NASCAR Sprint Cup team test at Homestead Miami Speedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams battled Mother Nature at Homestead-Miami Speedway today, testing their cars in preparation for the Ford EcoBoost 400 on November 22.

The NASCAR Open Test was set to run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., until thunderstorms cut the day short. As of 6 p.m., testing had yet to resume, although NASCAR is still hoping to complete the test tonight at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Testing started more than two hours late due to the rain delay, with cars getting on the track approximately at 11:15 a.m.

However, the ten Sprint Cup teams testing were able to get more than two hours of track time this morning. Testing different set ups for the season-finale Ford EcoBoost 400, the drivers were able to capture valuable data pertinent to developing championship cars to run 400 miles in November.

“You know for these mile and a half, these bigger race tracks like this with the multi-banking that they have here, as you progress up through the track and up to the corner it’s so much more fun as a race car driver as you’re coming on the next car to pass, you have to have options,” Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing said.  “You know, you get down, you kind of slide-job them. That outside line on a long run really, really comes into play rim-riding, and then all of the sudden you’re flirting with disaster because you’re right on the ragged edge of hitting a wall and nine times out of ten you do (laughs).”

“We learn a lot of things. A lot of things we can’t typically learn on a normal race weekend. We can put data on our race cars and be able to really dissect what each part and piece does,” Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Ford Fusion for Penske Racing said. “So overall, it’s key for us to get the most out of this as we don’t have them (testing) very often. And, obviously, coming down here to Homestead – it can be the most important race of the year.”

“This is going to be, obviously, a huge race. It’s the biggest race of the year if you really think about what it all comes down to so we’re planning on making that final four with our Furniture Row Chevrolet and hopefully if we get to do that we’ll be ready,” Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 78 Chevrolet SS for Furniture Row Racing. “We’re just trying to learn all we can to get down here and be prepared for that, and hopefully we’ll be one of those guys.”

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers that participated in the testing session today included:

·         Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Ford Fusion, Penske Racing

·         Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet SS, Hendrick Motorsports

·         Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet SS, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

·         Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Chevrolet SS, Stewart-Haas Racing

·         Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

·         Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 78 Chevrolet SS, Furniture Row Racing

·         Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 6 Ford Fusion, Roush Fenway Racing

·         Ty Dillon, driving the No. 31 Chevrolet SS, Richard Childress Racing

·         Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

·         Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 21 Ford Fusion, Wood Brothers Racing

Homestead Miami Speedway PR