The Buzz: Technology coming to Homestead

NASCAR has scheduled an open test date for this fall -- complete with data acquisition systems -- when Homestead-Miami Speedway reopens with reconfigured 20-degree banking.

The track is currently being rebuilt to change the virtually flat, six-degree banked turns of the 1.5-mile South Florida oval to a variably banked 20-degree maximum at both ends.

The season finales for NASCAR's three national touring series: Winston Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck, are all scheduled between Nov. 14-16 at Homestead.

With the Adam Petty Garage Area at Pocono Raceway being washed with a steady rain Saturday, Winston Cup crew chiefs and car owners were called to small group meetings in NASCAR's office trailer with Winston Cup director John Darby.

They were told the schedule for the Ford 400 would include an open test day on Wednesday, Nov. 12 in which the cars would be allowed to run with onboard telemetry systems.

Currently, that data acquisition technology is allowed at tests, including NASCAR's Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway in January, but has never been allowed during an event weekend.

Winston Cup teams will be allowed to change engines and dismantle their onboard telemetry on Thursday, when Busch and Craftsman Truck Series teams are scheduled to begin practice.

The standard Winston Cup weekend will begin Friday with practice and Bud Pole Qualifying for the season's 36th event.