(By Greg Engle)
Posted: Friday,January 9th, 2009
FORT WORTH, Texas –With NASCAR’s mandate to eliminate testing at NASCAR-sanctioned speedways for the 2009 season, today’s Goodyear tire test at Texas Motor Speedway marked the first official test of the season with all four engine manufacturers being represented.
Two-time Texas Motor Speedway winner Jeff Burton (Chevrolet), 2004 Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch (Dodge), Yates Racing’s Travis Kvapil (Ford) and Michael Waltrip Racing’s David Reutimann (Toyota) conducted the day-long tire test session on the 1.5-mile oval under ideal conditions with temperatures in the mid-70s.
While Goodyear was gathering data on the tire it plans to use this season at Texas Motor Speedway, the four drivers were not only assisting the tire manufacturer but also collecting information that could be pivotal to their team’s fortunes for the Samsung 500 Sprint Cup Series race set for Sunday, April 5 at Texas Motor Speedway.
“I had to tap my computer screen a few times because I could not believe it was 72 [degrees] here today and that was perfect because it emulates the temperatures we will probably see here in April,” Busch said. “Testing days are limited and with us being able to get on a track that we race on with the potential tire that we use in April makes it a vital day. Track time is one of the things you put on the top of your list. These days are far and few between, and we are very happy to be here.”
For Reutimann, he has been limited to testing his dirt track car. The opportunity to get back to the track and prepare for the upcoming season was long overdue, he said.
“It seems like a long time since I’ve been in a car,” he said. “It’s good to get back.”
The new testing policy provides an opportunity for smaller teams like Yates Racing to gain ground on the competition. Kvapil said the new testing procedures will help close the gap between the smaller and larger teams. In years past, the larger teams could continue to spend money on testing, but the new rules will level the playing field.
“Our group is pretty pleased with the new rule,” Kvapil said. “The other teams that did all the testing last year are not going to get those big steps ahead of us.”
Kvapil said the information collected from today’s one-day test session will go a long way in improving the team.
“It’s very important to take home all the info we can,” Kvapil said. “It gives us a chance to try a few things, try a few ideas. To come to a place like Texas where it’s fast and you really have to be up on the wheel, it’s exciting.”
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