Results tagged “Sprint Cup Series” from Haddock in the Paddock

Sam Hornish Jr., a three-time Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion and winner of the 2006 Indianapolis 500, is making his debut in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year.
He has spent most of his professional racing career in open-wheel race cars. This will be his first full season in a stock car, joining Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman at Penske Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Roger Penske also owns a two-car team in the Indy Racing League.
But Hornish told reporters at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where all the Cup teams were testing Monday, that the Indianapolis 500 was the reason he became interested in auto racing. And given the opportunity, he would race in the Indy 500 in May, despite a grueling NASCAR schedule.

Sam Hornish Jr., a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for Penske Racing, says he's not ruling out entering the Indianapolis 500.
Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

"If it was up to me, I would," Hornish said. "It really depends how things are going over here. I think Roger and I have talked about it a couple of times. There's obviously nothing set."
Few NASCAR Cup drivers have even attempted to race the Indy 500. The schedule these days hardly allows for it. The Coca-Cola 600, one of the biggest races in NASCAR, is run the same day as the Indianapolis 500. The start times for both races are too close for any driver to attempt both races.
But Hornish, who will be a rookie in Cup this year, will have to maintain a position in the top 35 in the owners standings to ensure a starting spot in every Cup race. If he struggles in Cup, another Indy 500 start might be in his future.
"I think if we're to a point where we feel confident with how we're doing over here, it's not going to hurt us, that we would try it," Hornish said. "But I would say it's still way more not going to happen than could happen. So we'll just see how the first couple months of this season play out. Hopefully, if I don't get to race there this year, maybe next year."

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams are in Las Vegas testing and preparing for the upcoming season. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sam Hornish Jr. and Denny Hamlin met with reporters during the test session Monday at
Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Some of the questions directed at Dale Earnhardt Jr. were about the Daytona 500.
Earnhardt Jr. has one Daytona 500 victory to his credit. His father, Dale Earnhardt, won the Daytona 500 only once in his career. And it came late in his career, after repeated near misses and hard luck.
Earnhardt Jr. said racing for as long as his father did without winning the Daytona 500 was one thing that frightened him.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and crew cheif Tony Eury Jr. prepare for testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

"It scared me to death that I would be racing for 20 years still trying to get the win," Earnhardt Jr. said. "How many times will you have the opportunity, be in good cars, to be able to do it? I always worried that I would lose all the Daytona 500s in the cars that I should have won it in. That's kind of how it went for him."
Earnhardt Jr. won his only Daytona 500 driving a car for Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team his late father founded. Earnhardt won his only Daytona 500 while driving for Richard Childress Racing. The one race that Earnhardt Jr. remembers being particularly difficult to watch was the 1990 Daytona 500, when Earnhardt cut a tire on the last lap while leading.
"The 1990 Daytona 500, when he cut that tire on the backstretch, that was one of the hardest things to understand," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I was a sophomore in high school, old enough to really kind of understand what was going on around me. I just couldn't believe that – I know there's worse things that can happen to you, and there's people that deal with worse, people that have it hard.
"But, dang, man, I wanted that race so bad. That was such a rough way to go. I didn't know what kind of person he was going to be when he got home, whether my daddy was going to be different the rest of his life."
Apparently, the elder Earnhardt took it well. Well enough as can be expected. It made an impression on Earnhardt Jr. and taught him how to deal with adversity.
"You know, he dealt with it," Earnhardt Jr. said. "That made me admire him more. You know, that made me hopefully a better person just experiencing that and being that close to him and watching him go through it. When I deal with those type of things, when you deal with losses, when things don't go your way, maybe I'm better off having witnessed him do it."
Earnhardt Jr. still has a hard time believing he already has one Daytona 500 victory and he's glad he doesn't have to endure the struggles his father did with that race.
"But, yeah, I mean, I went into my first Daytona 500 with a pretty decent car," Earnhardt Jr. said. "After that we just kept getting better. I think I've had cars that should have won that race about every time I've been in it. That would have been frustrating. That's what I was scared of, that I would look back over 20 years without the trophy saying, 'Dang, I had 18, 15 opportunities, 15 cars that could have won it, and I didn't get it done.' That would be hard to live with.
"But, I tell you, I didn't think I was gonna win it. I damn sure didn't think I was going to win it in my fifth try. That's crazy."

Kyle Busch was the top driver in both test sessions at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday.
Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images for NASCAR

It's only testing, but Toyota has to be happy with the past three days at Daytona International Speedway.
Kyle Busch, driving his new Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, was the fastest driver in both sessions Wednesday at Daytona.
Jimmie Johnson was the fastest driver in the first two days of testing. J.J. Yeley posted the fastest time in Tuesday's afternoon session, the first time drivers were allowed to draft.
While the times and speeds might have been surprising for some, Busch said he expected his cars to be fast.
"The team that I'm with, the 18 team, has struggled a little bit the past couple years," Busch said. "You know, so far at the Atlanta test, we pretty much won that thing. Then we went to Lakeland and we were really good down there. We had J.J. Yeley and the 96 was there with us. We were I think -- I don't know what exactly the times were, but we were significantly faster than he was. And then here in Daytona, everything's went well here, too. Our single-car runs have been getting better. We seem to be pretty fast there."
A.J. Allmendinger, driving a Toyota for Red Bull Racing, was also among the top drivers testing Wednesday. Johnson's car was still in the top five during the morning session.
"Jimmie Johnson was the fastest one for the past two days," Busch said. "Yesterday, mid afternoon, we actually got to within half a 10th of him, so we were proud of that effort. I'm excited about the way all the guys are working, really digging in deep, making changes really fast in order to get out there and just get more track time."

