In preparation for the Oct. 8 UAW-GM Quality 500 Cup race, Lowes Motor Speedway has invited all NASCAR Winston Cup teams to participate in a two-day open testing session at the 1.5-mile superspeedway on Tuesday, Sept. 19th from 4:00 – 10:00pm/et and on Wednesday, Sept. 20 from 8:00am – 4:00pm/et. The following drivers/teams are scheduled to test: #11-Brett Bodine, #16-Kevin Lepage, #21-Elliott Sadler, #22-Ward Burton, #27-Mike Bliss, #33-Joe Nemechek, #36-Kenny Schrader, #44-Steve Grissom, #85 Carl Long(was there, had reported he was not), #93-Dave Blaney, #96-Andy Houston and #98-Jeff Fuller(LMS PR)(9-15-2000) UPDATE: add #9-Stacy Compton and #97-Kurt Busch who tested. See the story and a few images at TachZone(9-19-2000) UPDATE 2: Thirteen Cup teams participated in a two-day testing session Tuesday and Wednesday at Lowes Motor Speedway and crew members and drivers found the two sessions to literally be as different as night and day. Tuesday nights runs were conducted under the lights, simulating conditions for the Oct. 4 Winston Pole Night, while Wednesdays laps were made in the heat of the day, similar to conditions expected for the Oct. 8 UAW-GM Quality 500. Driving a new #21 Citgo Ford Taurus built by Roush Racing and fielded by the Wood Brothers, Elliott Sadler was unofficially the fastest Tuesday evening, stopping the watches with a lap of 183.112mph. #11-Brett Bodine was 2nd at 183.050mph, others: #16-Kevin Lepage 182.741; #33-Joe Nemechek and #97-Kurt Busch ran 182.063. #22-Ward Burton, #36-Kenny Schrader and #9-Stacy Compton were among the drivers who concentrated on chassis setups Tuesday and never made a simulated qualifying lap. Other drivers participating in the test were #27-Mike Bliss, #98-Jeff Fuller, #85-Carl Long, #93-Dave Blaney and #96-Andy Houston. Busch and Houston were forced to skip the Wednesday portion of the test due to Craftsman Truck Series commitments in Dover. Houstons teammate, Scott Pruett, took over the #96 Ford Wednesday while Buschs #97 team skipped Wednesdays activities.SOME NOTES: Kurt Busch spun the #97 Ford coming off turn four early Tuesday evening, but did not make wall contact. Recently named to take over as driver of the #27 Eel River Racing Pontiac next season, Kenny Wallace turned several laps in one of the teams two cars Wednesday. Wallace was watching from atop the teams transporter Tuesday evening as Mike Bliss put the two #27 Pontiacs through their paces when crew chief Barry Dodson decided to let Wallace try one of the cars during the daytime session. With Wallace doing most of the driving Wednesday, he, Dodson and Bliss talked extensively throughout the day as Wallace offered suggestions on setup changes. The two-day test marked the first time Jeff Fuller and the new MacPherson Motorsports tested at a Winston Cup track. Geoffrey Bodine, recently released from the #60 machine owned by Joe Bessey, was in the garage area Tuesday evening chatting with drivers and crew members. Kevin Lepages team suffered an engine failure in one of their #16 Fords early Wednesday morningLMS PR(9-20-2000)
