As NASCAR Cup Series teams prepare for practice at Bowman Gray Stadium, crews are setting up their workstations in an unconventional location—the parking lot behind the fieldhouse, just outside Turns 3 and 4. With space at a premium at the historic quarter-mile bullring, teams will have to make the most of their limited setup area.
Minimal Pre-Practice Work Needed
Unlike a typical race weekend where teams must go through a lengthy inspection process before hitting the track, much of that work has already been completed. That means crew members won’t have a long to-do list before practice begins. Instead, their focus will be on final setup adjustments, including:
• Installing shocks to fine-tune handling for the tight, flat corners.
• Mounting tires, which will be the fall Martinsville tire, providing some familiarity with its characteristics.
• Making last-minute tweaks based on driver feedback and track conditions.
Tight Quarters, Tight Racing
With no traditional garage space, teams must adapt to working in the open—a throwback to NASCAR’s early days. The Bowman Gray Stadium layout leaves little room for error on the track, and that extends to pit operations as well. Crews will need to be efficient and precise as they dial in their setups for what promises to be an intense night of racing.
With practice set for 6 PM ET on FS1, teams will have only a short window to gather data and make adjustments before the real action begins. At a track where track position is everything, every lap in practice will be critical in determining who has the best shot at conquering The Madhouse.