Kyle Busch (18) and Juan Pablo Montoya (42) practice drafting during Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway.
Sam Greenwood / Getty Images for NASCAR

Here's a look at the times from Wednesday's session:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Wednesday morning testing speeds from the first wave of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing in preparation for the 50th running of the Daytona 500:

1. 18, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 47.927, 187.786
2. 84B, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 48.032, 187.375
3. 16A, Greg Biffle, Ford, 48.075, 187.207
4. 2B, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 48.075, 187.207
5. 48B, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 48.090, 187.149
6. 24B, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 48.101, 187.106
7. 41B, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 48.116, 187.048
8. 8A, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 48.150, 186.916
9. 8B, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 48.206, 186.699
10. 07A, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 48.225, 186.625
11. 1B, Martin Truex, Jr., Chevrolet, 48.269, 186.455
12. 99A, Carl Edwards, Ford, 48.271, 186.447
13. 27A, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 48.295, 186.355
14. 70A, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 48.299, 186.339
15. 18B, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 48.309, 186.301
16. 00B, David Reutimann, Toyota, 48.329, 186.224
17. 42A, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 48.348, 186.150
18. 41A, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 48.373, 186.054
19. 17B, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 48.374, 186.050
20. 17A, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 48.378, 186.035
21. 00A, David Reutimann, Toyota, 48.590 185.223
22. 5B, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 48.809, 184.392
23. 2A, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 48.811, 184.385
24. 84A, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 48.856, 184.215
25. 27B, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 48.951, 183.857
26. 19B, Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 48.974, 183.771
27. 78A, Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 48.975, 183.767
28. 45A, Kyle Petty, Dodge, 49.022, 183.591
29. 24A, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 49.040, 183.524
30. 96B, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 49.058, 183.456
31. 7A, Robby Gordon, Ford, 49.068, 183.419
32. 19A, Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 49.147, 183.124
33. 1A, Martin Truex, Jr., Chevrolet, 49.178, 183.009
34. 98A, Jason Keller, Dodge, 49.331, 182.441
35. 28B, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 49.361, 182.330
36. 33, Kirk Shelmerdine, Chevrolet, 49.450, 182.002
37. 42B, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 49.475, 181.910
38. 07B, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.518, 181.752
39. 70B, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 49.762, 180.861
40. 28A, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 49.889, 180.400
41. 7B, Robby Gordon, Ford, 50.354, 178.735

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Wednesday afternoon testing speeds from the first wave of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing in preparation for the 50th running of the Daytona 500:

1. 18B, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 47.662, 188.830
2. 17B, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 47.747, 188.494
3. 41B, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 47.894, 187.915
4. 24B, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 47.914, 187.837
5. 1B, Martin Truex, Jr., Chevrolet, 47.922, 187.805
6. 84B, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 47.922, 187.805
7. 5B, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 48.040, 187.344
8. 8A, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 48.049, 187.309
9. 99A, Carl Edwards, Ford, 48.089, 187.153
10. 16B, Greg Biffle, Ford, 48.104, 187.095
11. 2A, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 48.104, 187.095
12. 42B, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 48.107, 187.083
13. 00B, David Reutimann, Toyota, 48.111, 187.067
14. 28A, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 48.118, 187.040
15. 48B, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 48.121, 187.029
16. 42A, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 48.122, 187.025
17. 18, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 48.129, 186.997
18. 07B, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 48.157, 186.889
19. 2B, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 48.163, 186.865
20. 28B, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 48.210, 186.683
21. 19A, Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 48.384, 186.012
22. 41A, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 48.413, 185.900
23. 70A, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 48.462, 185.713
24. 16A, Greg Biffle, Ford, 48.474, 185.667
25. 27A, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 48.482, 185.636
26. 45A, Kyle Petty, Dodge, 48.516, 185.506
27. 00A, David Reutimann, Toyota, 48.544, 185.399
28. 84A, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 48.598, 185.193
29. 27B, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 48.789, 184.468
30. 78A, Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 48.945, 183.880
31. 96B, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 48.998, 183.681
32. 98A, Jason Keller, Dodge, 49.241, 182.775
33. 33, Kirk Shelmerdine, Chevrolet, 49.304, 182.541
34. 17A, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 49.621, 181.375
35. 07A, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.654, 181.254
36. 70B, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 49.851, 180.538

No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Alan Gustafson and his new driver, Casey Mears, discuss setup in the garage during the first day of Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway.
Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images for NASCAR

With the departure of Kyle Busch to Joe Gibbs Racing, Casey Mears inherits the No. 5 Chevrolet team, which has qualified for the Chase the past two years, at Hendrick Motorsports.
For a driver who has won one race in those two years, qualifying for the Chase might be a hefty order. But expectations will be high for Mears, especially at Hendrick Motorsports, a team that has won the past two Cup championships and has six between drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.
"I've always felt like I need to win, you know, I mean, from the time I started in racing," Mears said to the media during testing at Daytona International Speedway. "I've never raced and been satisfied with being mediocre at best. I think ever since I came to this level, you know, with the first team I was with, now being at Hendrick Motorsports, anything that I ran before I came to this level, we won races and did well. It's been frustrating the first few years I've had in this sport."
Hendrick Motorsports won half the Cup races last year, with Johnson leading the way with 10. Gordon had six with Mears and Busch each winning one. Mears won the Coca-Cola 600 last year. But he was the only driver from Hendrick who didn't qualify for the Chase.
"But now I really feel like being with Hendrick Motorsports, got a win under my belt last year, obviously I think going into this year, like we've said, I feel like we're a lot more prepared to be successful out of the gate," Mears said. "The fact that they've had the success in the 5 team the last couple years doesn't make me nervous, it kind of makes my excited. I get really excited at the opportunity, the fact that these guys have been there, done it, the experience is there."
Mears said his team "can definitely make the Chase this year." He even went so far as to say his team can contend for the championship. Every driver in the Chase has a legitimate shot at the Cup once the 10-race playoff starts. But making the Chase will be the challenge for Mears.
"Obviously our goals are high this year," Mears said. "We want to make the Chase. I feel like we definitely need to make the Chase, and then we'll go from there."

