| | | | | | MARK YOUR CALENDARS | 2008 testing schedule set | |
| | By: Tom Jensen / SPEEDTV.com HARRISBURG, N.C. - NASCAR has announced its 2008 testing schedules for its three national series the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The schedules include nine different venues that will provide the teams an opportunity to prepare for the various track layouts, surfaces and conditions that they will face over the course of the season. NASCAR determined the test schedules based upon the input and cooperation from each of the teams crew chiefs.
For the Sprint Cup Series, the schedule is heavily weighed towards early season testing, which makes sense given that 2008 marks the first time NASCARs new-style car what has been called the Car of Tomorrow will be raced on downforce ovals of 1.5 miles or longer.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing sessions begin at Daytona International Speedway with NASCAR Preseason Thunder, Jan. 7-9 for approximately half of the teams. Jan. 10 is the rain date, if necessary. The following week, the remaining teams will test Jan. 14-16. Test sessions at Daytona are scheduled for 9 a.m. 5 p.m., weather permitting, with an hour lunch break from noon until 1 p.m.
The remaining five tracks that will host test sessions for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series include:
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Jan. 28-29
California Speedway Jan. 31- Feb. 1
Phoenix International Raceway March 3-4
Pocono Raceway May 27-28
Lowes Motor Speedway Sept. 23-24
NASCAR received input and recommendations from each of the crew chiefs that was valuable to our decision making process in determining the testing schedule for 2008, said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president for competition, in a statement issued by the sanctioning body. The teams were interested in testing at some of the venues that the new car will be competing at for the first time. This lineup of tests will provide the teams the opportunity to prepare for a successful 2008 season.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series likewise kicks off its testing schedule at Daytona. Roughly half the teams are scheduled for Jan. 18-20 and the remaining teams slated for Jan. 20-22. The remaining testing schedule for the NASCAR Nationwide Series includes:
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Jan. 30-31
Richmond International Raceway March 24-25 (rain date March 26)
Lowes Motor Speedway May 12-13 (rain date May 14)
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will also begin its 2008 testing at Daytona Jan. 11-13. The remaining testing schedule for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is as follows:
Atlanta Motor Speedway Jan. 22-23 (rain date Jan. 24)
Martinsville Speedway March 12-13 (rain date March 14) | | Posted December 05, 2007 , 9:42 pm EST
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