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A three-day test turned into a two-day test for many teams in pre-season NASCAR at Daytona International Speedway.
The twelve-car wreck was started in the afternoon when Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned Marcos Ambrose's car on the back straight while the teams were testing pack draft racing.
Earnhardt said “And we got off of (turn) two and I was trying to push him (Ambrose) a little bit and had a hard time getting our bumpers kind of lining up. There's a roll bar on the front end of my car and his car - that's the first time I pushed it forward and his car sat up on top of that roll bar. And then I was kinda wheel barreling him around a little bit and we ended up getting turned I guess.”
Earnhardt, who was driving a Chevrolet, said the new “Gen-6” racers bumpers didn't line up as easily as the older COT cars.
The Australian Ambrose, sporting a full black beard like a backwoods tree logger, said “I got Junior pushing me. He's just a great drafter, really can feel it well. I guess, you know, I just got caught on the edge of the bumper there and just with the shaped noses and the tires, just spun me out.
“I got a couple shots from him down the backstretch and we carried some steam. Just the third shot just spun me out. So I definitely think it's a consequence of the new shape, and like a downforce, the car's very light and it doesn't take much.”
Others involved included Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Regan Smith, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Aric Almirola.
Because this was a new body with new construction most teams didn't have a backup car and those who didn't had to leave the test with one more day scheduled.
Before the wreck 2011 Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne was with a lap of 199.650 mph in a Roush Fenway Racing Ford while in the draft. In the morning, in single car runs Richard Childress Racing's Jeff Burton was quickest 194.805 mph around the 2.5 mile superspeedway in a Chevrolet.
There were other moments of half spins including one involving Greg Biffle.
“The cars are stuck less and they are looser,” said Biffle. “That is good for racing. It is good for the fans. It will make it more exciting and make pit strategy come into play. If you put tires on, you will be able to go faster. I think all of that is good. This is going to be a heck of a race. I like that the cars were sliding around and hard to drive. It will make it a fun race.”
Source: Fox Sports/Speed
The twelve-car wreck was started in the afternoon when Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned Marcos Ambrose's car on the back straight while the teams were testing pack draft racing.
Earnhardt said “And we got off of (turn) two and I was trying to push him (Ambrose) a little bit and had a hard time getting our bumpers kind of lining up. There's a roll bar on the front end of my car and his car - that's the first time I pushed it forward and his car sat up on top of that roll bar. And then I was kinda wheel barreling him around a little bit and we ended up getting turned I guess.”
Earnhardt, who was driving a Chevrolet, said the new “Gen-6” racers bumpers didn't line up as easily as the older COT cars.
The Australian Ambrose, sporting a full black beard like a backwoods tree logger, said “I got Junior pushing me. He's just a great drafter, really can feel it well. I guess, you know, I just got caught on the edge of the bumper there and just with the shaped noses and the tires, just spun me out.
“I got a couple shots from him down the backstretch and we carried some steam. Just the third shot just spun me out. So I definitely think it's a consequence of the new shape, and like a downforce, the car's very light and it doesn't take much.”
Others involved included Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Regan Smith, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Aric Almirola.
Because this was a new body with new construction most teams didn't have a backup car and those who didn't had to leave the test with one more day scheduled.
Before the wreck 2011 Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne was with a lap of 199.650 mph in a Roush Fenway Racing Ford while in the draft. In the morning, in single car runs Richard Childress Racing's Jeff Burton was quickest 194.805 mph around the 2.5 mile superspeedway in a Chevrolet.
There were other moments of half spins including one involving Greg Biffle.
“The cars are stuck less and they are looser,” said Biffle. “That is good for racing. It is good for the fans. It will make it more exciting and make pit strategy come into play. If you put tires on, you will be able to go faster. I think all of that is good. This is going to be a heck of a race. I like that the cars were sliding around and hard to drive. It will make it a fun race.”
Source: Fox Sports/Speed