Drivers, teams prep for next stage in preseason shakedowns

NASCAR confirmed Tuesday a total of 33 drivers as participants in the next round of preseason testing, scheduled Thursday and Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The test will be the second go-around at the 1.5-mile track for the sixth-generation NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car, which will make its debut this season. The new model, which bears a much closer resemblance to its street-car counterpart, hit the pavement for its first official test at the Concord, N.C., facility Dec. 11-12 of last year.

The entry list for the Charlotte test has two fewer cars than last week's Preseason Thunder test at Daytona International Speedway, but the cast of characters is slightly changed. Regan Smith, Austin Dillon, Josh Wise, Travis Kvapil and David Reutimann tested at Daytona, but will not be in Charlotte for practice runs. But David Ragan and David Stremme, both absent from Daytona, will participate at the Charlotte test.

Smith is scheduled to enter the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 24 in the Phoenix Racing No. 51 Chevrolet. Dillon is scheduled to make his debut in the Great American Race in a fourth entry from Richard Childress Racing.

Testing at Charlotte is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET each day. Admission is free.