Kyle Busch is used to success. The young driver, the newest member of Joe Gibbs Racing, won his share of races and became a Chase qualifier in his brief time with Hendrick Motorsports.
But repeating that kind of success might be a bit of a challenge at Joe Gibbs Racing.
No doubt the team has a history of winning races and championships, from Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte to Denny Hamlin. But the team made the switch to Toyota engines in the off-season and things didn't go so well for Toyota in 2007.
Toyota teams struggled to qualify for races. Few were among the top-35 in the owners standings, and thus able to earn automatic starting spots in races. Only one finished the year in the top 35.
Busch said he isn't worried about the performance of Toyota teams, especially his at Joe Gibbs Racing.
"I mean, I'm not necessarily going to say that it's the team or myself. I'm confident enough in the Toyota, because we're talking about Toyota here, that they're going to make it to Victory Lane," said Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. "I feel like the Gibbs organization, and everybody said it, is ultimately going to be the telltale story of how good Toyota's going to be."
Toyota made its debut in Cup last year with three teams: Red Bull Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Bill Davis Racing. In three days of testing at Daytona International Speedway, Toyotas have been surprisingly fast. Busch was among the top 10 fastest drivers in the first two days of testing. Jacques Villeneuve, from Bill Davis Racing, and J.J. Yeley, from Hall of Fame Racing, were among the top drivers in Tuesday's sessions.
"You still have Red Bull, who has been a strong effort," Busch said. "Obviously they came down here prepared and ready to go. They've been pretty fast, as well as Bill Davis, the 27 with Villeneuve, has been good. There's going to be a couple more down here next week. Be curious to see how the rest of them do. It's not a stretch at all to say that Toyota's going to be in Victory Lane, no."

After getting his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win and making the Chase for the Sprint Cup last year, Clint Bowyer sets his sights on a Daytona 500 victory.
Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images for NASCAR

Clint Bowyer was last year's surprise of the Chase. The only driver to qualify for the Chase without a win, Bowyer vaulted into championship contention by winning the race at New Hampshire International Speedway, the first race of the Chase.
He didn't win again, but he never completely dropped out of contention either.
He became a fan-favorite during the Chase, and even earned the accolades of track owner Humpy Wheeler at one point.
Wheeler said Bowyer is the type of driver NASCAR needs to attract its core audience again.
“Obviously, somebody who is as successful as he is and who has been around as long as he has, says something, it’s comforting and gratifying. But I’m just a kid from Kansas who is getting paid to do what he loves to do," said Bowyer, driver of the No. 07 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. "I love racing. I’d race every day of the week if I could – probably more on dirt than asphalt. But given the opportunity, I’m not going to turn it down."
Bowyer might be one of the most down-to-earth drivers in Cup. What is for certain, he is one of the few Cup drivers who does not own a tie. He apparently needed to buy a tie and a suit for the NASCAR awards banquet last year.
"My PR guy told me I had to go get a suit for the banquet and all the media stuff in New York," Bowyer said. "So I went and got a suit and I think I wore the tie one time and I had to have him come tie it.”
Richard Childress Racing, which also has Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton as drivers, was the only team to have all of its drivers qualify for the Chase. Bowyer finished highest in the standings among the three. The team will only get stronger this year after joining forces with Dale Earnhardt Inc. on their engine program.
"There are a lot of changes going on, especially with the engine department," Bowyer said. "And I really feel good about the changes Richard has made. I think that’s only going to be a positive in the future. It’s going to take a little time, but it’s going to be a good thing for not only our shop, but for DEI also. I’m excited about the future of the engine shop and about our future."

Jeff Gordon (24), Juan Pablo Montoya (42) and Kurt Busch (2) draft during the second day of Preseason Thunder NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing at Daytona International Speedway.
Sam Greenwood / Getty Images for NASCAR

Jimmie Johnson was again the fastest driver in the second day of testing at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR's Preseason Thunder.
Surprisingly, a pair of Toyota drivers turned some fast laps at the track as well. Jacques Villeneuve, the new driver for Bill Davis Racing, had the second fastest lap in the morning session. J.J. Yeley, the newly named driver of the No. 96 Toyota for Hall of Fame Racing and a satellite team of Joe Gibbs Racing, was the fastest driver in the afternoon session, the first time the drivers were allowed to race in the draft.
Lee White, the senior vice president of Toyota Racing Development, made some bold statements about how the Toyota drivers and teams will perform during next month's NASCAR races at Daytona.
“I’m optimistic that we have a shot to compete for the pole, win one or both of the 150s and have a couple of guys contend to win the race," White said. "That’s why we’re here -- to contend, to compete and have a shot. We’ll see how it turns out."
For what it's worth, Yeley turned in the fastest lap of the day when he was on the track with the likes of Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer, all drivers who made the Chase last year. About half the Cup teams were testing at Daytona, the teams that held odd-numbered places in the owners standings as of July 17, 2007. Teams in the even-numbered spots, including Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s, as of July 17 will test next week at Daytona.
"There’s some really strong competition," White said. "There are good teams here. It’s going to be fun. I can’t wait until next week when Dale Jr. runs in the Hendrick stuff because those guys have been really strong yesterday and today.”
Here's a look at the test times:

Tuesday morning testing speeds from the first wave of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing in preparation for the 50th running of the Daytona 500:

