CONCORD, N.C. -- Looking to increase competition, H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, is encouraging NASCAR to host an open Sprint Cup Series test at the 1.5-mile superspeedway prior to the May 17 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race .
We must realize this new car is the biggest change in NASCAR since the cars were downsized in 1982 and we also went through a significant period of adjustment then.
It's our intention to have the best racing possible here during the month of May and I have always believed that preparation is the key to great racing," Wheeler said. "You can compute, work the post machine and microscope the car until your tools bleed, but nothing, absolutely nothing, is as valuable as track time.
"So, we have offered NASCAR at least two days, May 5-6, to bring the teams in so they can test the new car. We'll have the track open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. so they can experiment with chassis setups during both daytime and nighttime conditions. Then, if further testing is needed, dates closer to the May 17 Sprint All-Star Race can be provided."
If NASCAR accepts Wheeler's offer, the test session would take place on Monday and Tuesday following the Saturday night race at Richmond International Raceway and prior to teams heading to nearby Darlington Raceway for another Saturday night event.
"Logistically, May 5-6 is perfect for the race teams and with a majority of them based in the area, there would be minimal expense for them to come here and test," Wheeler said.
