Race postponement shortens Lowe's session
Teams will now test for two days instead of three
By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
April 30, 2006
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- The decision to postpone the Aaron's 499 until Monday created a scheduling bottleneck for this week's test sessions at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Since teams can't be in two places at once, NASCAR's Kerry Tharp on Sunday afternoon announced that the test would be shortened to two days -- Tuesday and Wednesday -- running from 1-9 p.m. ET each day.
Mike Ford, crew chief for Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Chevrolet, said the postponement forces teams to make alternative plans, but that's part of the game.
"We're planning on testing Monday and Wednesday but if we've got to test Tuesday and Wednesday, it's really no big deal," Ford said. "I always make sure that the testing never affects the racing. If you got to cut it short or whatever, you have to do, adjust your test to make sure that you still race strong and that's what we'll do."
Ford said the biggest problem with having a race rescheduled is deciding what to do with crew members.
"Sometimes we'll leave the guys down; sometimes we send them home," he said. "I would imagine that some of the guys would stay. Talladega here, there is limited rooms so some of them would go back but we'd leave a few guys down to prepare the pits and things for the standard 11 o'clock [local] start."
Ford said teams try to make sure team members are fresh and alert when the race finally gets under way.
"These guys, if they come in and have an 11 o'clock start, depending on what time we would be able to get them home, they still get a good night's sleep and come back in the morning," Ford said. "The biggest thing is just getting prepared and getting in your 'race zone' a second day in a row."
The forecast for Monday is significantly better -- mostly sunny, 77 degrees and only a 10 percent chance of precipitation.
Personally, I wish that other cars and trucks would test there often, and without restrictions, before the All Star Race. I'm sure that Humpy did a great job with the re-surfacing, but IT NEEDS RUBBER laid down! JMO
Teams will now test for two days instead of three
By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
April 30, 2006
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- The decision to postpone the Aaron's 499 until Monday created a scheduling bottleneck for this week's test sessions at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Since teams can't be in two places at once, NASCAR's Kerry Tharp on Sunday afternoon announced that the test would be shortened to two days -- Tuesday and Wednesday -- running from 1-9 p.m. ET each day.
Mike Ford, crew chief for Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Chevrolet, said the postponement forces teams to make alternative plans, but that's part of the game.
"We're planning on testing Monday and Wednesday but if we've got to test Tuesday and Wednesday, it's really no big deal," Ford said. "I always make sure that the testing never affects the racing. If you got to cut it short or whatever, you have to do, adjust your test to make sure that you still race strong and that's what we'll do."
Ford said the biggest problem with having a race rescheduled is deciding what to do with crew members.
"Sometimes we'll leave the guys down; sometimes we send them home," he said. "I would imagine that some of the guys would stay. Talladega here, there is limited rooms so some of them would go back but we'd leave a few guys down to prepare the pits and things for the standard 11 o'clock [local] start."
Ford said teams try to make sure team members are fresh and alert when the race finally gets under way.
"These guys, if they come in and have an 11 o'clock start, depending on what time we would be able to get them home, they still get a good night's sleep and come back in the morning," Ford said. "The biggest thing is just getting prepared and getting in your 'race zone' a second day in a row."
The forecast for Monday is significantly better -- mostly sunny, 77 degrees and only a 10 percent chance of precipitation.
Personally, I wish that other cars and trucks would test there often, and without restrictions, before the All Star Race. I'm sure that Humpy did a great job with the re-surfacing, but IT NEEDS RUBBER laid down! JMO
