|
TrackSideLive!
| Daytona Test Sessions
Daytona International Speedway |
January
13 - 15,
2006
TrackSideLive! Presented by
Team ASE with TrackSide Editor Charles Krall...
Exclusive online coverage - from start to
finish - of the tough trucks and even tougher drivers of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
including Practice Times, Notes, Quotes, Photos, Audio interviews and more!
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Daytona Open Test Sessions Start Friday Morning!
01-12-2006 5:11 pm
TruckSeries.com will have complete coverage of the Preseason Thunder test sessions from Daytona International Speedway, including bonus coverage of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fan Fest from Daytona on Friday January 13. We will kick off the 2006 season with TrackSideLive! coverage of all the on-track action this Friday, January 13 starting at 9 am ET, and we'll conclude coverage as the teams wrap up testing with day three on Sunday, January 15. We will bring you exclusive TrackSideLive! audio interviews, timing and scoring updates, news and notes from the garage, as well as dozens of exclusive TruckShots images in the photo gallery.
Related Stories:
Welcome to DIS!
01-13-2006 8:50 am
Good morning everyone, and welcome to our coverage of Preseason Thunder testing from Daytona International Speedway! It is seasonably cool, with temps expected to reach into the low to mid 70s. There are some low level clouds and we may dodge a raindrop or two, but we'll keep you abreast of all the weather updates as we have them.
The teams are making their way to the speedway for the first runs of the morning, and we'll have all the action and updates as they happen, so keep it locked to TruckSeries.com!
Track Open...Trucks on Track
01-13-2006 9:53 am
The track has been open for almost an hour and we've been in the garage trying to get the early morning scoop on what's going on, who's here, and who's not. We'll have a rundown posted shortly, and we'll have a gallery of TruckShots posted shortly as well.
Red Flag Out; 4 has Engine Problems
01-13-2006 9:55 am
Practice has just ground to a halt as the No. 4 Dodge piloted by Timothy Peters has come to a stop on the backstretch. Just as he was coming off turn two, smoke billowed out from the tailpipes and he dropped out of the groove and slowed. Track crews are out inspecting the track as Peters is being pushed back to the garage.
Day One, Session One, Rundown One
01-13-2006 9:59 am
The teams have been slowly making their way out on to the racetrack, and in doing so making their one-truck-at-a-time three-lap simulated qualifying runs, which should be the order of the day all day long. Here is a complete rundown:
1. David Ragan, 6b, 49.991
2. Erik Darnell, 99a, 50.946
3. Rick Crawford, 14, 51.222
4. David Starr, 38a, 51.256
5. Todd Bodine, 30, 51.419
6. Kelly Sutton, 02, 51.462
7. Ted Musgrave, 9, 51.504
8. Mike Skinner, 5, 51.559
9. Sean Murphy, 07a, 51.585
10. Kraig Kinser, 47a, 51.634
11. Johnny Benson, 23, 51.669
12. Dennis Setzer, 46b, 51.684
13. Stacy Compton, 21, 51.741
14. Kyle Krisiloff, 15a, 51.745
15. Jack Sprague, 60, 51.788
16. Dennis Setzer, 46a, 51.792
17. Kyle Krisiloff, 15b, 51.800
18. Bill Lester, 22, 51.810
19. Brendan Gaughan, 77, 51.972
20. Chase Montgomery, 8, 52.019
21. Terry Cook, 10a, 52.115
22. Boston Reid, 25a, 52.370
23. Joey Miller, 12, 52.436
24. Aric Almirola, 75b, 52.545
25. Brandon Whitt, 40, 52.545
26. Robert Richardson, 35, 52.906
27. Brendan Gaughan, 77x, 53.169
28. Erin Crocker, 98, 53.380
Xpress Still Looking for Funding
01-13-2006 10:12 am
Dave Fuge says Xpress Motorsports is still looking for a partnership to bring funding, either thru an equity partner with the team or a major sponsor.