1. 48A, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 48.711, 184.763
2. 27B, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 48.792, 184.456
3. 28B, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 48.875, 184.143
4. 5B, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 48.899, 184.053
5. 84B, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 48.900, 184.049
6. 96B, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 48.951, 183.857
7. 24A, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 48.964, 183.809
8. 18B, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 48.973, 183.775
9. 5A, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 49.020, 183.599
10. 18, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 49.056, 183.464
11. 00A, David Reutimann, Toyota, 49.129, 183.191
12. 1A, Martin Truex, Jr., Chevrolet, 49.142, 183.143
13. 84A, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 49.146, 183.128
14. 00B, David Reutimann, Toyota, 49.167, 183.050
15. 96A, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 49.242, 182.771
16. 17B, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 49.265, 182.685
17. 24B, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 49.296, 182.571
18. 16B, Greg Biffle, Ford, 49.316, 182.497
19. 16A, Greg Biffle, Ford, 49.321, 182.478
20. 78A, Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 49.331, 182.441
21. 98A, Jason Keller, Dodge, 49.337, 182.419
22. 8A, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 49.344, 182.393
23. 7A, Robby Gordon, Ford, 49.344, 182.393
24. 45A, Kyle Petty, Dodge, 49.362, 182.326
25. 07A, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.362, 182.326
26. 41A, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 49.380, 182.260
27. 42B, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 49.393, 182.212
28. 27A, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 49.410, 182.149
29. 19A, Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 49.420, 182.113
30. 42A, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 49.446, 182.017
31. 28A, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 49.449, 182.006
32. 2A, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 49.478, 181.899
33. 70A, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 49.499, 181.822
34. 2B, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 49.511, 181.778
35. 99A, Carl Edwards, Ford 49.524, 181.730
36. 7B, Robby Gordon, Ford 49.545, 181.653
37. 19B, Elliott Sadler, Dodge 49.552, 181.627
38. 33, Kirk Shelmerdine, Chevrolet, 49.576, 181.539
39. 17A, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 49.609, 181.419
40. 41B, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 49.643, 181.294
41. 48B, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 49.702, 181.079
42. 07B, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.758, 180.875
43. 70B, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 49.795, 180.741
44. 1B, Martin Truex, Jr., Chevrolet, 49.840, 180.578
45. 8B, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 49.942, 180.209

Tuesday afternoon testing speeds from the first wave of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing in preparation for the 50th running of the Daytona 500:

1. 96A, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 48.036, 187.359
2. 2B, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 48.047, 187.317
3. 18B, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 48.090, 187.149
4. 78B, Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 48.093, 187.137
5. 17A, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 48.094, 187.134
6. 41A, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 48.095, 187.130
7. 00B, David Reutimann, Toyota, 48.121, 187.029
8. 1A, Martin Truex, Jr., Chevrolet, 48.129, 186.997
9. 48B, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 48.157, 186.889
10. 7B, Robby Gordon, Ford, 48.181, 186.796
11. 1B, Martin Truex, Jr., Chevrolet, 48.217, 186.656
12. 24B, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 48.240, 186.567
13. 8B, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 48.240, 186.567
14. 16A, Greg Biffle, Ford, 48.315, 186.278
15. 42A, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 48.321, 186.254
16. 8A, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 48.330, 186.220
17. 19A, Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 48.332, 186.212
18. 5A, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 48.368, 186.073
19. 99B, Carl Edwards, Ford, 48.446, 185.774
20. 70A, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 48.474, 185.667
21. 27A, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 48.686, 184.858
22. 28A, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 48.734, 184.676
23. 48A, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 48.780, 184.502
24. 18, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 48.794, 184.449
25. 27B, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 48.809, 184.392
26. 28B, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 48.810, 184.388
27. 96B, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 48.928, 183.944
28. 00A, David Reutimann, Toyota, 48.961, 183.820
29. 5B, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 48.990, 183.711
30. 45B, Kyle Petty, Dodge, 49.050, 183.486
31. 84A, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 49.128, 183.195
32. 7A, Robby Gordon, Ford, 49.128, 183.195
33. 84B, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 49.132, 183.180
34. 17B, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 49.190, 182.964
35. 16B, Greg Biffle, Ford, 49.240, 182.778
36. 99A, Carl Edwards, Ford, 49.250, 182.741
37. 98A, Jason Keller, Dodge, 49.250, 182.741
38. 78A, Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 49.261, 182.700
39. 41B, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 49.308, 182.526
40. 07A, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.317, 182.493
41. 42B, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 49.358, 182.341
42. 45A, Kyle Petty, Dodge, 49.446, 182.017
43. 33, Kirk Shelmerdine, Chevrolet, 49.515, 181.763
44. 07B, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.586, 181.503
45. 2A, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 49.616, 181.393
46. 70B, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 49.683, 181.148

J.D. Gibbs has been the president of Joe Gibbs Racing since 1997 and has been running the three-car NASCAR Cup team since his father, Joe Gibbs, went back to coaching the Washington Redskins in 2004.
But Joe Gibbs has always been the owner of the team and looks like he will be returning in some capacity in the family NASCAR operation now that he has retired from NFL coaching again.
“Obviously, it’ll be great to have him back here on a regular basis," J.D. Gibbs said. "It’s a biased opinion because he’s my dad, but there’s so much that he brings to the table. He has such a gift for leading a team. He’s been coaching for 40 years and a leader of this race team since we formed it in 1992. Having him back will be a huge encouragement to our 430 families and a benefit to all of our corporate partners."
Joe Gibbs will be one of the advisers for Dan Snyder, the owner of the Redskins, and will have some involvement with the race team.
"I know my dad loves the Redskins and thinks the world of Dan Snyder," J.D. Gibbs said. "As a huge Redskins fan myself, I’m thrilled he will remain in partnership with Dan as a consultant, helping the Redskins wherever he can in the years to come."
What role Joe Gibbs will specifically have with the NASCAR team has yet to be revealed. J.D. Gibbs apparently will not relinquish his title as president and looks like he will be handling the day-to-day operations of the team.
“As far as my role with the team goes – nothing changes, just like nothing really changed when he went back to the Redskins in 2004," J.D. Gibbs said. "I guess it’s a good thing I never moved into his office. We’re all working really hard to win races and championships, just like we always have.”
Joe Gibbs Racing has three cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. They are driven by Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch. All three drivers made the Chase last year in the Cup series, but Busch was a driver for Hendrick Motorsports last year.

