Softer springs, smaller spoilers, smaller radiators, new fuel system and a no-talk rule are all the new rage in NASCAR for this 2012 season… is everyone ready for some racin’? I know I sure am… NASCAR has always been good to me, and the folks within the industry are just awesome to deal with, so bring it ON!
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With the Daytona 500 only 45 days away, well, one of the longest sportings seasons is about to get back underway, and it started with PreSeason Thunder as the teams got to get out on the track and test the new scenarios they’ll be up against when the 2012 NASCAR season commences once again.
Jeff Gordon paced the morning pack today in practice hitting a lap speed of 192.773 as everyone got on-track and practiced their solo and two-car runs, to see how things are going to shake out.
Kyle Busch, with Joey Logano tailing him, paced the afternoon pack with a 202.402 speed.
And not to mention, how the new fuel injected systems are going to work for the gang.
As teams hit up the track, this is the race, the Super Bowl of NASCAR. Sure, it’s the first race of the season, but it’s a storied track and many important events have taken place here, in Daytona Beach, Florida.
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Coming into today, everyone was looking to get a feel for the smaller spoiler, smaller radiator & larger restrictor plate! And I presume, they were also possibly playing around with the new radio rule, which is no more chatter between drivers in a race.
The morning test speeds looked a little bit like this:
| 1 24 Jeff Gordon Chv 46.687 192.773 |
| 2 27 Paul Menard Chv 46.785 192.369 |
| 3 51 Kurt Busch Chv 46.787 192.361 |
| 4 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Frd 46.885 191.959 |
| 5 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chv 46.911 191.853 |
| 6 48 Jimmie Johnson Chv 46.933 191.763 |
| 7 16 Greg Biffle Frd 46.987 191.542 |
| 8 10 Danica Patrick Chv 47.004 191.473 |
| 9 31 Jeff Burton Chv 47.019 191.412 |
| 10 21 Trevor Bayne Frd 47.022 191.400 |
| 11 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chv 47.025 191.388 |
| 12 14 Tony Stewart Chv 47.032 191.359 |
| 13 18 Kyle Busch Tyt 47.037 191.339 |
| 14 20 Joey Logano Tyt 47.059 191.249 |
| 15 39 Ryan Newman Chv 47.110 191.042 |
| 16 11 Denny Hamlin Tyt 47.122 190.994 |
| 17 17 Matt Kenseth Frd 47.134 190.945 |
| 18 5 Kasey Kahne Chv 47.160 190.840 |
| 19 29 Kevin Harvick Chv 47.176 190.775 |
| 20 15 Clint Bowyer Tyt 47.199 190.682 |
| 21 55 Mark Martin Tyt 47.225 190.577 |
| 22 9 Marcos Ambrose Frd 47.238 190.525 |
| 23 43 Aric Almirola Frd 47.255 190.456 |
| 24 1 Jamie McMurray Chv 47.269 190.400 |
| 25 78 Regan Smith Chv 47.374 189.978 |
| 26 22 AJ Allmendinger Dge 47.419 189.797 |
| 27 99 Carl Edwards Frd 47.435 189.733 |
| 28 2 Brad Keselowski Dge 47.504 189.458 |
| 29 13 Casey Mears Frd 47.508 189.442 |
| 30 56 Martin Truex Jr Tyt 47.633 188.945 |
| 31 87 Joe Nemechek Tyt 48.304 186.320 |
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The afternoon test session speeds, like this, and check out the huge speed differences between morning and afternoon:
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| 1 18 Kyle Busch Tyt 44.466 202.402 |
| 2 20 Joey Logano Tyt 44.469 202.388 |
| 3 2 Brad Keselowski Dge 44.505 202.224 |
| 4 22 AJ Allmendinger Dge 44.506 202.220 |
| 5 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chv 44.794 200.920 |
| 6 48 Jimmie Johnson Chv 44.795 200.915 |
| 7 11 Denny Hamlin Tyt 44.965 200.156 |
| 8 5 Kasey Kahne Chv 45.047 199.791 |
| 9 55 Mark Martin Tyt 45.782 196.584 |
| 10 15 Clint Bowyer Tyt 45.782 196.584 |
| 11 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Frd 46.164 194.957 |
| 12 24 Jeff Gordon Chv 46.482 193.623 |
| 13 27 Paul Menard Chv 46.726 192.612 |
| 14 51 Kurt Busch Chv 46.835 192.164 |
| 15 14 Tony Stewart Chv 46.887 191.951 |
| 16 10 Danica Patrick Chv 46.893 191.926 |
| 17 16 Greg Biffle Frd 46.941 191.730 |
| 18 31 Jeff Burton Chv 46.945 191.714 |
| 19 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chv 46.969 191.616 |
| 20 17 Matt Kenseth Frd 46.997 191.502 |
| 21 9 Marcos Ambrose Frd 47.007 191.461 |
| 22 39 Ryan Newman Chv 47.010 191.449 |
| 23 29 Kevin Harvick Chv 47.052 191.278 |
| 24 21 Trevor Bayne Frd 47.061 191.241 |
| 25 56 Martin Truex Jr Tyt 47.095 191.103 |
| 26 1 Jamie McMurray Chv 47.102 191.075 |
| 27 78 Regan Smith Chv 47.266 190.412 |
| 28 99 Carl Edwards Frd 47.285 190.335 |
| 29 43 Aric Almirola Frd 47.296 190.291 |
| 30 36 Dave Blaney Chv 47.453 189.661 |
| 31 13 Casey Mears Frd 47.671 188.794 |
| 32 87 Joe Nemechek Tyt 48.038 187.352 |
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"What goes here again"
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“Ya know, had I led just one more lap last year….”
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