NASCAR sends six cars to aerodynamic testing

Kevin Harvick’s Michigan race-winning Stewart-Haas Racing Ford is one of six NASCAR Cup series cars taken to the wind tunnel by the series to help inform its 2019 specifications.

Harvick’s No. 4 Ford will be joined by five other cars from Michigan for wind tunnel testing this week, with the Penske-run Ford of Brad Keselowski making up the two Blue Oval cars.

Chevrolet is represented by Austin Dillon’s Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Camaro and the No. 9 car of Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott.

The Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas of Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin are the Toyotas to be tested in the wind tunnel.

Harvick was informed not to celebrate with the customary burnout because the SHR machine was to head to the wind tunnel after the race. NASCAR says the tests are being conducted for engine audits and to study data ahead of a potential rules change next year.

“We try to find a track obviously where aerodynamics are going to play a bigger role, so we took six cars – two from each OEM – and they’ll be in the wind tunnel,” said NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell on NASCAR’s SiriusXM Radio

“Our process is to share (data) that with the OEMs and the race teams.

“It’s a good barometer for us for two things — to make sure we’re still in that box set for the current year and probably most importantly, we look to lock in 2019, that the baseline that we’re using matches up with all the data that we have in the system.

“So, it’s a good check on both for not only ’18, but future race packages as well.”

NASCAR previously took six cars to the wind tunnel after the race at Texas Motor Speedway in April, with Elliott, Harvick and Busch previously handing their cars over for inspection. The other three were Jamie McMurray, Joey Logano and Erik Jones.