"We are still looking," he said. "We're a championship caliber team, and we're looking for that person or company that wants to get involved in the Truck Series and do it the right way."
Wayne Edwards on the Sidelines
01-13-2006 10:13 am
Wayne Edwards has had considerable success here at Daytona the past two seasons, but is on the sidelines here as Preseason Thunder kicks off this morning. In seriously underfunded rides, Edwards has finished 15th and 9th the past two seasons here at DIS.
"It's my best track, and I am really disappointed and frustrated not to be out there," Edwards said. "Three weeks ago I was working on six different deals for 2006 but it looks like all of them have gone away. It really sucks not to be out there this morning, but I am keeping my fingers crossed I'll have something lined up for the race."
Bliss Reports Trouble in the 16
01-13-2006 10:24 am
Mike Bliss is reporting to the Xpress Motorsports team that his truck is acting oddly out on the speedway.
"It's not the engine," Bliss said from the truck. "It started when I got to the tri-oval and it just got loud. The faster I went the louder it got. It sounds like it might be in the rear end."
Wood, Compton in for Ambrose, East
01-13-2006 10:26 am
Former NCTS regulars Jon Wood and Stacy Compton are back in the series for the first two races of the 2006 season, stepping in for rookies Marcus Ambrose and Bobby East. East is here to watch and learn.
"I'm here to be here for the guys and learn as much as I can," he said. "I wish I could be out there, but I want to show my guys I am a part of the team and am here to offer them any support I can."
East will open his racing season in the annual Copper Classic in Phoenix in a couple of weeks.
Day One, Sesson One, Rundown 2
01-13-2006 11:04 am
Here is the rundown after the second full hour of testing on day one of Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway:
1. Ragan, 49.991
2. Darnell, 50.946
3. Crawford, 51.222
4. Starr, 51.256
5. Compton, 51.405
6. Bodine, 51.419
7. Sutton, 51.462
8. Benson, 51.500
9. Musgrave, 51.504
10. Skinner, 51.559
11. Murphy, 51.585
12. Kinser, 51.634
13. Setzer, 51.684
14. Krisiloff, 51.716
15. Setzer, 51.778
16. Sprague, 51.788
17. Wood, 51.792
18. Krisiloff, 51.800
19. Miller, 51.810
20. Lester, 51.810
21. Reutimann, 51.814
22. Montgomery, 52.019
23. Cook, 52.115
24. Hamilton, Jr., 52.158
25. Hamilton, 52.188
26. Hornaday, 52.229
27. Bliss, 52.359
28. Reid, 52.370
29. Miller, 52.436
30. Almirola, 52.545
31. Whitt, 52.545
32. Peters, 52.668
33. Pressley, 52.700
34. Almirola, 52.722
35. Truck No. 06 (NASCAR waiting confirmation on driver), 52.804
36. Patton, 52.832
37. Hamlin, 52.873
38. Gaughan, 52.891
39. Richardson, 52.906
40. Gaughan, 53.203
41. Crocker, 53.380
Skinner Angry
01-13-2006 11:17 am
Mike Skinner is a little upset right now after running through turns one and two side by side with another truck. As the drivers and teams have been working on qualifying setups today, virtually every run has been made with the trucks widely separated on the speedway. Sean Murphy went out on to the speedway and was not able to maintain the spacing between trucks and raced with Skinner side by side though the turns, sending the team radios crazy with chatter between the spotters and the teams.
Trucks Bottoming
01-13-2006 11:35 am
Several drivers have reported to their teams that the trucks are bottoming through the turns. In most instances, it is merely the plastic skirts used on the noses and the sides of the truck and after a couple of laps the excess is ground off, and the problem goes away on its own.
A couple of number updates
01-13-2006 11:38 am
A couple of teams have showed up here with different numbers than was orginally anticipated. It was said during the NCTS banquet in Orlando that Ultra Motorsports had sold the No. 2 and the points that went along with it to Evernham Motorsports and rookie driver Erin Crocker. However, she is here this weekend with a huge white No. 98 emblazoned on the sides of her Dodge. Also, we have seen published reports that Dennis Setzer's team was switching to the No. 85 on the Morgan-Dollar Chevrolets, however, he is here this weekend with his traditional No. 46.
