Smoother Daytona greets Cup drivers in first day of testing

Smoother Daytona greets Cup drivers in first day of testing


Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Service
(December 15, 2010)

The newly repaved Daytona International Speedway surface, as expected, has more grip than the rough, aged one that had gone 32 years without a repaving.
Sprint Cup drivers got their first chance to drive racecars on the new surface Wednesday, the first day of a two-day tire test for Goodyear. Eighteen teams elected to participate, while more than 40 are expected for the NASCAR open test scheduled for Jan. 20-22 at the 2.5-mile oval.
Drivers apparently were comfortable going three-wide around Daytona, which is narrower than Talladega and typically featured two-wide with only occasional three-wide racing in the past.
“It is going to make for more exciting racing, more aggressive racing,” Jeff Gordon said. “I don’t think we’re going to see the two-car bump-drafting (for separation from the pack) like we saw at Talladega, but I think you’re going to see a lot of three-wide racing, which here typically in the past, getting more than two-wide, you could only do it for a short period of time.
“You’ll be able to see us race here three-wide lap after lap after lap.”
Teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the first driver to take to the new surface during a day of single-car runs as well as drafting.
“They smoothed out all the bumps,” Earnhardt said. “The track is real smooth. It’s got a lot of grip. The track reminds me a lot like Talladega was like when they first finished it (a few years ago)."

Travis Pastrana gets first taste of driving stock cars
Travis Pastrana began the process of learning how to go fast in a stock car this week.
Pastrana, a supercross, freestyle motocross and Rally star, turned his first laps in a stock car Monday and Tuesday as he tested a K&N Pro Series East car at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.
Pastrana plans to compete in seven Nationwide races in 2011 and hopes to make his NASCAR debut in an East car by qualifying for the Toyota All-Star Showdown next month at Irwindale, Calif.
“This is the biggest challenge that I’ve ever had,” Pastrana said Tuesday. “It’s going to take a lot of time. I’m willing to put the time in. There’s going to come a time when I need to focus on this more, and that time is quickly approaching. I’m not taking it easy this first year, but to kind of understand and get a background of the entire sport.”
Pastrana, 27, has partnered with Michael Waltrip Racing to form Pastrana Waltrip Racing.
During the test two-day test, Pastrana turned about 350 laps under the guidance of Nationwide Series crew chief Jerry Baxter and driver coach Matt Crafton.
“My main goal is not look like an idiot this year and hopefully next year we can come in with a better game plan and really start doing well,” Pastrana said.