Texas may be a perfect storm for NASCAR’s new Gen-6 cars

April 11, 2013 Greg Engle Main Page, NASCAR News Top Story, Top Stories 0

FORT WORTH, TX - APRIL 11: Danica Patrick (L), driver of the #10 GoDaddy.com Toyota, talks with Martin Truex Jr. (R), driver of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, in the garage during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gen-6 Testing at Texas Motor Speedway on April 11, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX - APRIL 11: Danica Patrick (L), driver of the #10 GoDaddy.com Toyota, talks with Martin Truex Jr. (R), driver of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, in the garage during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gen-6 Testing at Texas Motor Speedway on April 11, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX – APRIL 11: Danica Patrick (L), driver of the #10 GoDaddy.com Toyota, talks with Martin Truex Jr. (R), driver of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, in the garage during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gen-6 Testing at Texas Motor Speedway on April 11, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

So far this season, NASCAR’s new generation racecars in the Sprint Cup series have met or exceeded expectations; especially at the 1.5 mile tracks where speeds are near the limit.  At both Las Vegas and Fontana the new cars broke records, and provided some great racing.

Now the series heads to its third 1.5 mile track in the long season, Texas Motor Speedway for Saturday nights NRA 500. Thursday Sprint Cup teams were given an extra day of testing in preparation for NASCAR’s first Saturday night race. According to all indications, Saturday’s event could be another great showing for the newly redesigned car.

“I honestly think we’ve had some of the best racing we’ve had in a decade,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, during the break between the two two-hour long test sessions Thursday. “I mean, they’re really hard racing. …Vegas was an outstanding race.  Best race we’ve had there.  [Auto Club] Speedway, best race we’ve had there.  It was an opportunity for us to start over in many ways, shapes or forms because we had everyone working together, so everyone started at a higher level when we handed this car off, very different than what we’ve done in the last decade.”  MORE>>>

Greg Engle
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About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.