Hendrick Motorsports teammates gear up for Preseason Thunder

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –  Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne  return to the track next week for preseason testing of the 2013 Chevrolet SS Sprint Cup race car at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The Hendrick Motorsports teammates will participate in the Jan. 10-12 Preseason Thunder activities, which include the three-day NASCAR Sprint Cup test and an autograph session with fans.

Those unable to attend the testing sessions can tune in to SPEED or SPEED.com for live coverage. Beginning Jan. 10, SPEED.com will stream the morning sessions and SPEED will televise the afternoon ones. Click here for the Preseason Thunder schedule of activites.

The Hendrick Motorsports drivers are eager to get back on the track with the 2013 Cup cars.  Most recently, Kahne topped the charts at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in his No. 5 Chevrolet, clocking speeds of 193.771 mph around the 1.5-mile oval. This time, however, Kahne and his teammates will get an opportunity to try drafting in the recently unveiled 2013 race car.

“I’m excited to race it and drive it,” Kahne said. “I’ve done a little bit of the testing and really enjoyed it. The car looks great and NASCAR is working hard to give us the right rules to create some good passing. Hopefully we can pass a little more than we have the past year and be a little more competitive. I’m excited to drive it; I’m looking forward to it and 2013.”

Wristbands still are available for Kahne’s Jan. 10 autograph session with fans. Reservations for wristbands can be made by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online. Click here for more information.