Gen-6 Test a Success at Charlotte Motor Speedway

NASCAR TestingIt was music to the ears of race fans to hear the cars back on the track Wednesday after the NASCAR season ended on Nov. 17 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

This wasn’t specifically a race, but a test to gather data for the development of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series intermediate-track package for 2014.

Sixteen race teams and 30 drivers were on hand to test several changes to the Gen-6 car. Officials believe that the changes will enhance racing.

“We accomplished our goal today,” said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development. “We wanted to take the results from October and get more data and feedback that will ultimately allow us to arrive at a final setup for our intermediate tracks. With more cars and teams here today, we were able to learn a great deal that will benefit the racing next year and beyond.”

Physical changes such as ride heights, splitters, skirts and spoilers were tested. The overall goal, officials say, is for the new package to help promote more side-by-side racing and passing throughout each race.

Teams ran together in more than 140 race-replicating laps throughout the day and the drivers, engineers, crew chiefs and car chiefs were on hand to get as much intel as possible to gauge how the car and driver react to the changes.

Hold on – there’s still 74 days until the 56th running of the Daytona 500 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. If you can’t wait until Feb. 23, the Sprint Unlimited is set for Feb. 15 at Daytona International Speedway with speed weeks following along with the Budweiser Duel on Feb. 20. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will have its first race on Feb. 21 while the NASCAR Nationwide Race will be on Feb. 22.

Photo provided by NASCAR via Getty Images