Dale Earnhardt Jr. shakes off the rust at Charlotte NASCAR test

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of four drivers testing at Charlotte this week. (Photo: Charlotte Motor Speedway)
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of four drivers testing at Charlotte this week. (Photo: Charlotte Motor Speedway)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of four drivers testing at Charlotte this week. (Photo: Charlotte Motor Speedway)

The NASCAR Sprint Cup season is barely over but four drivers are already working on the 2015 season. Goodyear conducted a tire test this week at Charlotte Motor Speedway finishing up Wednesday. With NASCAR’s new rules limiting testing opportunities this week’s opportunity was important for at least two of the drivers and teams who took part. The test was closed to the media buy Goodyear did provide a press release with quotes from Carl Edwards and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Both drivers have undergone changes in preparation for the 2015 season and this week’s test was a chance to get used to those changes.

Edwards joined Joe Gibbs Racing following the 2014 season. He said that while it’s hard to get good data for next season, the test is a good chance for his new team to get some practice under their belts. Edwards is not only getting used to a new team after leaving the Roush-Fenway Racing, the only team he’s ever raced for In NASCAR’s top touring series, but a new crew chief as well.

“Conditions are really cool. There’s not a lot of rubber on the racetrack. We’re basically in the lower downforce 2016 trim,” Edwards said of the conditions and setup for this week’s test. “The biggest thing this test is helping me out with is to get used to this car, the new seat, (crew chief) Darian (Grubb) and the guys and how they do things here. It’s been very good for me from that perspective.” MORE>>>

Greg Engle
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.