NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers were on track at Atlanta Motor Speedway participating in test sessions for the second straight week on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, ahead of the 2016 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Weekend. Jamie McMurray, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Bobby Labonte and David Ragan, again subbing in for Carl Edwards in the No. 19 car, were all on hand for a closed Goodyear tire test.
The Goodyear test followed a Sprint Cup Series open team test last Thursday in which teams were testing the low-downforce aero package that will be used full time next season and for the first time at Atlanta.
Inclement weather shortened the sessions on both days, but cars were eventually able to log laps after jet dryers worked overtime to prepare the track for safe driving. Tuesday, drivers worked predominantly on short runs, while longer runs were the name of the game on Wednesday.
Often, Goodyear will invite a handful of teams to participate in a tire test as they prepare a new tire customized for optimal performace at specific tracks. Atlanta Motor Speedway’s aged, rough surface popular with many drivers, combined with the new aero package in 2016 prompted the track to host the test in preparation for the unique racing anticipated in next season’s Sprint Cup Series event. – See more at: http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/media/news/drivers-wrap-two-day-goodyear-tire-test-atlanta-motor-speedway.html#sthash.mEDuqj3B.dpuf
