Travel included, the time gap between standing on the stage at Wynn Las Vegas and sitting behind the wheel of a car at Charlotte Motor Speedway will amount to less than 60 hours. With the crowning of six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson still looming large in the rear-view mirror, roughly 25 drivers will assemble Monday at CMS to validate potential changes to the Gen-6 race car for 2014, changes designed to make intermediate speedway racing closer and more competitive. The test follows an initial gathering of data in October, also at Charlotte. ‘We had the test in October, we had six cars, and we learned quite a bit’ said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development. ‘We were generally looking at aerodynamic and chassis changes. I think weve got some very good insight, and now weve determined that weve got to bring a bigger pool of cars together. We think right now were going to have about 25 cars participate, so well have a bigger field to validate some of the changes were anticipating for 2014.” As Stefanyshyn said, most of the changes will deal with aero packages, but NASCAR also will test tapered spacers on the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars to measure the effects of reduced horsepower. The NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series both use tapered spacers as part of their engine packages. NASCAR has reviewed potential configurations and provided test plans to the teams, including detailed CAD drawings of parts that needed to be created or fabricated. During the eight-hour test, NASCAR plans to run four different configurations in an attempt to arrive at a 2014 package that will reduce the aerodynamic disadvantage of trailing cars.( NASCAR Wire Service ) AND Ryan Newman will be one of several drivers with new teams at the test. Newman will drive for Richard Childress Racing next season after spending five years at Stewart-Haas Racing. Other drivers who will test for new organizations include Kevin Harvick (SHR), Kurt Busch (SHR) and Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing). Rookies Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing), Kyle Larson (Earnhardt Ganassi Racing) and Michael Annett (Tommy Baldwin Racing) are expected to test. Some top-tier drivers wont attend but will instead rely on teammates information. Among those not attending will be defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Danica Patrick, Stewart and Paul Menard. Regan Smith, often used by Hendrick Motorsports to test, will test for the HMS team of Jeff Gordon. Jeff Burton will test the car for Michael Waltrip Racings Brian Vickers, who was sidelined in October because of blood clots but is expected back in the car in February.( Sporting News AND Fans are invited to watch NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing free of charge on Monday, Dec. 9 at Charlotte Motor Speedway from The Speedway Clubs enclosed Clubhouse seating. The open test will help define rules packages for the 2014 season and more than 20 teams are expected to participate. Testing will run from 9:00am-5:00pm/et on Monday. Speedway Club Clubhouse seating will open at 9:00am for the public to enjoy the test session. Fans should park at the main entrance to the speedway, enter through the main ticket office on the second floor of Smith Tower and take the elevator to Clubhouse seating on the fifth floor. Refreshments will be available for purchase in the Clubhouse seating area. Fans are invited to take advantage of The Speedway Club Lounge area to purchase lunch or dinner from 11:00am-9:00pm, or to make lunch or dinner reservations in The Speedway Club dining room by calling 704-455-3216.(CMS) UPDATE: Due to rain at the track and the poor forecast for today and tomorrow, NASCAR has postponed the test until Wednesday.(12-9/11-2013)
