At NASCAR’s crew chiefs meeting here [NHMS] Saturday morning, Sprint Cup teams were given a few tweaks on the car-of-tomorrow and on testing for 2010, but it’s unclear if more might be coming. NASCAR officials are apparently leaning toward okaying Greenville-Pickens Speedway [SC] for Cup testing next season, to give teams a less expensive testing venue a track closer to their Mooresville, NC, shops. But some teams say they would continue flying/driving down to places like New Smyrna in Florida for testing anyway.
Teams report that Texas World Speedway in College Station, TX, may be ground smoother, to eliminate bumps. And if softwalls are installed there, the track could be a good testing venue too, since it’s not on the NASCAR tour. Greg Biffle ran a few laps at Texas World in testing earlier this year, but he said at 218 mph, the bumps and the lack of soft walls, the track was too dangerous.(MikeMulhern.net)(9-21-2009)
UPDATE: NASCAR announced its 2010 testing policy for its three national and two regional touring series. The policy will again prohibit testing at tracks which host NASCAR national series events, by teams in the following series: NASCAR Sprint Cup; NASCAR Nationwide; NASCAR Camping World Truck; NASCAR Camping World East; and NASCAR Camping World West. In 2010, however, testing will be allowed at NASCAR-sanctioned tracks that host a regional touring event but do not host a national series event. Based on this seasons regional tour schedules, the following tracks would be eligible to host tests next year: Greenville-Pickens Speedway; Tri-County Motor Speedway; South Boston Speedway; Thompson International Speedway; Music City Motorplex; Adirondack International Speedway; Lime Rock Park; Thunder Hill Raceway; All American Speedway; Madera Speedway; Douglas County Speedway; Toyota Speedway at Irwindale; Portland International Raceway; Miller Motorsports Park; Colorado National Speedway.(NASCAR PR)(9-23-2009)
