BLOG: Earnhardt Jr. Hits 215 at MIS Test

Hoo-ah!

You might have read recently that NASCAR is thinking about taking some horsepower away from the new Gen-6 race car. In fact, you've read about it here.

Now you know why.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. ticked off a lap at better than 215 miles per hour today during testing at Michigan International Speedway.

Yep, you read it right: 215 mph. The all-time qualifying record for the series is 212.809 mph, set by Bill Elliott at Talladega in a Ford Thunderbird back in 1987.

It's not like the magic 200-mph barrier was a new thing at the recently repaved Michigan oval. Texas winner Joey Logano set the mark at MIS last year with a lap at nearly 204.

According to track president Roger Curtis, Earnhardt was clicking off laps at 203-plus during the test.

That is usually a voodoo number for NASCAR. Flash back to 1987 at Talladega, when Bobby Allison got into the catch fence on the front straight. That led to plate racing, which we still have to this day.

It's not just about slowing the cars down. It's about keeping them on their side of the fence and not out among the paying public. Insurance companies frown on that in a big way, and it's unsafe for fans at the track.

Even with the roof and cowl flaps designed to keep them with all four tires on the pavement, it's not fool-proof. Carl Edwards proved that at Talladega. 

If they stay that fast, and we really don't know what setup or aero package Earnhardt was running, then we'll likely have plates at Michigan as well.