Norris and Murphy sharing duties in the No. 07
01-13-2006 11:42 am
Sean Murphy and Eric Norris are sharing duties in the Green Light Racing No. 07 Chevrolets. Murphy has made several runs while Norris is out on the speedway making laps now.
Side Windows in Use
01-13-2006 11:44 am
For the first time in series history, the Trucks are using right side windows to keep air out of the cockpit if one of them should get turned sideways. Last season, two trucks turned over after contact in the draft, and NASCAR is making every effort to ensure the trucks stay on the ground this season.
Session One Day One Done
01-13-2006 11:52 am
The first session has come to a close, and we should have a time/speed report from NASCAR in a matter of moments.
Day One Session One Final Times
01-13-2006 12:05 pm
1. Ragan, 49.991
2. Darnell, 50.946
3. Crawford, 51.222
4. Starr, 51.256
5. Compton, 51.405
6. Bodine, 51.419
7. Skinner, 51.425
8. Sutton, 51.462
9. Benson, 51.500
10. Musgrave, 51.504
11. Murphy, 51.585
12. Kinser, 51.634
13. Lester, 51.634
14. Setzer, 51.684
15. Krisiloff, 51.716
16. Earnhardt, 51.726
17. Ragan, 51.732
18. Setzer, 51.778
19. Sprague, 51.788
20. Wood, 51.792
21. Krisiloff, 51.800
22. Reutimann, 51.814
23. Hamilton, 51.869
24. Crafton, 51.884
25. Gaughan, 51.935
26. Cook, 51.986
27. Montgomery, 52.019
28. Hamilton, Jr., 52.158
29. Hornaday, 52.229
30. Norris, 52.291
31. Bliss, 52.359
32. Reid, 52.370
33. Almirola, 52.411
34. Miller, 52.424
35. Patton, 52.507
36. Hamlin, 52.539
37. Almirola, 52.545
38. Whitt, 52.545
39. Peters, 52.555
40. Ritch, 52.624
41. McCumbee, 52.647
42. Richardson, 52.906
43. Gaughan, 53.203
44. Crocker, 53.380
45. Long, 53.406
Drafting at 2 pm ET
01-13-2006 12:40 pm
NASCAR will allow the drivers to hook up and feel out their trucks in the draft starting at 2 pm ET this afternoon. Speeds should escalate quickly once the packs form, but tensions should increase as well. We'll have all of the action as it happens right here on TrackSideLive!
Back at it!
01-13-2006 12:45 pm
The hour-long lunch break is over and the trucks are back on the track for another hour of single-truck runs before the drafting session starts at 2 pm ET. Keep it locked here for timing reports and any action that happens on the racetrack.
Day One Session Two Rundown 1
01-13-2006 1:32 pm
1. David Ragan, 6b, 49.831
2. Terry Cook, 10b, 50.263
3. Rick Crawford, 14x, 51.077
4. Ron Hornaday, 33a, 51.173
5. Rick Crawford, 14, 51.275
6. Kyle Krisiloff, 15b, 51.449
7. Kerry Earnhardt, 13, 51.523
8. Bill Lester, 22, 51.555
9. Bobby Hamilton, Jr., 08a, 51.576
10. Stacy Compton, 21, 51.585
11. Johnny Benson, 23, 51.594
12. Erik Darnell, 99b, 61.621
13. Chase Montgomery, 8, 51.622
14. Jack Sprague, 60, 51.634
15. Matt Crafton, 88, 51.636
16. David Reutimann, 17a, 51.674
17. Kraig Kinser, 47a, 51.683
18. Dennis Setzer, 46b, 51.841
19. Mike Skinner, 5, 51.846
20. Aric Almirola, 75a, 51.896
21. Timothy Peters, 4, 51.953
22. Mike Bliss, 16b, 51.975
23. Chad McCumbee, 06, 51.978
24. Kelly Sutton, 02, 51.991
25. Sean Murphy, 07a, 52.076
26. Brandon Whitt, 40, 52.083
27. Eric Norris, 03, 52.215
28. Joey Miller, 12, 52.265
29. David Starr, 38a, 52.269
30. Michael Ritch, 59, 52.320
31. Boston Reid, 25a, 52.410
32. Kevin Hamlin, 04, 52.590
33. Brendan Gaughan, 77, 52.780
34. Robert Richardson, 35, 52.802
35. Erin Crocker, 98, 53.072
36. Carl Long, 28, 53.231
37. Blake Mallory, 76, 53.321
Park Ride Shopping
01-13-2006 1:41 pm
Steve Park is here this afternoon at DIS spectating, not actively participating in Preseason Thunder testing. However, Park said he is close to locking up a deal that will have him back in the seat in time for the race.