Former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve is one of three drivers from the open-wheel ranks making the move to NASCAR in 2008.
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Jacques Villeneuve is one of three open-wheel stars making the switch to NASCAR this year. Dario Franchitti and Sam Hornish Jr., Indy Racing League drivers last year, are the other two.
Villeneuve will be driving the No. 27 Toyota for Bill Davis Racing in 2008. He was among those testing at Daytona during NASCAR's Preseason Thunder. It was his first time at Daytona in a stock car. But it was not his first time racing a restrictor-plate stock car. Villeneuve was in the fall race at Talladega Superspeedway last year, his first in a Cup car.
Villeneuve said he was enjoying his time in the car during the test at Daytona.
"There’s more driving here than there was in Talladega," Villeneuve said. "You really have to get the setup right to get a good lap. Drafting is going to be interesting I think. I think racing at Talladega will be helpful. Slightly different, but it’s going to be beneficial because they are the two most similar tracks. It will be beneficial mostly because the other guys know I can do it now, and they won’t be worried with me in the middle of the pack.”
Villeneuve said he hasn't had a chance to talk with the other Cup drivers during the first two days of the test session at Daytona. But he has been able to work closely with his new crew chief, Slugger Labbe.
“Whenever you go testing, you get to the track early, leave late, go for food and go to sleep," Villeneuve said. "When you come testing, there’s no time to mingle or chat, so unfortunately, I haven’t had much time to talk to some of the other guys. Me and Slugger, have been making progress throughout the two days, which means we’re communicating properly – both with him and the guys on the team.”

Roush Fenway Racing driver Matt Kenseth said during Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway every team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is chasing Hendrick Motorsports.
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There was a time when Roush Fenway Racing rivaled Hendrick Motorsports. They were by far the best two teams in NASCAR.
Not anymore. Hendrick Motorsports dominated the 2007 season. It won the Chase, with Jimmie Johnson, won the first Car of Tomorrow race, with Kyle Busch, won half the Cup races. Johnson led all drivers with 10 wins and it was apparent Hendrick Motorsports were the first to figure out the Car of Tomorrow.
Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, said every team at the Cup level has to find a way to do things better than Hendrick Motorsports.
"You got to try to make your cars better," said Kenseth, one of two drivers from Roush who qualified for the Chase last year. "You got to try to call races better. You got to try to do all that. The whole thing. You got to work on the whole thing from driving the car to setting it up to pitting it to everything. You just got to try to, you know, dot all your Is and cross all your Ts, do everything the best you can to beat them guys. Right now they're the guys you're looking at the top that you're trying to knock off."
But having to use the Car of Tomorrow in every race in 2008 is going to present a problem for team trying to narrow the gap. The Roush teams were able to win a few Car of Tomorrow races by the end of last year, but clearly Hendrick teams had an edge in those races.
"So we're just trying to get everybody kind of more on the same page than maybe what we did before because there is less things we can do to it to customize it to your own driving style and that type of thing," Kenseth said.

Like it or not, Mark Martin is the face of Dale Earnhardt Inc., now that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has moved on to Hednrick Motorsports.
Even though Martin Truex Jr. was the only driver from DEI to make the Chase last year, Martin, a part-time driver on the team, is the biggerst star at the newly formed four-car operation.
DEI will actually have five drivers for its four cars, with Aric Almirola sharing driving duties with Martin in the No. 8 Chevrolet for the team, the car Earnhardt Jr. used to drive.
Martin came within inches of winning his first Daytona 500 last year and was the early leader in the Cup standings for the first few weeks of the season, but was adamant about only running a partial schedule.
During NASCAR's Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway, Martin talked with the media about life at DEI now that Earnhardt Jr. is gone and working with the young drivers on the team.
“It’s more than just status quo. I think there is tremendous potential at DEI for the growth to be very productive," Martin said. "The merger last year was something that was hard to get your arms around. They had two cars shooting for the Chase and then they had one car in the Chase and it was a very delicate situation."
The three-car DEI operation merged with Ginn Racing, the team Martin started the season with, midway through the 2007 season. Truex, Earnhardt Jr. and Paul Menard were with DEI and Martin shared the No. 01 car with Regan Smith in Cup races.
Truex qualified for the Chase. Earnhardt Jr. narrowly missed the Chase and did not win a race last year.
"We didn’t want to do anything that would hamper Dale Junior’s shot at making the Chase. And once it started, you didn’t want to do anything but give Martin their best shot at winning the championship," Martin said. "So they weren’t able to really completely merge the thing until afterwards. Some of the work was being done, but a lot of it had to wait until the end of the season. Now that everyone is in one building, it’s really going to bear fruit."
Martin said he was encouraged by how cooperative the teams have been since merging. It's at a level he did not see previously at DEI.
"And I will say that everyone is going to work together like never before at DEI," Martin said. "Not even the No. 1 and the No. 8 have worked as closely together as they’re going to be able to do moving forward. Now having four great cars with really good people, they’ve always had a good staff there, but now they have a really good staff under the same roof, working together for one common goal. And that is to be a powerhouse in NASCAR. And I don’t think that happens overnight. But I certainly think that it is coming and that they’re on track to do that."
One thing Martin is looking forward to is working with the young drivers on the team.
"Everything is full speed ahead. The attitude is fantastic," Martin said. "I can’t tell you what it’s like to go to the race track and be around such enthusiastic people. To be a small part of DEI and work with Martin, who is an incredible talent, and to work with Paul Menard, who has yet to show everyone what he really can do. And everybody knows how I felt about Regan (Smith) and Aric. So it’s just a terrific opportunity for me to work with some of the best up-and-coming talent in NASCAR."
And one thing Martin finds hard to believe is that he is racing for the team the late Dale Earnhardt started.
"It touches my heart. It goes all the way back to 1981 when I started racing with Dale Earnhardt," Martin said. "I raced against that No. 8 Busch car that Dale and Teresa owned back in the mid-80s and I had some spirited battles. It’s hard for me to believe that all that through the eighties and nineties; and now for me to work there and to be a part of that is incredibly important to me because I’m old enough to recognize what history really means. I don’t think you can really understand that when you’re a kid. So, for me, it’s incredibly special.”

