Test winds down, fuel cell lobbying heats up
CONCORD, N.C. -- There weren't as many wrecks on the final day of Nextel Cup testing at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but the lobbying continued Wednesday for the reinstatement of the 22-gallon fuel cell.
Working with a fuel cell that will hold 13 to 14 gallons, the 48 teams that tested got a feel for the newly repaved 1.5-mile oval. And they should plan, despite their lobbying, to keep that fuel cell, according to Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby.
Darby said NASCAR could change the fuel cell prior to the May 20 Nextel All-Star Challenge or the May 28 Coca-Cola 600, but there is "not a lot" of chance that it will happen.
"The one thing we haven't done yet is we haven't run a 600-mile race," Darby said Wednesday night prior to the end of the two-day session. "You can't simulate 43 cars running 600 miles."
Reed Sorenson, Carl Long and Chad Chaffin were the only drivers who hit the wall Wednesday, a day after seven drivers either spun or hit the wall in the first few hours.
"We did some things to get it to turn better, and it turned better," Sorenson said with a laugh. "The one we crashed ran really good this morning, and then we got loose and backed her in the fence."
The fastest speed posted Wednesday was David Stremme's lap of 186.929 mph, still much lower than the track record of 193.216 mph set by Elliott Sadler last October.
The drivers were mostly fighting a tight condition in practice.
"I'd say the glass is half-full right now," said track President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler. "It's a combination of new asphalt and a hard tire. That's something we've seen before.
"The question is can they adjust to it? ... I think it is as much a driver challenge as it is mechanical. You can't go into the corners as deep, you can't get in the throttle as fast, so you've got to redefine what you're doing."
While drivers tried to negotiate the surface, they again said that the new, harder tire will run for many laps. Because of that, they want the return of the 22-gallon fuel cell.
"Had we been on the old tires, this fuel cell thing made some sense," said Jeff Gordon. "With this tire, it makes zero sense. I'm really shaking my head trying to understand [it]."
Greg Biffle said he expects NASCAR changes its stance, if not for a May race then for the October one.
"We are definitely going to see the larger fuel cell back at some point in the near future," he said. "With the tire wear we're seeing and how consistent the cars are running, I wouldn't be surprised if we did see them back."
Darby said he is happy with the tire and the speeds.
"The tire may be a little too hard, and the fuel small cell may or may not be necessary," Darby said. "Those are things we don't know for sure yet. ... It's real easy to second-guess any decision right now.
"It's real easy to point at the tires and say it's too hard. And it's real easy to say, 'My car doesn't drive like I want it to.'"
Darby noted that all cars will have 17-gallon fuel cells for next season. He said the Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series will keep the 22-gallon cell for Charlotte because their tire issues were different than those in Nextel Cup.