"I have some things close, just nothing I can go on record and talk about," he said. "I am working on Plan A, and if that falls through I'll move on to Plan B. But I have every intention of being back here and racing in February."
Brevak Racing Rolls In
01-13-2006 1:43 pm
With three days available to test, not everyone has been in a big hurry to make it out on to the track or even to get to the track. The Brevak Racing team rolled through the gates of the garage area during the lunch break and the team is busy getting the No. 31 Dodge ready to head out. Jason Schuler will be behind the wheel of the No. 31 here this weekend.
Brevak Racing Rolls In
01-13-2006 1:43 pm
With three days available to test, not everyone has been in a big hurry to make it out on to the track or even to get to the track. The Brevak Racing team rolled through the gates of the garage area during the lunch break and the team is busy getting the No. 31 Dodge ready to head out. Jason Schuler will be behind the wheel of the No. 31 here this weekend.
Drafting up next
01-13-2006 1:47 pm
NASCAR has displayed the red flag to bring everyone in from out on the speedway. Once the track is clear, they will open it back up and the drivers will quickly form up into drafting packs. The intensity level will go through the roof, and we'll have all of the action for you as it happens here at TrackSideLive!
Draft anyone?
01-13-2006 1:53 pm
The track just opened for drafting practice, and in a move that was expected by many the drivers have quickly formed up in small packs out on the speedway. Notably, Todd Bodine and Ted Musgrave have hooked up, the first time both Germain Racing drivers have had a chance to work together at speed.
Day One Session Two Final Single Truck Times
01-13-2006 1:59 pm
1. Ragan, 49.831
2. Cook, 50.263
3. Crawford, 51.077
4. Hornaday, 51.173
5. Earnhardt, 51.230
6. Crawford, 51.275
7. Compton, 51.282
8. Krisiloff, 51.449
9. Benson, 51.522
10. Kinser, 51.523
11. Lester, 51.555
12. Crafton, 51.567
13. Hamilton, Jr., 51.576
14. Cook, 51.621
15. Darnell, 51.621
16. Montgomery, 51.622
17. Sprague, 51.634
18. Krisiloff, 51.671
19. Reutimann, 51.674
20. Setzer, 51.733
21. Skinner, 51.811
22. Almirola, 51.854
23. Wood, 51.916
24. Peters, 51.953
25. Bliss, 51.975
26. McCumbee, 51.978
27. Sutton, 51.991
28. Murphy, 52.076
29. Whitt, 52.083
30. Reid, 52.126
31. Norris, 52.179
32. Miller, 52.265
33. Starr, 52.269
34. Reutimann, 52.282
35. Ritch, 52.315
36. Hamlin, 52.590
37. Gaughan, 52.727
38. Patton, 52.784
39. Richardson, 52.802
40. Crocker, 53.059
41. Long, 53.231
42. Mallory, 53.321
43. Hamilton, No Time
Drafting Still Underway
01-13-2006 2:08 pm
Mike Skinner leads Ted Musgrave, Todd Bodine and Kyle Krisiloff into the tri-oval at the start of drafting practice.
