Getty Kurt Busch will return to AMS for a Next Gen test.
All three national NASCAR series are about to test out the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway and provide some feedback. Select Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series teams will test out AMS before three NASCAR Cup Series drivers take some laps.
According to FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, there are some details available about the upcoming Goodyear test. The Truck Series and Xfinity Series teams will test out AMS on Tuesday, January 4. NASCAR has not announced which teams will take part in these tests, but they will likely not have media coverage based on Goodyear keeping previous tests private.
Testing next Thurs, Jan. 6th, at @amsupdates for the Next Gen car and on this brand new surface. Narrower groove in turns, different transition at end of straights, and, most notably, added banking in turns.
The tests will continue with two days featuring three Cup Series drivers. RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher will represent Ford while Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain will represent Chevrolet. 23XI Racing’s Kurt Busch will round out the group while driving a Toyota.
The Final 2 Days Will Have an Effect on Horsepower Package Decisions
While the tests will remain closed to the public, there will be extra attention on them due to their role in important decisions. NASCAR officials will examine the data from these Cup Series sessions while continuing to evaluate options for horsepower and aerodynamics packages.
The sanctioning body announced on December 21 that the majority of tracks on the Cup Series schedule will have 670 horsepower and four-inch spoilers. This includes short tracks, intermediates, and road courses. The only exceptions are Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway that focuses on pack racing.
Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, explained that the upcoming tests in January would play a role in making decisions about horsepower packages. Atlanta Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway will each host sessions as the teams provide critical feedback.
“Yeah, we’re close,” O’Donnell said on December 21, per NASCAR Media. “We’ve done a number of tests already but our next step in the process for superspeedways will be in Atlanta, early January to confirm what package we want to put on that race track. We expect that to be the superspeedway package. Then from there, we’ll go to Daytona on the 11th and 12th of January, and really what we’re looking at there is the speed of the car.
“So there’s potential we could shorten the spoiler a little bit. We’ve made some cooling adjustments to the car that affected a little bit of the drag of this car, so we want to make sure that the speeds are commensurate with where we’ve run in the past. So getting some extra laps on the car, both days getting the teams more familiar with the car at the Daytona and then we’ll finalize it coming out of that test.”
The Superspeedway Packages Take Over 6 Total Races in 2022
GettyAric Almirola (bottom) and Brad Keselowski (right) practice at Daytona.
Nailing the horsepower and aero packages is critical considering the number of races at these three tracks. The regular season opens with the Daytona 500 — a prestigious Crown Jewel — and then it ends at Daytona International Speedway with one final opportunity for bubble drivers to reach the playoffs.
Talladega Superspeedway hosts two races — one in the regular season and one in the playoffs. The spring race will take place on April 24 and will provide an extended look at the superspeedway package while potentially sending another driver to the playoffs. The fall race will take place in the middle of the Round of 12 and will create stress among playoff drivers due to the expectation of numerous crashes and potential rain delays.
Atlanta Motor Speedway, which will use the same superspeedway package, will have two appearances during the regular season. The reconfigured track will first debut in the fifth week of the season. It will then return in the middle of the summer as some points become even more important for bubble drivers.
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