By BRANT JAMES, Associated Press
Published January 14, 2004
DAYTONA BEACH - Race car drivers don't get too excited about car tests, especially at a track such as Daytona International Speedway, where aerodynamics take many responsibilities away. One lap around, two laps around, back to the garage. Have some crackers. One lap around. Two laps around.
These sessions, the second of which began Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway, are for engineers. They're a time to check, tweak and, they hope, not have to ship a dented car back to the shop as Michael Waltrip's team did Jan. 6.
"It is a little monotonous," said Bobby Labonte, who joined 26 other drivers on Tuesday. "But it does give our team an opportunity to come down here and learn a few things."
But even an engineer/driver such as Ryan Newman has a tough time enjoying himself.
"The driver has very little to do with making the car go fast here," he said. "You make the car go faster in the garage area here. It's not a whole lot of fun to test here."
But very important, Ricky Rudd said, especially because the season's biggest race - the Feb. 15 Daytona 500 - is the first on the Nextel Cup schedule.
"That's why these test sessions are probably more important than maybe we realize," he said. "Because this is the only real experience we have preceding the Daytona 500."
TIMES: Another Dale Earnhardt Inc. car led the morning session of testing for teams that finished in even slots in driver points last season. A week after Waltrip dominated testing in the No. 15 Chevrolet, John Andretti covered the 2.5-mile track Tuesday at 187.044 mph in the No. 1. Andretti was faster (187.516) in the afternoon but Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet was best at 187.535.
POINT MADE: One would think Jeff Gordon, as a four-time Winston Cup champion, would have strong opinions about upcoming changes to the system that determines the points victor. Though he said he does not care for it, he admits the proposed playoff system will add a lot of interest for fans (read: television viewers), and that's why he thinks a change was made.
"This isn't a driver-based points system," he said. "This is an entertainment-based points system."
NOT INTERESTED: The Indianapolis Star reported in Monday's editions that International Speedway Corporation, which owns tracks including Daytona International Speedway, had a presence at the Dec. 30 bankruptcy hearing for Championship Auto Racing Teams.
ISC spokesman David Talley said that his company is not interested in bidding on the faltering open-wheel series, and that the company's presence at the hearing was a representative of 88 Corp., an ISC subsidiary that owns California Speedway. That track is seeking reimbursement of a $2.5-million sanctioning fee for the cancellation of its CART race this fall. CART claimed the track canceled the race because of wildfires.
Open Wheel Racing Series, made up of three CART team owners, has submitted a bid to purchase the circuit. A judge will review all bids on Jan. 28.
HAIR RAISING: Gordon is sporting a new look these days, bootcamp-buzzed.
"It's the offseason, you try to mix it up a little," he said. "The first time I did it, I had the guy who normally does my hair come over and do it. The second time, I did it myself. I missed a spot."
IROC CHANGES: The International Race of Champions will quadruple its first prize to $1-million and most likely move three of its four races, IROC president Jay Signore said. The season opens Feb. 13 at Daytona, but other races this season likely will be at Texas, Richmond and Atlanta. On Thursday, Crown Royal will be introduced as the new sponsor, replacing True Value.
