Covers and reports on known/reported Team Testing and Organized NASCAR Testing
Tire Testing: for news on tire testing, see my Tire Sponsor News and Testing page
2017 NASCAR Testing News
Testing at Homestead UPDATE: In preparation for Homestead-Miami Speedway's Ford EcoBoost 400 championship race on November 19, some of NASCAR's biggest stars in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will be taking the track for a NASCAR test session. The testing will take place Tuesday, October 24 on Homestead-Miami Speedway's 1.5-mile oval, where one car from most of the major Monster Energy Series teams are slated to participate.(10-16-2017)
UPDATE: Testing has been pushed back from Tuesday to Wednesday because of rain in the forecast.[More](10-23-2017)
Teams complete first day of organizational test at Martinsville: With 12 drivers on hand for a two-day NASCAR organizational test that began Tuesday, "rhythm" was the word of the day at Martinsville Speedway ahead of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series' visit to the track for the First Data 500 later this month. The First Data 500 falls at a crucial point in the NASCAR Playoffs schedule. As the first race in the Round of 8 for the Cup Series drivers, Martinsville represents an opportunity to clinch a spot in the Championship Finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.[More](10-10-2017)
Organizational test at Martinsville: NASCAR will hold an organizational test at Martinsville Speedway on Tuesday, October 10. Drivers scheduled to participate include: #21-Ryan Blaney, #18-kyle Busch, #3-Austin Dillon, #13-Ty Dillon, #24-Chase Elliott, #4-Kevin Harvick, #2-Brad Keselowski, #42-Kyle Larson, and #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The session will run from 9:00am-5:00 and the grandstands will be open for fans.(10-9-2017)
Teams testing at Chicago: Ten Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams are scheduled to take part in a two-day organizational test Tuesday and Wednesday at Chicagoland Speedway in preparation for this season's playoff opener, set for Sunday, Sept. 17.[More](8-15-2017)
Testing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams descended upon New Hampshire Motor Speedway for an organizational test on Tuesday. #42-Kyle Larson had the three fastest laps of the seven-hour opening day of testing with a best speed of 125.6 mph. Testing included twelve drivers: Larson, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Ryan Blaney, Trevor Bayne, Ty Dillon, David Ragan, Alex Bowman (for Chevy) and Drew Herring (for Toyota). Teams are prepping and collecting data for the upcoming New Hampshire 301.(NASCAR.com)[Read More Here](5-31-2017)
Teams to test at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: The New Hampshire 301 is still more than a month away, but every top organization in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will be represented at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on May 30 and 31. The two-day test is open to one car from each Monster Energy Series organization and will feature free admission to the grandstands and infield for the fans.[More](5-16-2017)
Different tire compound being tested at Kentucky: Goodyear officials will look to do more than verify the tire package for this year's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway when they hold a two-day test Tuesday and Wednesday at the 1.5-mile track. "We've also got some things to try to actually promote a little more wear on a repaved surface, which is something we haven't been able to do," Greg Stucker, director of race tire sales for Goodyear, told NASCAR.com on Sunday. "The guys have kind of taken a different approach on compound formulation to see if we can't actually generate some wear on what we project to be a fairly smooth surface." Testing at Kentucky are #1-Jamie McMurray (CGR), #3-Austin Dillon (RCR), #41-Kurt Busch (SHR) and #77-Erik Jones (FRR).(NASCAR.com)[click to continue](5-10-2017)
XFINITY and Truck teams to test at Charlotte: An all-star cast of drivers will take to Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR Test Fest on May 2 in a fan-friendly shakedown of NASCAR XFINITY and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series machines before the 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder May 19-28.[More](4-27-2017)
Teams complete Phoenix test: Thirteen Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams completed an organizational test at Phoenix Raceway on Wednesday. The four sessions over two days featured the 2017 rules package, the on-track return of #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., a trio of Rookie of the Year candidates and Stewart-Haas Racing's debut with Ford. Earnhardt, who was sidelined with concussion-like symptoms halfway through last season, posted the fastest lap overall at 26.555 seconds (135.568 mph), coming in Wednesday's morning session. Earnhardt is a three-time winner at Phoenix and has finished eighth or better in six of his last seven races there. #77-Erik Jones, #19-Daniel Suarez and #13-Ty Dillon made up the rookies at the test, each debuting with new teams this season. Dillon, driving the #13 Chevrolet for Germain Racing, was second fastest (26.722 seconds) in the afternoon on the first day.