Charles Krall, TruckSeries.com Photo
The drivers have formed packs out on the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway and are feeling out the characteristics of their trucks in the draft for he first time here this week. Unlike race conditions, they are keeping the amount of trucks in each drafting pack to a controllable number, usually in the four to six range. As expected, lap times have dropped by a about half a second across the board as the speeds in the draft increase.
Day One Session Two Drafting Speeds No. 1
01-13-2006 2:39 pm
1. Lester, 48.965
2. Benson, 48.968
3. Bodine, 49.137
4. Musgrave, 49.205
5. Skinner, 49.260
6. Crafton, 49.390
7. Martin/Ragan, 49.528
8. Setzer, 49.539
9. Kinser, 49.543
10. Krisiloff, 49.628
11. Reutimann, 49.753
12. Earnhardt, 49.756
13. Krisiloff, 50.218
14. Montgomery, 50.310
15. Hornaday, 50.585
16. Gaughan, 50.776
17. Crawford, 50.789
18. Richardson, 50.843
19. Murphy, 50.906
20. Darnell, 50.958
21. Compton, 51.189
22. Cook, 51.267
23. Hamilton, Jr., 51.310
24. Sprague, 51.399
25. Wood, 51.459
26. Hamilton, 51.581
27. Starr, 51.668
28. Almirola, 51.754
29. Whitt, 51.879
30. Peters, 51.882
31. McCumbee, 51.908
32. Bliss, 51.915
33. Miller, 52.091
34. Ritch, 52.157
35. Reid, 52.218
36. Hamlin, 52.321
37. Patton, 52.486
38. Gaughan, 52.642
39. Mallory, 53.256
Some Teams Chose Not to Draft
01-13-2006 2:45 pm
Some teams are notably sitting on the sidelines as others are out thundering side by side around the track. One team, understandably, watching as this drafting sessions unfolds is Xpress Motorsports. Last year, in a matter of a couple of hours, Xpress lost two trucks in separate accidents on Sunday evening as the running in the draft quickly escalated to race intensity. "If it feels good out there by itself, there's a strong chance it will run good in a pack," said team owner Dave Fuge. "There's no reason to risk it."
Clouds Rolling In
01-13-2006 2:47 pm
While we have been mainly overcast all day long, there have been some moments of sunshine interspersed throughout the day. But as we inch closer to the end of the on-track schedule for the day, the clouds have noticably thickened and it appears as though there may be some sprinkles in the future for this evening.
Test Rules not the Same as Practice Rules
01-13-2006 2:58 pm
Since this is not an official practice session officiated over by NASCAR, the teams are allowed to use more latitude in acquiring data on the trucks. Many of them have long anntennae protruding from the bed or the roof, sending back real-time info to a cadre of engineers sitting behind laptops throughout the garage. That is something that is not allowed during an official NASCAR practice during race weekend.
Ritch Subbing for Pressley
01-13-2006 3:09 pm
Eyebrows were raised when Michael Ritch was out on the track rather than Robert Pressley. However, that is just an arrangement for this weekend only as Pressley is unable to participate here this weekend. He will be back in the truck when we return for Speedweeks in February.
