NASCAR will test Monday and Tuesday at Richmond Raceway to try a new underwing for short tracks and road courses.
One purpose of the test is to try to limit the turbulence or “dirty air” when cars are racing in traffic. The teams also will run softer-compound tires from Goodyear during the sessions.
Christopher Bell (No. 20 Toyota), Harrison Burton (No. 21 Ford), William Byron (No. 24 Chevrolet), Justin Haley (No. 31 Chevrolet), Ryan Preece (No. 41 Ford) and Noah Gragson (No. 42 Chevrolet) will make up the group of test drivers.
This test was originally scheduled for New Hampshire. NASCAR moved it to Richmond after rain forced the postponement of the Cup Series race.
Elton Sawyer, NASCAR senior vice president of competition, appeared on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “The Morning Drive” on Tuesday. He provided more details about the upcoming test and set the timeline for when changes could take place.
“Basically, we’re just working on the short track package,” Sawyer said. “There is a new underwing – splitter if you will – that has been tested in the wind tunnel. Lot of (Computational Fluid Dynamic) work. Simulation has been done. It’s proven to be very positive from all of the testing we have done to date.”
Sawyer explained that the final test for this new short track package is to get it out on the track with multiple cars racing around each other. If the test goes well, NASCAR and its teams can begin prepping parts and pieces for use during the 2024 Cup season.
Rain forced the test to move to Richmond, but it was only one of the potential tracks where the drivers could test the new package. As Bell explained at Pocono, NASCAR had multiple options it could use for this test. Richmond and New Hampshire were both on the list.
“Me, personally, I probably don’t care, but I know a lot of guys pushed against Richmond with the tracks that NASCAR brought up,” Bell said during a media session.
“In our meeting, a lot of guys said that Richmond probably isn’t the place to do it because tire wear is so big and there is a pretty big difference between good cars on long runs, and not good cars on long runs. They were worried that the cars would get a little more separated at Richmond than they would at a place with low tire derogation like a place like Loudon.”
The location of the test may not be ideal for some drivers, but it provides an opportunity to directly compare and contrast. Bell and his fellow test participants will complete 400 laps around Richmond on Sunday (3 p.m. ET on USA Network). They will then immediately spend two days comparing the existing package to one that could go into use next season.
