclestone supports Pirelli but says Mercedes should have… -
F1: Pirelli Abandons Plans To Change Tire Construction
Pirelli will change its production process going forward in the 2013… - More News