Day One Session Two Drafting Speeds No. 2
01-13-2006 3:40 pm
1. Lester, 48.964
2. Benson, 48.968
3. Bodine, 49.135
4. Darnell, 49.166
5. Martin, 49.175
6. Skinner, 49.197
7. Musgrave, 49.206
8. Earnhardt, 49.347
9. Montgomery, 49.350
10. Reutimann, 49.387
11. Crafton, 49.390
12. Hornaday, 49.497
13. Krisiloff, 49.509
14. Setzer, 49.538
15. Kinser, 49.544
16. Krisiloff, 49.555
17. Starr, 49.680
18. Gaughan, 49.691
19. Richardson, 49.740
20. Hamlin, 49.772
21. Sprague, 50.383
22. Hornaday, 50.586
23. Gaughan, 50.776
24. Crawford, 50.790
25. Murphy, 50.901
26. Crawford, 50.925
27. Compton, 51.189
28. Cook, 51.268
29. Almirola, 51.287
30. Hamilton, Jr., 51.309
31. Wood, 51.388
32. Hamilton, 51.552
33. Sutton, 51.726
34. Wood, 51.793
35. Miller, 51.837
36. Whitt, 51.879
37. Peters, 51.880
38. McCumbee, 51.892
39. Bliss, 51.915
40. Norris, 51.987
41. Ritch, 52.157
42. Reid, 52.217
43. Long, 52.280
44. Patton, 52.343
45. Reid, 52.475
46. Mallory, 53.181
Single File, Mild Mannered
01-13-2006 3:59 pm
With just under an hour left in Day One of Preseason Thunder at Daytona, the drivers have kept everything pretty much under control throughout the past couple of hours of drafting practice. In fact, the past hour has been spent with the drivers mainly running in a single file formation and everyone has minded their manners. There have been some moments of tension as they have flared out two and even three wide, but everyone has kept distance between trucks either side to side or front to back.
Sunlight Quickly Fading
01-13-2006 4:12 pm
The sun is quickly setting over the Daytona International Speedway, and we are closing in on the end of the on-track day here at DIS. We will stick around for a quick post-session press conference with several of the drivers, then move next door to get more sound and pictures from the Fan Fest which is going on here in the infield once the track goes quiet. Stick around!
Tire Debris Brings Out Red
01-13-2006 4:34 pm
NASCAR and track officials have called for the red flag to clean up tire debris left on the backstretch. We haven't yet heard on the scanner who is reported to have lost it, but we will dig until we find out.
There have been no on-track incidents throughout the drafting session.
Session Over; Look for Final Times Soon
01-13-2006 4:59 pm
The second session on day one of Preseason Thunder has come to an end, and we are quickly approaching the start of the Daytona Fan Fest. We'll have the drafting speeds posted shortly, stick around!
Day One Drafting Session Final Rundown
01-13-2006 5:01 pm
1. Crafton, 48.721
2. Murphy, 48.798
3. Montgomery, 48.824
4. Sutton, 48.835
5. Compton, 48.874
6. Crawford, 48.900
7. Starr, 48.913
8. Reutimann, 48.925
9. Lester, 48.964
10. Benson, 48.968
11. Hamilton, Jr., 49.120
12. Ragan, 49.126
13. Bodine, 49.135
14. Musgrave, 49.158
15. Darnell, 49.166
16. Skinner, 49.197
17. Setzer, 49.231
18. Krisiloff, 49.310
19. Earnhardt, 49.347
20. Hamlin, 49.367
21. Hornaday, 49.414
22. Peters, 49.458
23. Hamilton, 49.460
24. Kinser, 49.487
25. Hornaday, 49.497
26. Almirola, 49.514
27. Krisiloff, 49.555
28. Gaughan, 49.691
29. Richardson, 49.740
30. Gaughan, 49.747
31. Crocker, 49.50.055
32. Wood, 50.329
33. Hamilton, Jr., 50.376
34. Sprague, 50.383
35. Bliss, 50.404
36. Whitt, 50.550
37. Crawford, 50.925
38. Cook, 51.268
39. Long, 51.297
40. Wood, 51.388
41. Reid, 51.510
42. McCumbee, 51.761
43. Miller, 51.837
44. Patton, 51.917
45. Cook, 51.920
46. Norris, 51.987
47. Ritch, 52.140
48. Reid, 52.217
49. Mallory, 53.181
Fan Fest Underway
01-13-2006 6:02 pm
Several drivers have made their way to the stage and are now being interviewed by the many fans in attendance here this evening.
Drivers scheduled in the first group included Ted Musgrave, Mike Skinner, Terry Cook, Robert Richardson, Johnny Benson, Bill Lester, and Rick Crawford.
