Here’s the list of drivers who will run this week’s NASCAR Next Gen test at Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway has already hosted two tests of the NASCAR Next Gen car. This week, teams return for a third and final test run.
View the list of tentatively scheduled drivers who will run the Daytona test below.
A single car test previously took place on Dec. 15-16, 2020. An additional multi-car test with just eight teams occurred on Sept. 7-8.
NASCAR will start the test with the superspeedway configuration. The same rules package used last week in testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The package brings a target horsepower of 510 combined with a 7-inch rear spoiler.
Teams are allowed to bring two cars to the test. Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman are all competing in the Chili Bowl Nationals this week. Due to the shortage of available drivers, Hendrick Motorsports has selected Dale Earnhardt Jr to join William Byron in the test.
Dale Jr retired from the NASCAR Cup Series at the end of the 2017 season. He runs occasional NASCAR Xfinity Series events. He also ran the next gen car last year in a test at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Related: NASCAR sets official rules package for 2022
NASCAR comments
“I’d say we’re definitely close to being able to finalize the package,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer.
“I think now it’s just in the fine tuning. We were really comfortable with how the cars performed when they were down here in the past — both individually, and then when we got some multicar runs going. So this is just another opportunity for us to get all three OEMs down competing, look at the speeds that we’re running, look at how each OEM is out there competing and the race teams as well. We’ll take the data from there.
“We don’t expect any big surprises. I think we’re pretty confident in the direction we’re going, maybe a couple of tweaks in terms of the speeds, and then we’ll validate it and be ready for the 500.”
Related: Carl Edwards praises Next Gen car during discussion of a return
Drivers in Daytona test
Team | Drivers
Hendrick Motorsports
William Byron
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Team Penske
Joey Logano
Ryan Blaney
Austin Cindric
Roush Fenway Keselowski
Brad Keselowski
Trackhouse Racing
Ross Chastain
Daniel Suarez
Richard Childress Racing
Austin Dillon
Tyler Reddick
Hezeberg
Jacques Villeneuve
Petty GMS Motorsports
TBA
JTG
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Spire Motorsports
Corey LaJoie
Joe Gibbs Racing
Denny Hamlin
TBA
Wood Brothers Racing
Harrison Burton
Front Row Motorsports
Michael McDowell
Todd Gilliland
Rick Ware Racing
TBA
MBM Motorpsorts
Timmy Hill
Kaulig Racing
Justin Haley
Daniel Hemric
23XI Racing
Kurt Busch
Beard Motorsports, Live Fast Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing aren’t expected to be in attendance.
The Daytona 500 is scheduled Feb. 20, 2022. The season opens with a pre-season race in the LA Coliseum on Feb. 6.
Related: NASCAR drivers comment on the new Atlanta Motor Speedway