#22-Joey Logano (26.674 seconds) topped Tuesday's opening session while #42-Kyle Larson was quickest in the afternoon sessions both days - 26.586 and 26.667 seconds, respectively. #4-Kevin Harvick made his debut in a Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing after the organization made a manufacturer switch in the off-season. Harvick was fourth fastest Wednesday morning (26.685 seconds) and second in the final session (26.698 seconds).(Motor Racing Network), lap times from each session are posted at JeffGluck.com.(2-2-2017)
Larson, Logano fastest during Tuesday test at Phoenix: Even though most of the attention centered on Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the two-day NASCAR test opened up Tuesday at Phoenix International Raceway, there were plenty of other drivers who took their cars to the track as well. #42-Kyle Larson posted the fastest lap, turning it in 26.586 seconds at the 1-mile venue. But #22-Joey Logano, who had the second-fastest overall lap (26.595), was the fastest for the most laps - recording 19 of the fastest 22 lap times in the opening morning session.[Earnhardt, Jr.] was fifth-fastest in the opening test session at Phoenix, turning a lap in 26.807 seconds.(Fox Sports)(2-1-2017)
Teams testing at Phoenix this week: Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick has won six of the last nine races at Phoenix International Raceway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Which is why, teammate Clint Bowyer said, it makes sense for the 2014 champion to represent SHR during next week's organizational test at the 1-mile track located in Avondale, Arizona. The two-day test is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1. Only one team per organization is allowed to participate in NASCAR organizational tests. Thirteen Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams are scheduled to participate in the two-day test. Among them are Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, and Daniel Suarez, driver of the #19 Toyota, for Joe Gibbs Racing. The test will be the first for many teams with NASCAR's newest rules package. Four teams took part in a two-day Goodyear tire test earlier this month at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the '17 setup. This year's race package features reductions in the size of the splitter and spoiler height, a tapered rear deck fin and zero net rear steer. Other drivers scheduled to attend the test are #3-Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing), #13-Ty Dillon (Germain Racing), #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway Racing), #21-Ryan Blaney (Wood Brothers Racing), #22-Joey Logano (Team Penske), #42-Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates), #43-Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports), #47-AJ Allmendinger (JTG Daugherty Racing), #77-Erik Jones (Furniture Row Racing) and #95-Michael McDowell (Leavine Family Racing). Additional organizational tests for 2017 are slated for New Hampshire Motor Speedway (May 30-31), Chicagoland Speedway (Aug. 15-16), Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 10-11) and Homestead Miami Speedway (Oct. 24-25).(NASCAR.com)(1-29-2017)
Phoenix Raceway to Host Open NASCAR Test Jan 31st: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stars will appear at Phoenix Raceway for the first time in 2017 when the track hosts an open test session on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Phoenix Raceway will open its gates to fans from 9:00am to 3:00pm with general seating in the Bobby Allison Grandstand. Free parking is available and fans are asked to make a $5 donation to Phoenix Raceway Charities for admission.
Several 2016 NASCAR Chase contenders including #4-Kevin Harvick, #22-Joey Logano, #19-Daniel Suarez (instead of #20-Matt Kenseth) and #3-Austin Dillon are scheduled to be participate, while #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be making his first public appearance behind the wheel in six months.
With a new series sponsor, manufacturer changes and new faces to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, there will be plenty of excitement when the drivers look for valuable track time ahead of the 2017 season and Phoenix Raceway's Camping World 500 on Sunday, March 19. Tickets for the Camping World 500 start at just $25, and 2017 season tickets are available beginning at $99. Individual tickets and season tickets are available online at PhoenixRaceway.com, by phone at 1-866-408-RACE (7223) or in person at the PIR ticket office. Phoenix Raceway Charities is a Donor Advised Fund under The NASCAR Foundation, and its mission is to accelerate the development of children in Arizona by supporting education, children and families of our military and military veterans, and life enrichment programs for children and families in our community.(PIR)(1-12-2017)
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