Open Test Thread: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Preseason Thunder | Daytona International Speedway
by MattWeaver on Jan 14, 2012 12:23 PM EST
in Open Race Threads
Email
Print
NASCAR has again mandated pack-drafting at Daytona International Speedway for Saturday's final Preseason Thunder test session. With speeds topping 200 mph, there should be a multitude of topics to discuss. With that in mind, I've posted an open (test) thread. After all, it's the preseason for us bloggers and media-types too.
Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne topped the charts in the morning session, a two-car tandem test with speeds of 201.545 - both drivers. (Full morning session times can be found after the jump.)
The afternoon session will be pack drafting only and in response, three teams have decided not to participate. All three Stewart-Haas cars of Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman and Danica Patrick will not pack draft. They are done for the month.
This is in addition to five-time Series champion Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus deciding to only test single-car runs. The duo decided that drafting is too much of a risk for what they hope is a race-winning car. They are also believed to be done for the month.
Pack drafting, larger restrictor plates and new faces in new places. These are the weekend's top stories. What's on your mind? Tell us in the comments section below.
Let's rock.
NSCS Day 3 AM Practice Session
Daytona Intl Speedway
1/14/2012 - 12:03:50PM
| Pos | No | Name | Make | BestTime | BestSpeed |
| 1 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | Chevy | 44.655 | 201.545 |
| 2 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevy | 44.655 | 201.545 |
| 3 | 51 | Kurt Busch | Chevy | 45.121 | 199.464 |
| 4 | 55 | Mark Martin | Toyota | 45.122 | 199.459 |
| 5 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Chevy | 45.134 | 199.406 |
| 6 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevy | 45.136 | 199.397 |
| 7 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Chevy | 45.215 | 199.049 |
| 8 | 78 | Regan Smith | Chevy | 45.216 | 199.045 |
| 9 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Chevy | 46.283 | 194.456 |
| 10 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Chevy | 46.644 | 192.951 |
| 11 | 27 | Paul Menard | Chevy | 46.721 | 192.633 |
| 12 | 10 | Danica Patrick | Chevy | 46.868 | 192.029 |
| 13 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevy | 46.904 | 191.881 |
| 14 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | 46.955 | 191.673 |
| 15 | 21 | Trevor Bayne | Ford | 46.967 | 191.624 |
| 16 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevy | 47.010 | 191.449 |
| 17 | 22 | AJ Allmendinger | Dodge | 47.013 | 191.436 |
| 18 | 43 | Aric Almirola | Ford | 47.056 | 191.261 |
| 19 | 20 | Joey Logano | Toyota | 47.102 | 191.075 |
| 20 | 6 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | Ford | 47.176 | 190.775 |
| 21 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Ford | 47.188 | 190.726 |
| 22 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 47.195 | 190.698 |
| 23 | 15 | Clint Bowyer | Toyota | 47.217 | 190.609 |
| 24 | 9 | Marcos Ambrose | Ford | 47.260 | 190.436 |
| 25 | 56 | Martin Truex Jr | Toyota | 47.276 | 190.371 |
| 26 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | 47.317 | 190.206 |
| 27 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | 47.408 | 189.841 |
| 28 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Dodge | 47.534 | 189.338 |
| 29 | 36 | Dave Blaney | Chevy | 47.739 | 188.525 |
| 30 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | Toyota | 47.855 | 188.068 |
Some Notes:
Drivers are working on single and double car runs.
The teams of #13-Mears and #39-Newman left after yesterday's tests ended.
Drivers are expected to test in a large pack at the beginning of the afternoon session.(1-14-2012)
23 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Hey everyone -- please drop a comment! It'll be nice to get a guage of what everyone's been up to during the off-season.
What’s up?
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
Watching Mattias Ekström win the Touring Car Series race on SPEED.
Remember his brief NASCAR career with Team Red Bull subbing for Brian Vickers? I thought he showed a lot of talent in a Sprint Cup car.
More importantly, he was super enthusiastic. I’d love to have him back, personally.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
Just like that, the fun's over.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
If there's a wreck at Daytona, Dale Jr.'s sure to find it.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
And Juan Montoya is likely involved.
I like Juan but that’s just the truth of the matter.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
What? The track is clear? There's Jimmie!
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
To Juan's credit, he did a good job of navigating around the spinning Burton and Earnhardt Jr.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
I love Jeff Burton's candor. One of my favorites in the paddock.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
The Jimmie/Chad milk and cookies story never gets old.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
Joie Chitwood knows a little something about speed after working at Indianapolis from 2002-2009. One of my favorite executives in all sports
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
Jeff Gordon stands atop the leaderboard with a 200.562. I think we could be saying that a lot in 2012. He and Alan's second year together.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
The same can be said of Kyle and Kurt Busch who paced practice sessions yesterday. I honestly think Kurt can win races if he stays focused.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
Did the Rowdy Podcast guys take over the SPEED production truck? #boyshaveatit
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
Ragan to Front Row? Doesn't change anything. He'll be a threat at Daytona and Talladega and largely invisible everywhere else. #plateracer
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
Agreed.
David Gilliland did well at the four plate tracks (1 top 5, 2 top 10’s, worst finish of 22nd) driving for Front Row last year. Aside from the road courses (a specialty of Gilliland), the best other finish of the team was 22nd a few times. While Ragan has shown glimpses of talent (his near miss of the Chase, some good finishes sprinkled throughout), his consistency is not there. An excellent hire by Front Row though, maybe this will bring the team up a notch, especially if they can form an alliance with Roush out of this (or do they already have that?). Kvapil was doing nothing for them. Maybe a David-and-David team would be their best bet.
by UnderdogFan89 on Jan 14, 2012 9:46 PM EST up reply actions
Ford is taking the Ricky vs. Trevor show to the Sprint Cup Series for the Daytona 500. Those are two of my absolute favorites. I hope they make the most of it.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
It might be there only shot
I have heard nothing concerning sponsorship signing for either in Nationwide. Trevor will be running partial Cup, and this looks like Ricky’s only Cup race. With Roush stating he won’t run both without sponsorship, this might be it. I wish both of them the best of luck this season.
by UnderdogFan89 on Jan 14, 2012 9:48 PM EST up reply actions
Wow...some open thread haha
Recently converted Marlins Fan
Follow me @Terrence_Hunley
by Terrence Hunley on Jan 14, 2012 4:28 PM EST reply actions
It's the off-season, right? This is purely to remind people that we'll be back once the season starts,
You’re welcome to come back then! =D
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
I was only pointing out that it was all your updates
not knocking it in any way. I’m a Marlins blogger…you had more total comments for a test (though mostly yours) than we get some gamedays
Recently converted Marlins Fan
Follow me @Terrence_Hunley
by Terrence Hunley on Jan 16, 2012 5:35 PM EST up reply actions
Oh I know. I meant it all light-hearted. =) Carlos Zambrano is sure to help generate conversation for you guys.
Trust me, I’m a Cubs fan.
Follow me on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN
Senior Writer and Editor for SBNation's NASCAR Ranting and Raving
Correspondent for SBNation's IndyCar Pop Off Valve Blog (http://www.popoffvalve.com/)
I'm actually a little apprehensive about the new changes
the last time that I can recall that NACSAR did a significant amount of changes to make racing at Daytona more exciting was in 2001 …
Founder and site manager of SBN's NASCAR Ranting & Raving (www.4ever3blog.com) - "Filling up your rearview and headed to the front."
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
You Are At The 9th Most Influential NASCAR Blog As Determined By Sports Media Challenge
Copy Right
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence.
