Testing at Richmond UPDATE: Eighteen NASCAR Winston Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series drivers are scheduled to test at Richmond International Raceway over a four-day period next week in preparation for their visit to “The Action Track” May 2-4. Tentatively scheduled to test NASCAR Winston Cup Series cars on Monday, April 15 and Tuesday, April 16 are #36-Ken Schrader, #10-Johnny Benson, #6-Mark Martin, #32-Ricky Craven and #77-Dave Blaney. Testing their BGN rides will be #10-Scott Riggs, #46-Ashton Lewis, #59-Stacey Compton, #37-Jeff Purvis, #48-Kenny Wallace, #30-Christian Fittipaldi and #1-Jimmy Spencer. Fittipaldi, who will continue to race in CART this year, is expected to make his 2002 BGN debut in the Hardee’s 250 at Richmond in the #30 Mike’s Hard Lemonade Chevy. Joining that group on Tuesday will be Cup drivers #2-Rusty Wallace, #12-Ryan Newman and #1-Steve Park. Wallace, Newman and Park will also test on Wednesday, April 17 when a new group of drivers moves in to test, including #9-Jeff Burton(BGN), #02-Hermie Sadler(Cup) and #66-Casey Mears(BGN) and will also expected to test on Thursday, April 18. The grandstands will be open to the public all four days from 9:00am to 5:00pm/et.(RIR Site)(4-15-2002) UPDATE: Fifteen Cup and BGN drivers tested at Richmond International Raceway on Monday and Tuesday in preparation for their visit to “The Action Track” May 2-4. Drivers were greeted with unseasonably warm conditions, as temperatures soared into the mid 90’s. The teams worked on mostly race set-ups, as they were working with a “green” track after Richmond International Raceway officials applied a customary off-season coat of sealer to the track. Testing Winston Cup cars were #36-Ken Schrader, #2-Rusty Wallace, #12-Ryan Newman, #6-Mark Martin, #32-Ricky Craven, #77-Dave Blaney. Testing their BGN #10-Scott Riggs, #46-Ashton Lewis, #48-Kenny Wallace, #30-Christian Fittipaldi, #47-Shane Hmeil, #14-Larry Foyt, #1-Jimmy Spencer, #66-Casey Mears, #98-Kasey Kahne. Teams reported the following unofficial lap times (only Martin, Schrader and Mears attempted qualifying runs). Jeff Gordon holds the track record of 21. 344 seconds (126.499 mph). #6-Mark Martin, 125.00mph; #36-Ken Schrader, 122.84; #32-Ricky Craven, 122.73 mph BGN: #66-Casey Mears, 124.14mph; #46-Ashton Lewis, 122.73; #48-Kenny Wallace, 122.17; #47-Shane Hmeil, 121.90; #98-Kasey Kahne,121.35; #30-Christian Fittipaldi, 120.00. Wallace and Newman are expected to stay another day to test and will be joined by Jeff Burton (Busch car) and Hermie Sadler (Cup car) today.(RIR Site)(4-17-2002) (4-16-2002)
