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Many Teams Testing at various tracks: Seven organizations are testing this week at tracks that will host a Chase for the Sprint Cup race, starting a push toward the championship. Meanwhile, two organizations - representing five Chase drivers - have yet to use any of their four tests allowed at tracks that host Cup races. Testing today and Tuesday at Chicagoland Speedway - the opening race in the Chase next month - are Stewart-Haas Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing. Stewart-Haas Racing stated that Tony Stewart's team is not testing at Chicago. Hendrick Motorsports tests Tuesday and Wednesday at Martinsville Speedway. Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing have saved their four tests for the end of the season. Both will use their first test Sept. 2-3 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. They'll be joined by JTG Daugherty. Team Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano - who have each scored three wins this season - also are scheduled to test at Texas, Martinsville and
Homestead. Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth are also scheduled to test Phoenix, Homestead and one other track to be determined.
Travis Geisler, competition director at Team Penske, admits the decisions on which tracks to choose were "hotly contested" within the organization. Geisler said the organization selected Charlotte because it has "been a little hit and miss" there. "I'd say the track we're best at are kind of Kentucky, Texas and Chicago,'' he said. "The Kansas and Charlotte (tracks) are maybe a little weaker, so we want to try to shore up that side of it.'' Although Penske isn't going to Kansas, it can still get testing information from there. Leavine Family Racing, a Ford team with Michael McDowell, is testing today and Tuesday at Kansas Speedway. The team gets chassis and parts from Team Penske. As a Ford team, information from Leavine's test can be analyzed by Penske officials.
Although Geisler said Texas is a good track for the organization, that's still one the team will test instead of Phoenix where Kevin Harvick dominated in March, while Keselowski was third and Logano fourth. "We feel like Texas is a place we need to win,'' Geisler said. "We feel like that's our best opportunity to capitalize on winning. If your car is good enough, you can race to the front.'' Geisler also noted that since the Phoenix race is shorter than the Texas race, it's more difficult to make it back toward the front. Thus, the decision to test at Texas instead. Geisler said that the team will test Martinsville because it needs to match the Hendrick Motorsports cars there. Another key is that is the first race in the third round of the Chase. Whoever wins that race will be among the four to race for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway and can begin focusing on that event instead worrying as much about Texas and Phoenix.
Here's a look at confirmed testing dates in the coming weeks.
Aug. 25-26: Chicagoland Speedway
Stewart-Haas Racing: #4, #10, #14, #41
Roush Fenway Racing, #16, #17, #99
Michael Waltrip Racing, #15, #55, #66
Richard Petty Motorsports, #9, #43
Chip Ganassi Racing, #1, #42
Aug. 25-26 : Kansas Speedway
Leavine Family Racing, #95
Aug. 26-27: Martinsville Speedway
Hendrick Motorsports: #5, #24, #48, #88
Sept. 2-3: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Stewart-Haas Racing: #4, #10, #14, #41
Leavine Family Racing: #95
Front Row Motorsports: #34, #35, #38
Sept. 2-3: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Team Penske: #2, #12
JTG Daugherty: #47
Joe Gibbs Racing: #11, #18, #20
Sept. 22-23: Texas Motor Speedway
Team Penske: #2, #12
Roush Fenway Racing: #16, #17, #99
Oct. 7-8: Martinsville Speedway
Chip Ganassi Racing: #1, #42
Oct. 13-14: Martinsville Speedway
Team Penske: #2, #22
Germain Racing: #13
(Motor Racing Network)(8-25-2014)
http://www.jayski.com/news/test/story/_/page/NASCAR-2014-Testing
I love it... the Penske guys are almost a lock to get through the first round, then testing at Charlotte... Then at 3 of the final 4 tracks.. I think they made good calls and the reasoning behind it makes me even more positive in their chances.
If it were your team and you still had all four tests remaining.. which tracks would you use your 4 tests at?
Homestead. Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth are also scheduled to test Phoenix, Homestead and one other track to be determined.
Travis Geisler, competition director at Team Penske, admits the decisions on which tracks to choose were "hotly contested" within the organization. Geisler said the organization selected Charlotte because it has "been a little hit and miss" there. "I'd say the track we're best at are kind of Kentucky, Texas and Chicago,'' he said. "The Kansas and Charlotte (tracks) are maybe a little weaker, so we want to try to shore up that side of it.'' Although Penske isn't going to Kansas, it can still get testing information from there. Leavine Family Racing, a Ford team with Michael McDowell, is testing today and Tuesday at Kansas Speedway. The team gets chassis and parts from Team Penske. As a Ford team, information from Leavine's test can be analyzed by Penske officials.
Although Geisler said Texas is a good track for the organization, that's still one the team will test instead of Phoenix where Kevin Harvick dominated in March, while Keselowski was third and Logano fourth. "We feel like Texas is a place we need to win,'' Geisler said. "We feel like that's our best opportunity to capitalize on winning. If your car is good enough, you can race to the front.'' Geisler also noted that since the Phoenix race is shorter than the Texas race, it's more difficult to make it back toward the front. Thus, the decision to test at Texas instead. Geisler said that the team will test Martinsville because it needs to match the Hendrick Motorsports cars there. Another key is that is the first race in the third round of the Chase. Whoever wins that race will be among the four to race for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway and can begin focusing on that event instead worrying as much about Texas and Phoenix.
Here's a look at confirmed testing dates in the coming weeks.
Aug. 25-26: Chicagoland Speedway
Stewart-Haas Racing: #4, #10, #14, #41
Roush Fenway Racing, #16, #17, #99
Michael Waltrip Racing, #15, #55, #66
Richard Petty Motorsports, #9, #43
Chip Ganassi Racing, #1, #42
Aug. 25-26 : Kansas Speedway
Leavine Family Racing, #95
Aug. 26-27: Martinsville Speedway
Hendrick Motorsports: #5, #24, #48, #88
Sept. 2-3: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Stewart-Haas Racing: #4, #10, #14, #41
Leavine Family Racing: #95
Front Row Motorsports: #34, #35, #38
Sept. 2-3: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Team Penske: #2, #12
JTG Daugherty: #47
Joe Gibbs Racing: #11, #18, #20
Sept. 22-23: Texas Motor Speedway
Team Penske: #2, #12
Roush Fenway Racing: #16, #17, #99
Oct. 7-8: Martinsville Speedway
Chip Ganassi Racing: #1, #42
Oct. 13-14: Martinsville Speedway
Team Penske: #2, #22
Germain Racing: #13
(Motor Racing Network)(8-25-2014)
http://www.jayski.com/news/test/story/_/page/NASCAR-2014-Testing
I love it... the Penske guys are almost a lock to get through the first round, then testing at Charlotte... Then at 3 of the final 4 tracks.. I think they made good calls and the reasoning behind it makes me even more positive in their chances.
If it were your team and you still had all four tests remaining.. which tracks would you use your 4 tests at?