Kyle Busch turned his first laps with his new team at Joe Gibbs Racing on Monday at Daytona International Speedway.
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Kyle Busch had one of the fastest cars in the two testing sessions, his first with his new team Joe Gibbs Racing, at Daytona International Speedway on Monday. He was in the top 10 in both sessions and had the fourth fastest lap in the morning session.
“Everything went well," said Busch, driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. "I’m really proud of the way the Joe Gibbs Racing team and Toyota stepped up prepared and ready to go. The cars have been driving well and have had some speed, which is nice. It’s hard to come down here and try to find something. I think we’re pretty good."
His old teammates, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears from Hendrick Motorsports, had the fastest cars of the two test sessions. Busch was the only driver from Joe Gibbs Racing on the track. His teammates Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin will test next week at Daytona.
"We’re not as fast as some of the guys, but we’re decent and where we need to be," Busch said. "The biggest thing will be to get the car to handle well in the draft.”
One of the things Busch noticed about his new car is that it handles much differently than he anticipated.
“It does move around a lot more," Busch said. "We had a really smooth setup in the beginning, but found some speed by getting it to roughen up a bit. It’s weird because with the old car, you were faster the smoother you were. This car’s a bit different, but the key will be getting it to run fast for two laps and handle well for 500 miles.”

Greg Biffle remembers getting his first NASCAR Winston Cup win at Daytona International Speedway. He also remembers racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series when NASCAR opened its 50th anniversary season at Daytona.
“This place holds a special place in my heart, getting my first-ever win which was then the Winston Cup Series," said Biffle, driver of the No. 16 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, during Monday's test session at Daytona. "To get my first win here was pretty neat. I remember starting in the Craftsman Truck Series, my first year was the 50th anniversary of NASCAR, so to have an opportunity to win the 50th running of the Daytona 500 is a thrill.”
His first times on the track were not that fast. He was 16th fastest in the morning session, 28th in the afternoon. Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears, drivers from Hendrick Motorsports, topped the test sessions. Surprisingly, Jacques Villeneuve and A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota drivers, were near the top of the speed charts in both sessions as well.
Here's a look at the times from Monday's test session:

Monday morning testing speeds from the first wave of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing in preparation for the 50th running of the Daytona 500:

1. 48A, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 48.706, 184.782
2. 5B, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 48.761, 184.574
3. 5A, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 49.027, 183.572
4. 27B, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 49.092, 183.329
5. 84B, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 49.101, 183.296
6. 84A, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 49.167, 183.050
7. 24A, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 49.169, 183.042
8. 18, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 49.199, 182.931
9. 18B, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 49.200, 182.927
10. 96A, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 49.260, 182.704
11. 00A, David Reutimann, Toyota, 49.319, 182.485
12. 96B, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 49.340, 182.408
13. 42A, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 49.400, 182.186
14. 28A, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 49.404, 182.171
15. 27A, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 49.418, 182.120
16. 78A, Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 49.432, 182.068
17. 16B, Greg Biffle, Ford 49.453, 181.991
18. 00B, David Reutimann, Toyota, 49.481, 181.888
19. 16A, Greg Biffle, Ford, 49.502, 181.811
20. 2B, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 49.519, 181.748
21. 17A, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 49.541, 181.668
22. 19A, Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 49.553, 181.624
23. 99A, Carl Edwards, Ford 49.555, 181.616
24. 42B, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge 49.558, 181.605
25. 41A, Reed Sorenson, Dodge 49.575, 181.543
26. 45A, Kyle Petty, Dodge 49.593, 181.477
27. 07A, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.596, 181.466
28. 98A, Jason Keller, Dodge, 49.607, 181.426
29. 99B, Carl Edwards, Ford, 49.632, 181.335
30. 41B, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 49.636, 181.320
31. 17B, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 49.660, 181.232
32. 1A, Aric Almirola, Chevrolet, 49.734, 180.963
33. 7A, Robby Gordon, Ford, 49.748, 180.912
34. 33, Kirk Shelmerdine, Chevrolet, 49.821, 180.647
35. 7B, Robby Gordon, Ford 49.880, 180.433
36. 2A, Kurt Busch, Dodge 49.884, 180.419
37. 8A, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 49.906, 180.339
38. 1B, Aric Almirola, Chevrolet, 49.993, 180.025
39. 07B, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.997, 180.011
40. 70A, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 50.064, 179.770
41. 8B, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 50.171, 179.386
42. 70B, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 50.405, 178.554

