NASCAR bans 2009 testing to save money

HOMESTEAD, Fla. - NASCAR has suspended all testing at its sanctioned tracks next season in a cost-cutting measure that should help teams save several million dollars in their 2009 budgets.

The moratorium, announced Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, bans testing at any NASCAR-sanctioned track, including facilities where its low-level Camping World East and West series races.

"Hopefully, it's a temporary situation," said NASCAR president Mike Helton, who estimated the move will save "in the range of 10s of millions (of dollars) to the industry."

The suspension is an about-face from just a few months ago, when NASCAR considered expanding the testing schedule to as many as 24 days at any track. It also includes the traditional "preseason" Daytona 500 testing, which NASCAR used to promote its season-opening showcase event.

"The ultimate decision was that the best-case scenario was no means no, and it being applied across the board for the entire season," Helton said. "There are other ways we can promote the start of the season."

Reaction was mixed among drivers, who generally loathe the midweek test sessions but value the data that's gathered. Although Jimmie Johnson is poised to win his third consecutive Sprint Cup title in Sunday's season finale, he struggled at the start of the year with NASCAR's new car and used extensive testing to kick-start his season.

"I think it's a mistake," Johnson said. "I do understand and recognize that we need to cut expenses. ... Now we're going to need to focus on other ways to collect data or create simulation programs or machines to create on-track activity and then test at tracks that may not work and on tires we won't race on and try to find a baseline.

"It's going to slow things down and make it more expensive. We still have to get on the track. We still have to test. We cannot sit still."

Reutimann earns pole: David Reutimann grabbed his first pole position in the Sprint Cup Series, while Jimmie Johnson will attempt to win his third-straight championship from the 30th starting spot Sunday in the Ford 400.