Fuel injection, ethanol gas likely for NASCAR in 2011

CONCORD, N.C.

The only question about fuel injection in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series is when it will be added.

Not far behind could be the use of an ethanol-based fuel.

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, said plans call for fuel injection to debut next season. Use of an alternative fuel also could come next year.

"We should have some more answers probably in the next 21 days," Pemberton said about fuel injection. "I'd say we're on target, hopefully for early 2011."

As for using an ethanol-based fuel, Pemberton said: "We're still looking at the fuel and what ratio percentage that we will use when we get there. Our goal when we set out... was to happen in 2011. "

SLOW GOING

Speeds were slower Tuesday as teams adjusted to running with a spoiler instead of wing at Tuesday's test session at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Testing continues today.

Juan Pablo Montoya posted the day's best speed at 185.976, more than 6 mph slower than Jimmie Johnson's pole-winning speed last fall.

Montoya ran his time in the morning, when conditions were cooler but before NASCAR allowed teams to change gears to gain more speed.

Drivers said the spoiler made the car slower in the straightaways but faster in the corners. Kyle Busch said he was unsure if teams will match Johnson's pole-winning lap when the series races here in May.

Many drivers were less concerned about speed than getting through a checklist of items during the rare two-day test. NASCAR prohibits such testing, but this session was added because of the spoiler, which returns to competition this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

Behind Montoya on Tuesday's speed chart was Sam Hornish Jr. at 185.893 mph. Next was David Reutimann at 185.861.

Paul Menard was the fastest in the afternoon with a lap of 185.312 mph.

EARNHARDT EXPLAINS RANT

Dale Earnhardt Jr. downplayed his profanity-laced tirade toward crew chief Lance McGrew during Sunday's race at Bristol.

It happened shortly after Earnhardt was penalized for speeding on pit road and had to relinquish his top-five spot to restart in 26th place. McGrew told Earnhardt not to "lay down" the rest of the race, leading Earnhardt to fire back.

"You're going to have days where you get a little hot on the radio, and I haven't really been hot on the radio in a long, long time," he told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "When we're running pretty good and you can almost reach that top five or see yourself almost in a position to get a win, and it gets snapped away from you that quick, man, it's hard to bite your tongue.

"Running my mouth, that's my pop-off valve. It gives me a little bit of relief, so I could get back to what I was doing. It's open for interpretation, I guess. Lance handled it pretty good. I was at no point mad at him."

PARAMETERS SET

Pemberton said the spoiler will be 63 inches wide and 4.5 inches tall for Talladega next month. Also, he said the restrictor plate will be cut 1/32 of an inch to

15/16 of an inch. That's smaller than what they ran at the test when they cut back the restrictor plate size after speeds, according to some teams, topped 210 mph.