Monday afternoon testing speeds from the first wave of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing in preparation for the 50th running of the Daytona 500:
1. 48A, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 48.735, 184.672
2. 5B, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 48.852, 184.230
3. 5A, Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 48.891, 184.083
4. 18, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 48.896, 184.064
5. 84B, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 48.918, 183.981
6. 27B, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 48.973, 183.775
7. 24A, Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 49.010, 183.636
8. 28B, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 49.025, 183.580
9. 00A, David Reutimann, Toyota, 49.043, 183.512
10. 18B, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 49.052, 183.479
11. 1A, Aric Almirola, Chevrolet 49.082, 183.367
12. 84A, A.J. Allmendinger, Toyota, 49.122, 183.217
13. 96A, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 49.233, 182.804
14. 42B, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 49.250, 182.741
15. 00B, David Reutimann, Toyota, 49.256, 182.719
16. 70A, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 49.287, 182.604
17. 19A, Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 49.292, 182.585
18. 8A, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 49.353, 182.360
19. 78A, Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 49.369, 182.301
20. 27A, Jacques Villeneuve, Toyota, 49.369, 182.301
21. 98A, Jason Keller, Dodge, 49.375, 182.278
22. 17B, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 49.377, 182.271
23. 96B, J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 49.383, 182.249
24. 28A, Travis Kvapil, Ford, 49.386, 182.238
25. 07A, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet 49.402, 182.179
26. 99A, Carl Edwards, Ford, 49.403, 182.175
27. 2B, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 49.408, 182.157
28. 16B, Greg Biffle, Ford, 49.461, 181.962
29. 42A, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 49.511, 181.778
30. 45A, Kyle Petty, Dodge, 49.526, 181.723
31. 41B, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 49.537, 181.682
32. 33, Kirk Shelmerdine, Chevrolet, 49.551, 181.631
33. 17A, Matt Kenseth, Ford, 49.564, 181.583
34. 16A, Greg Biffle, Ford, 49.567, 181.572
35. 99B, Carl Edwards, Ford, 49.567, 181.572
36. 78B, Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 49.626, 181.357
37. 41A, Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 49.656, 181.247
38. 7B, Robby Gordon, Ford, 49.658, 181.240
39. 07B, Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.692, 181.116
40. 7A, Robby Gordon, Ford, 49.770, 180.832
41. 2A, Kurt Busch, Dodge, 49.773, 180.821
42. 48B, Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 49.797, 180.734
43. 8B, Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 49.878, 180.440
44. 1B, Aric Almirola, Chevrolet, 49.885, 180.415
45. 70B, Jeremy Mayfield, Chevrolet, 49.916, 180.303

Jimmie Johnson, winner of two straight NASCAR Cup championships, wants to join Cale Yarborough as the only driver to win three Cups in a row and has his sights on reaching Jeff Gordon's mark of four Cup titles.
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No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing crew chief Brandon Thomas meets with his new driver J.J. Yeley in the garage at Daytona International Speedway.
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Toyota drivers J.J. Yeley, pictured at left, and A.J. Allmendinger were among those testing at Daytona International Speedway. For Allmendinger, it was his second year with the Red Bull Racing Team.
Yeley is in his first year with Hall of Fame Racing, a satellite team of Joe Gibbs Racing. He was in the No. 18 car for Gibbs last year, but was moved to the No. 96 car for Hall of Fame Racing, in part to make room for Kyle Busch, who is the new driver of the No. 18 car.
Two of the big three for Joe Gibbs Racing were not part of the test. Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin will have their first test sessions on Jan. 14. Busch was part of the test Monday, one of five Toyotas on the track.
Yeley didn't offer too many details about his test, but said it was good for his team.
“We’re pretty happy with how things went," Yeley said. "We were playing with some things during the first session, but so far, I’m real impressed with the Toyota engine and the car here at Daytona.”
Allmendinger said he was encouraged by his first test. It was quite a difference from last year's first tests in the Toyotas.
“We weren’t bad this morning," said Allmendinger, driver of the No. 84 Toyota for Red Bull Racing. "Our guys did a lot of work to get the bodies right in the off-season and Toyota has stepped up their game. It’s a combination of everything. We’re only three hours in to a long process, but last year at this time, I don’t think we were ahead of anyone after the first session. We’ve definitely had a better start and that gives us something to build on.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr., left, and Casey Mears, teammates for Hendrick Motorsports, talk during testing at Daytona International Speedway.
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Testing for the 2008 NASCAR Spint Cup Series began at Daytona International Speedway on Monday. About half the Cup teams were there, the ones who held odd-numbered places in the owners standings as of July 17, 2007.
Three of the Hendrick Motorsports teams, the ones for Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Casey Mears, were at the track. The newest member of the team, Dale Earnhardt Jr., was not among those drivers testing. But it didn't keep him from visiting the track to meet his new teammates and offer some support.
It made an impression on Gordon, the four-time Cup champion and runner-up in the Cup standings last year.
"I was surprised," said Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. "Most drivers, if they're not here testing, they don't want to be here. I was surprised and I think it says a lot."
Monday was the first day teams could test at Daytona as part of NASCAR's Preseason Thunder, which will include stops at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and California Speedway before returning to Daytona for the Daytona 500.
Earnhardt Jr. left Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team his late father founded and started, at the end of the 2007 season to join Hendrick. He will be driving the No. 88 car for the team, but won't get a chance to test with his new car and team until Jan. 14.
"It's smart on his part," Gordon said. "I'm really proud of him for doing that because he's going to be here without his teammates next week."
One of the reasons Gordon said he was impressed by Earnhardt Jr. was because it shows how committed he is to have a successful start and run with Hendrick Motorsports.
"As a teammate, you have to welcome them in, have to support them and that's certainly been the case with Junior," Gordon said. "But he's got to make that extra effort as well to get to know us as teammates as well as his own team. That's going to take time."
Tony Eury Jr, Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief who also moved over to Hendrick from DEI, was at the track on Monday too. Gordon said that was equally important to see Eury Jr. getting better acqauinted with the other teams and crew chiefs.
"It helps a lot that Tony Eury Jr. is there as well," Gordon said, "because that bridges the gap at the shop with the guys there. That really allows things to come together a lot faster."

