Fontana will be “trial by fire” for NASCAR Next Gen tires
Harvick, who received wrecked out of previous Sunday’s Daytona 500 and finished 30th, thinks the two-mile monitor will establish an “aggressive” test for the new-sized tires, which attribute a substantially lower-profiled sidewall.
He thinks that no amount of pre-race simulation can put together for the demands that lie in advance in this Sunday’s 400-miler in California.
“When you go to Fontana, a two-mile racetrack where you have the most intense tire falloff of all the racetracks we go to, it’ll be demo by fireplace,” explained Harvick. “It’s just not like nearly anything else, and not figuring out about the automobile, that is in which I go back again to apply and make absolutely sure that you are concerned in all the things which is heading on, since making positive that you consider treatment of the tires, and generating absolutely sure you can make them previous, is going to be exceptionally essential.”
Harvick thinks that tire management will be the crucial to achievement at Fontana, as the keep track of hasn’t been resurfaced given that it was designed in 1997.
“It’s usually tire administration, it is often moving around the racetrack – becoming capable to operate the prime and the bottom – but this automobile is so unique in the way that it employs the tires, and the way it utilizes the suitable-rear tire, particularly,” stated Harvick. “I think as you search at that, it could transform into a tire conservation kind of scenario to where just have to decide on a velocity and operate the velocity so you can make it by means of a total fuel operate. You just really don’t know those people items until finally you go do it, so currently being ready to adapt and adjust is going to be significant.”
Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Mobil 1
Photo by: Jasen Vinlove / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Harvick mentioned he has no concerns in excess of the spares source chain difficulties that groups have faced in the off period with the new auto heading into Fontana. Even so, mishaps there or at the other two functions in NASCAR’s early-period West Coastline swing – Las Vegas and Phoenix – could produce complications if cars and trucks get torn up and precious enhancement time is lost to repair work.
“I feel for Fontana, due to the fact it’s the 1st one, you are going to be organized from the store,” claimed Harvick. “When you go from the initially race to the second race to the 3rd race, you are almost certainly going to devote some time in a single of individuals two racetracks’ garages operating on the car, getting ready it for the following 7 days.
“So our trailers and things are well prepared properly, but it’s not like functioning in your shop. There’s going to be a lot of racetrack garage and parking good deal perform that will go on.
“Between the Daytona 500 and the West Coast swing, you can set a enormous damper on the to start with 50 percent of your yr if you’re not very careful, just since of the truth that the progression with the motor vehicle has to be there. If everything’s torn up, the progression of the auto slows down because our activity is all about facts, and you simply cannot detail the car to the point that it demands to be detailed in get to make it operate as rapidly as it requires to operate.
“Not getting torn-up racecars is as vital as anything in coming household from the West Coast swing.”