Thursday was the first day of testing in preparation for the Daytona 500 on February 20th. Here are some of the highlights from the day:
– Tony Stewart said at Daytona that he was very embarrassed by his actions in Australia. Says he lost a lot of sleep over it, and would handle himself differently if he could have a do-over. He is NOT sporting a shiner from his Australian adventure.
– The Daytona repaving took 50,000 TONS of asphalt.
– Morning session was single car only; afternoon had drafting sessions.
– Pit crews are using new ‘no spill’ gas cans. Unfortunately, crews have been spilling gas all over Pit Road.
– Kurt Busch wearing a bright yellow firesuit for new sponsor, Shell Oil. He’s #22 now.
– Nationwide driver Justin Algaier has been sick with flu for a week; still has a 101 temperature.
– Dale Jr won’t be at practice on Saturday; his sister Kelley is getting married. Junior was quick in practice today.
– A set of tires for a Sprint car is $1800; they’ll use five sets in practice in 2011.
– Brian Vickers is in a race car after almost a year sidelined from blood clots. Brian was Tweeting from the car while waiting to go on the track.
– Denny Hamlin want to improve his qualifying this season. Said he can’t start dead last every week.
– Kurt Busch says he’ll feel more comfortable with his new sponsor Shell when people stop calling him Kevin (as in Harvick), Shell’s former driver.
– Fastest cars in the morning session were Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Juan Carlos Montoya; all drove Chevrolets.
– Fastest cars in the afternoon were David Reutimann, Martin Truex Jr, Brian Vickers, Kasey Kahne, and Tony Stewart. Top speed was 195.780 MPH. The Michael Waltrip Racing and Red Bull cars stood out.
