NASCAR to test ‘Bigger’ cars at Lowe’s: NASCAR has a session scheduled Aug .12 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway to further test the bigger cars. Those cars have the larger roof area, which gives drivers extra room inside but also can alter the downforce on those cars, reducing the affects of aero push, some say. At least three cars and as many as six are expected at the test. Series officials tested the larger car in May at Kansas Speedway with Jimmy Spencer’s team.(Roanoke Times)(8-4-2002) UPDATE: NASCAR officials will conduct a test Tuesday, following the Brickyard 400. The test, to be held at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, is being piggybacked with a Goodyear tire test and done in cooperation with all three manufacturers. The objective of the test is to gauge the aerodynamic effect of a larger upper roll cage, which requires enlarging the greenhouse. The purpose of enlarging the upper roll cage is to put more distance between the head and shoulders of a driver and the surrounding steel bars. A larger roll cage will require a increase in the minimum roof height from the current 51 inches to as much as 52 to 52.5 inches and a comparable increase in the drivers side window.(Insider Racing)(8-5-2002)
