NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams wrapped up a two-day organizational test Wednesday at newly repaved Watkins Glen International, emerging with better ideas of the challenges they’ll face when the series returns for the Aug. 4-7 race weekend. Among those challenges: reworked curbing, a fast circuit and a harder-compound tire that has made grip elusive. A total of 16 Sprint Cup teams ‘ one permitted from each organization ‘ tried to unlock the novelty of the $12 million resurfacing project, using a Goodyear tire that emphasizes durability at the expense of traction and wear. The rubber compound chosen is similar to that used July 9 at Kentucky Speedway, site of the Sprint Cup Series’ most recent race on a repaved track. The Goodyear tire compound designated for both the Watkins Glen test and the race weekend is the same used for right-side tires in XFINITY Series competition at Iowa Speedway. Those Iowa right-sides will be used at all four corners for the Sprint Cup event at the 2.45-mile road course. In addition to the surface itself, the track features new concrete for the rumble strips that border the circuit’s turns and run-off areas. Some drivers found the differences barely noticeable, but Kurt Busch discovered a distinction the hard way with an early Tuesday spin as he bounded over the apex points in the backstretch chicane on one of his initial laps.
Some notes: #13-Casey Mears turned the fastest lap in the two-day test, which was divided into four sessions of four hours apiece. Mears pushed the Germain Racing #13 Chevrolet in the closing session to a best lap of 126.7 mph, a good bit slower than the track qualifying record of 129.491 mph set by Marcos Ambrose in August 2014. Brad Keselowski returned to the track Wednesday, one day after his severe, nearly head-on crash in Turn 1. He turned 74 laps over both sessions in a reserve Team Penske #2 Ford. Two teams ‘ Furniture Row Racing (driver #78-Martin Truex Jr.) and Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing (driver #95-Michael McDowell) ‘ were absent from testing’s opening day, arriving in the Watkins Glen garage Wednesday in time for the two closing sessions. Wednesday’s final session was extended 30 minutes to a 5:30pm/et close because of a nearly hour-long clean-up for fluid on the track. After Chase Elliott’s #24 Chevrolet suffered a broken axle, Clint Bowyer’s #15 Chevy ran over the part, damaging the car’s transmission.(NASCAR.com)
