=== Day one of testing at Charlotte rained out ===
 
 Concord,  NC  (Sports Network) -  Persistent rain  forced NASCAR to cancel the
 first  of a two-day Sprint Cup Series test session at Charlotte Motor Speedway
 on Thursday.
 
 Thirty-three  Sprint Cup teams are scheduled to participate in testing at this
 1.5-mile  racetrack,  as they continue  to familiarize themselves with the new
 sixth  generation or  "Gen 6"  race car  for the  2013 season.  NASCAR is  not
 extending  the  test to Saturday,  but weather  permitting, is giving teams an
 extra 90 minutes on Friday. There is no rain in the forecast for the Charlotte
 area  tomorrow but  temperatures are expected to  be in the low 40s during the
 afternoon.
 
 A two-day test session was held at Charlotte last month, but several teams did
 not  participate  in it. Teams  did test the redesigned  car this past week at
 Daytona  International  Speedway. The  season-opening Daytona 500 is scheduled
 for Feb. 24.
 
 Since  there  is a current short  supply of parts  and pieces for the new car,
 teams are behind in their preparations for the upcoming season.
 
 "Obviously, this is the first new car we've had in quite a few years, so being
 behind  is not a  bad thing when you have new cars," said Brian Pattie, who is
 the  crew  chief for Clint  Bowyer's No. 15  Toyota at Michael Waltrip Racing.
 "We're not where we were 12 months ago, as far as prepping for Daytona."
 
 Each of the three auto manufacturers in NASCAR's top series -- Chevrolet, Ford
 and  Toyota  -- have designs  on its new  cars that are considerably different
 from the most recent ones used in the sport from 2007-12.
 
 01/17 14:59:41 ET

Powered by The Sports Network.