Goodyear Tire Testing is scheduled at Michigan International Speedway on Tuesday April 3rd and Wednesday April 4, 2012. Drivers scheduled to test: #2-Brad Keselowski (Dodge), #17-Matt Kenseth (Ford), #42-Juan Pablo Montoya (Chevy) and #24-Jeff Gordon (Chevy). The Turn 1 grandstand seats will be open for fans free of charge on April 3-4.(MIS/Goodyear)(3-28-2012)
UPDATE: #2-Brad Keselowski made history at Michigan International Speedway on Tuesday. The Rochester Hills native took the first laps on the newly paved surface at the racetrack during a Goodyear Tire test. ‘I feel the decision to pave in October, giving it some time to set was very beneficial,’ Keselowski said. ‘The track should be ready to go in record time for a repave. It should be in great shape when we come back here for the race.’ Keselowski was the first car out at 1:23 p.m., shortly following a rain delay. He was joined at the test by fellow NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers #24-Jeff Gordon, #17-Matt Kenseth and #42-Juan Pablo Montoya. Keselowski tweeted throughout the test, saying the track would reach top speeds on Day 2 of the test on Wednesday. But that didn ‘t keep him from reaching 212, enough to break the 194.232 mph track qualifying record set by Ryan Newman in 2005. Gordon topped off at nearly 215 mph, he said. But a Goodyear Tire test isn ‘t necessarily about how fast the NASCAR stock cars can go, but rather collecting data the tire company can use to build a good race tire for the track’s NASCAR events. The two-day test concludes 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Turn 1 grandstands will be open for fans free of charge throughout the day. Fans may park in Lot 10, off US 12.(MIS)(4-4-2012)
UPDATE 2: After a successful two-day GoodyearTire Test at Michigan International Speedway, some NASCAR drivers say they are happy with the repave. Oh, and the track is fast. They all said that, too. ‘This place is fast. I mean fast, fast,’ NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Juan Pablo Montoya said. ‘Our minimum speed this morning was over 180 mph through the corner when you think about it. We are doing easily over 210 mph at the end of the straight. Official speeds were not available. But participating drivers said and tweeted they unofficially topped speeds of about 215 mph. All the drivers added they believe Ryan Newman’s track qualifying record of 194.232 mph set back in 2005 is in jeopardy.(MIS)(4-5-2012)
