Clayton News Daily

From Staff Reports

Tire testing is currently underway at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as four NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers assist the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in preparing the preeminent tire for Atlanta's first NASCAR Sprint Cup night race, the Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sept. 6.

Goodyear is tasked with preparing the first tire for Sprint Cup night racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the company is utilizing NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray and Tony Stewart in the two-day Goodyear Tire Test.

"It's definitely tough to prepare a tire for a night race [in Atlanta], because there are unknowns going into a night race - how fast is the track going to be and where do we need to have many of our settings," said Busch, who won the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March.

"I felt like the tire was just fine in March, obviously. With the way our car handled and we drove it into Victory Lane, I wouldn't change a thing.

But, we've got a night race now, so we're here working with Goodyear to find something better and make the racing more exciting.

All four participating drivers have higher-average finishes in night races than afternoon races in 2009.

In five-2009 night races, Stewart has the highest average night race finish of the four at 2.4, compared to his season average of 7.6.

Of the remaining drivers, Hamlin has an average night race finish of 8.2 (13.4 for the entire season), Busch has an average of 10.6 (12.5) and McMurray's average night race finish is 14.6 (20.2).

Tire testing will continue until 10 p.m. on Monday evening. Goodyear testing will resume at 2 p.m. on Tuesday and continue until 10 p.m.

Both days are closed to the public.