9-13-2006 - Report on GM Busch test at Caraway Speedway

LYNNE HUNTTING - PressSnoop

General Motors held an intense, all-day Racing Driver Development Test Tuesday at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro NC. Sixteen "promising young drivers," ranging in age from 16 to 31, were in the group for GM to "meet and observe their on-track skills."

Tuesday was to have been the first of two days at Caraway, which in turn is part of a three-segment program. The drivers drove one of the two available NASCAR Busch Series cars. The cars had their 'baseline' setup done by veteran racer, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion, RON HORNADAY, Jr. Each driver was given 20 minutes for acclimation and setup, in the car based on the driver's size. During this time the driver worked with the crew, making any necessary changes. Then each driver got 40 minutes to run laps around the .455-mile asphalt oval mile short track oval.

It was a well-choreographed, well run session all day, with a full crew from Richard Childress Racing running two RCR NBS cars. They kept the cars turned around and running on track all day and night. On hand from GM was a full complement of GM Engineers from the various NASCAR programs, as well as a battery of Pratt Miller engineers. Each driver received a new full set of tires for his run, and they ran more than 1400 laps among them. After the test, RCR still had two Busch cars with all their fenders. Despite three or four spins, all drivers managed to keep the car on the road and no one hit anything.

Because of impending bad weather, the decision was made to run all day Tuesday and into the night under lights, rather than risk a Wednesday rain out.

The second part of the test will be 19-20 September 2006 at Dale McDowell Dirt School at North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth GA. There the drivers will be in Crate Engine and Open Engine Dirt Modified Cars.

The drivers will again run Busch cars for the third/last stage, on 10-11 October 2006 at Nashville Superspeedway in Nashville TN.

GM wasn't only (just) looking at who could turn the fastest laps. Among other considerations were consistency, smoothness, feedback, and performance improvement. Hornaday was watching for corner entry and throttle control among other things.

The drivers, all male, were a varied group.

One of them, sixteen-year old MARC DAVIS, is part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program. The teenaged African American is currently third in the points in the Limited Late Model Series at Hickory Motor Speedway, second in the Rookie Championship. His background includes quarter Midgets, Legends Cars, and Fastrucks.

CHASE AUSTIN, almost 17, came from Dirt Modifieds and is now running ASA Late Models and USAR ProCup, with more than 100 wins in various kinds of Motorsports. The young African American had previously been part of a Diversity program.

Three of the drivers have ties to the Dale Earnhardt family. JEFFREY EARNHARDT is the 17-year old son of KERRY EARNHARDT, and grandson of the late DALE EARNHARDT. He races Limited Late Models at Motor Mile Speedway with Richard Childress Racing. His teammate is ALLISON DUNCAN, one of this year's NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers.

CHAD McCUMBEE, 21, currently is seventeenth in the standings, second in the Rookie Championship for the Craftsman Truck Series which he runs full time. He portrayed DALE EARNHARDT, Jr in "3: The Dale Earnhardt Story." He finished fourth in the 2005 ARCA/Re/MAX Series and is an instructor at the Fast Track Driving School.

JAY GERST, 31, has a BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and is a Project Engineer for Dale Earnhardt Inc. He races Late Models at Hickory Motor Speedway, Tri-County Speedway and Motor Mile Speedway.

Two of the drivers come from an extensive road-racing background. RYAN HUNTER-REAY comes from an open wheel background, racing in the Barber Dodge Series, before winning the 2002 Toyota Atlantic Championship series. He moved up to the Champ Car series in 2003 and competed for two years, with two victories, in Australia in 2003 and on The Milwaukee Mile in 2004. He also has run in the Rolex Series, most recently in the season's finale last weekend at Miller Motorsports Park.

COLIN BRAUN, who turns 18 next week, has raced Quarter-Midgets, Karts, and at 14 years of age, won the Fran-Am 1600 Pro Series Championship as a Rookie, and the following year won the Formula TR Pro-Racing Championship. He has been running sports cars for the past two years in the Grand American Road Racing Rolex Series, and in July 2006 became the youngest driver to win a major American road race when he and co-driver/teammate, JORG BERGMEISTER won the Brumos 250 Rolex Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Bergmeister is the 2006 Rolex Series Daytona Prototype Champion. Braun finished fourth instead of first in the overall standings because he was prevented from competing in three of the 14 races due to his age at an event which had tobacco sponsorship.

After the Tuesday test, Braun was stoked. He really enjoyed it and thought he had been "pretty consistent and fairly fast." He thought he had learned a lot and met some great people. Braun is looking forward to the second stage of the program, running powerful Dirt Modifieds. He and RHR talked with Dirty School owner, DALE McDOWELL, about the 800+ hp engines, which was far larger than anything either had driven.

KODY SWANSON, 18, is the only driver from the West Coast. He has been running full-sized race cars for the past three years. He is the youngest USAC champion, with the 2005 USAC Western States Sprint Car Series Championship, and now runs full time in both USAC Western Sprints and Midgets.

TIM McCREADIE comes from an extensive background in Dirt Modifieds which he has been racing for the past ten years. He has more than sixty victories. For the past three years McCreadie has been running full time in World of Outlaws Dirt Late Models and is the current points leader. He won the 2006 Chili Bowl indoor USAC Midget race.

JOSH RICHARDS, 18, also started on dirt tracks, and has been running WoO Dirt Modifieds for the past two years, finishing seventh last year in his Rookie season.

LANDON CASSILL, 17, started in Karts, ran Legends and Modifieds and at 15 raced Late Models. He runs ASA, ASLMS and USAR ProCup.

JOEY LOGANO, 16, began with Quarter Midgets, then Bandoleros, winning the Pro National Championship at age 12. By 13, he was running Late Models, and ASA National Touring Series and Late Models at 14. Last year he ran full time in USAR Pro Cup, being the youngest driver to win a victory.

JASON SARVIS, 30, has been running stock cars for the past 11 years, including Late Models and USAR ProCup, winning the USAR Championship in 2002.

WOODY HOWARD, 24, started in Karts and then Legends. For the past six years he has been running stock cars including Late Models. For the past two years he has been running full-time in USAR ProCup Northern Division and was the 2005 Rookie Champion.

DREW HERRING, 19, began with Bandoleros, then Allison Legacy Series and now Late Models, which he has been running the past four years. He is the current points leader at South Boston Speedway.

JEREMY CLEMENTS, 21, started with Karts and Late Models, on dirt and asphalt. He has raced in the ARCA RE/MAX and NASCAR Busch Series, and he builds racing engines.