The Daytona 500 is more than a month away, but testing for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season begins Monday with a collection of drivers including Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Casey Mears.
Johnson won last year's Cup championship, his second in a row. Gordon was the runner-up. Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch and Carl Edwards, all Chase drivers from a year ago, will also be testing at Daytona.
This is the first test session for Cup teams since the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow, which was used in select races last year, will be used in every race in 2008. Every Cup team will be testing in the Car of Tomorrow at Daytona.
“We’re feeling pretty good about it,” said Chad Knaus, crew chief for and the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. “We’ve got a couple of good cars we’re bringing. It’s going to be fun to have this car at Daytona and we’re looking forward to getting back to the track.”
Teams that held odd-numbered positions in the owners standings on July 17, 2007, will be the first to test, beginning Monday and ending Wednesday. Teams that had even-numbered spots in the standings as of July 17 will test Jan. 14 at Daytona and conclude their runs Jan. 16 as part of NASCAR's Preseason Thunder.
The teams and drivers will test at California Speedway as part of Preseason Thunder Jan. 31 to Feb. 1 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway before the season starts Feb. 17 with the Daytona 500.
“A lot of people think when they wave the green flag at Homestead, we all leave and go to the beach,” Knaus said. “That’s not what happens. We’ve been in here working five and six days a week and haven’t really taken that much time off. Contrary to what people think, we really have been working hard, but our guys are now looking forward to going to the race track.”
The other drivers who will be testing first are:
David Reutimann, Robby Gordon, Mark Martin, Greg Biffle, Elliott Sadler, Jacques Villeneuve, Travis Kvapil, Scott Wimmer, Reed Sorenson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kyle Petty, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek, AJ Allmendinger, J.J. Yeley and Jason Keller.

Haas CNC Racing, owned and founded by CSUN graduate and Oxnard businessman Gene Haas, has replaced Harold Holly with Dave Skog as crew chief for the team’s No. 66 car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Skog will be teamed with driver Jeremy Mayfield, who has been driving the No. 66 since the Oct. 28 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Skog and Mayfield worked together previously on the No. 19 team for Gillett Evernham Motorsports.
“I’m thrilled with the opportunity Haas CNC racing has presented me,” Skog said. “With the COTs (Cars of Tomorrow) being relatively the same, I believe the challenge comes down to personnel — getting the right people in the right places and then getting everyone to move in the same direction. There is a tremendous amount of potential in this team.”
Haas CNC Racing has two cars. The No. 70 will be driven by Scott Riggs in 2008.
Haas is the owner and founder of Oxnard-based Haas Automation. He was sentenced to a 24-month prison term for tax evasion in November. He is scheduled to begin serving his sentence on Jan. 14.
"Dave Skog has been with us for four years and has really impressed us with not only his knowledge, but also his passion for what we do,” said Joe Custer, general manager of Haas CNC Racing. “Dave’s tenacity for learning the COT was a huge factor in our early success with that program and he has firmly established himself as a leader in our organization.”

Be one of the first to see NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow at California Speedway in January.
California Speedway will be part of NASCAR's Preseason Thunder from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1. This will be the first time the Car of Tomorrow, NASCAR's innovative new stock car every Sprint Cup team will use in 2008, will be run on the Fontana track.
“We are thrilled to host NASCAR Preseason Thunder, which will give our fans a preview of how the Car of Tomorrow will change the racing when it debuts at California Speedway this February,” said Gillian Zucker, President of California Speedway. “Everyone I have spoken with about the Car of Tomorrow — from drivers, to crew chiefs, to team owners to officials — talks about how drafting will become a major factor, like Daytona or Talladega, without restrictor plates. It should be a great show for California’s racing fans.”
The Sprint Cup Series will be at California Speedway for the second race of the 2008 schedule, Feb. 22-24. The Car of Tomorrow was used limitedly during the 2007 season. NASCAR did not use the new car on most of the larger tracks in the series.
“The Car of Tomorrow will change racing,” said Kyle Petty, a driver for Petty Enterprises and veteran of over 800 Cup races. “I think it’s better suited for a 2-mile race track and truly believe that when we run it out in California, you are going to see a great race. Next year’s races have the potential to be the best California races we’ve ever had.”
NASCAR will run three test sessions on Jan. 31 (9 a.m.-noon, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. and 6 p.m.-9 p.m.) and two test sessions on Feb. 1 (9 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-5 p.m.) Admission to the grandstands will be free for all sessions. Fans that purchase tickets for the Auto Club 500 by Jan. 31 will also be granted access to the infield rooftops during testing.
Fans who have not purchased their tickets for the February NASCAR race weekend can still gain access to the infield rooftops with a $5 donation to the NASCAR Foundation. Additionally, members of California Speedway’s Hard Card program -- season ticket holders who have renewed their seats for 2008 -- will have access to a special question and answer session with fan favorite driver Robby Gordon after the Jan. 31 afternoon’s testing session.
The Preseason Thunder schedule was determined by a group of Cup crew chiefs and includes nine tracks before the 2008 Cup season starts at Daytona International Speedway for the Daytona 500.