TESTING AT THE MILWAUKEE MILE EQUALS SUCCESS FOR NASCAR CUP TEAMS

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (June 30, 2008) – Testing for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams continues in earnest at The Milwaukee Mile. The importance of testing at The Mile was evident in the final race results of Sunday’s rain-shortened ‘Cup race in Loudon, N.H.

The one-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway oval is similar in size, banking and shape to The Milwaukee Mile. Seven drivers among the top-17 finishers, including race winner Kurt Busch, paid recent visits to The Mile for one or more days of testing with their teams.

Sixth-place finisher Reed Sorenson was at The Mile last Monday, while seventh-place finisher Casey Mears scored his fourth top-10 finish of the season after spending two test days at The Mile this month.

Defending series champion Jimmie Johnson tested his actual Loudon Sprint Cup car at The Mile on Wednesday, a move the team indicated it rarely made a practice of – testing their primary race car the day before it had to be at a ‘Cup Series race. Johnson finished 9th on Sunday.

Other drivers that fared well on Sunday that logged testing laps at The Mile recently were 14th place finisher Kevin Harvick, and 17th place runner Carl Edwards.

Busch and teammate Ryan Newman, who finished 15th on Sunday, tested what appeared to be their primary ‘Cup cars at The Mile this past Tuesday.

The Wood Brothers, with full-time NNS driver Marcus Ambrose, are testing at The Mile today.

Nine days of testing are already booked by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams in mid-July and in late August, around the time of The Mile’s August 22-24 Governor’s Cup weekend, which features NASCAR stars Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch competing in a 100-lap super late model race on Sunday, August 24th.

An important factor for many ‘Cup teams is the reality that New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosts another ‘Cup race this fall, which is the first race in the 10-race NASCAR Chase to the Sprint Cup Championship, on September 14th.

A quick study of physical similarities to ‘Cup tracks and The Mile reveal opportunities for teams to use valuable information gained in testing at America’s Legendary Oval for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races yet this season on the schedule in Richmond, Va. (Sept. 6), Loudon, N.H. (Sept. 14), Martinsville, Va. (Oct. 19) and in Phoenix, Ariz. (Nov. 9).

NASCAR currently has a rule against testing at tracks that hold NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events.

Similarly, NASCAR has a rule against NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) teams and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) teams testing at a venue they conduct a race at, thus there was no NNS or NCTS testing at The Mile prior to the speedway’s recent Camping World Summer Speed weekend, which featured both NASCAR series in back-to-back nights.