NASCAR has confirmed that it will schedule an additional Sprint Cup Series test at Lowe's Motor Speedway ahead of the All-Star and Coca-Cola 600 races in an effort to help teams get to grips with the Car of Tomorrow.
Teams will get two days of running at Lowe's, over 5-6 May, and will be able to test in a maximum four of the proposed five sessions. The additional outing also brings the number of permitted tests this season up to seven, the same as last season.
"We received input from the teams last weekend at Phoenix, and a vast majority of them were receptive to adding a test next month at Lowe's," vice-president of competition Robin Pemberton told
nascar.com, "We always strive to work with the teams and do what is in the best interest of the competitors.
"We have 17 events ahead of us on intermediate tracks, and the additional test allows the teams the opportunity to learn more about the new car, work on their set-ups and adjustments, and apply that information to these future races."
While Lowe's track president HA Wheeler welcomed the test as a means of improving the spectacle when racing returns to the Speedway two weeks later, the session should also help avoid a repeat of the tyre problems that affected the Atlanta race earlier this season.
"Hopefully, the additional track time will provide [the teams] the opportunity to find some things that will help when they come back two weeks later," Wheeler commented, "We want the fans to see the best racing of the season when they come to Charlotte.
The Charlotte test will now replaced the Goodyear tyre test scheduled for 22 April, but Texas Motor Speedway boss Eddie Gossage is hopeful that an additional session could be put in place prior to the series' return later in the year.
“Although I am disappointed that NASCAR did not react in time for a test session we proposed prior to the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, I have to applaud them for finally listening to the teams and the tracks about this growing situation," he noted.