Questions asked by the fans included:
To all: "What type of race track is your favorite, superspeedways or short tracks?" Cook answered well when he said "To me, my favorite track is whatever is next on the schedule."
To Ted Musgrave: "Do you and Todd Bodine mix well?" to which he answered, "Maybe too well because we've mixed paint on the racetack several times!"
That's it for Friday
01-13-2006 6:33 pm
We are coming to the end of day one here at Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway. It was an uneventful and safe day for the most part, which after last year's rough and tumble drafting sessions is a welcome change to everyone in the garage. We'll pick up coverage tomorrow morning at 9 am ET. We'll see you then, good night everybody!
Good Saturday Morning from Daytona
01-14-2006 8:38 am
Good morning from DIS! We woke up to clear skies, cool temps, but a very stiff breeze. The skies should remain sunny, it should warm up as the day goes on, but the winds should remain fairly strong much of the day. How the wind's effects play out will be interesting to watch, and it may force the teams to reduce the amount of time spent on the speedway this morning and into the afternoon. Stick around, we'll have all the action from Daytona International Speedway, we'll bring you a ton more of our exclusive TruckShots, and of course we'll track down many of the drivers involved and bring you exclusive TrackSideLive! Audio, so keep it locked on to TruckSeries.com...
Crafton Quick but Looking for More
01-14-2006 8:41 am
Matt Crafton may have led the speed charts after the drafting session yesterday, but that doesn't mean he and his team have stopped looking for speed. The ThorSport Racing Team is busy swapping engines on the No. 88 Menards Chevy to see if they can find some more time on the stopwatch with another powerplant. "We're just putting in the latest and greatest," said crew member Rich Riley. "But that one from yesterday is pretty good, too."
One Noticeable Difference...
01-14-2006 8:48 am
One of the most notable differences found at the Preseason Thunder test session versus actual practice for the season-opening Florida Dodge Dealers 250 is the laid back atmosphere in the garage area. There is a much slower pace as teams have more time to think about changes and implement them on the trucks. Also, there isn't a bum rush to make it out on to the speedway once the track goes green. The track opened for test runs nearly five minutes ago, yet the first truck has just now started to roll. And furthermore, there are not that many others ready to follow. That should change throughout the morning as teams finish their preparations and are ready to get after it at 180 miles per hour.
First up is...
01-14-2006 8:51 am
The first truck to take to the track this morning is the No. 6a Roush Racing Ford. Yesterday both Mark Martin and David Ragan shared driving duties in the two No. 6 Roush trucks, with Martin doing most of his work in the drafting period while Ragan spent time on the track in single-truck qualifying run trim.
Kluever May Make Some Laps
01-14-2006 8:53 am
Todd Kluever is here this weekend observing his Roush Racing teammates, and offering any advice he can to both young rookies that have been behind the wheel of the Nos. 6 and 99. "I might get in one of the trucks and make some laps, but it would be just to do what Ricky did with me last year," he said. "I'd go out and help show them the line and work with them in the draft a little. It's not for sure that I will, but it's possible."
Ford Teams First on Test Day
01-14-2006 8:56 am
The Roush, Circle Bar, and Wood/JTG teams have all made their way on to the track, as the first four trucks to make their runs this morning have all been out of the Blue Oval camp. The first non-Ford to make it on to the track this morning is Mike Skinner's Toyota. As was the case with yesterday morning, NASCAR is allowing teams to work on single-truck runs with drafting drills set for later in the afternoon.
Wind Hurts Most Off Turn Four
01-14-2006 9:10 am
Many drivers have reported to their teams that the winds are not much of a problem around the speedway, except for when coming through turns three and four.
"I feel the wind trying to push me up towards the wall going down the backstretch but it's not too bad," reported Chad McCumbee, driver of the MRD Motorsports No. 06 Chevy. "I can really feel it into three. I get about a quarter of the way into the turn and a feel like I've run into a big wall of air."
Day Two Session One Rundown One
01-14-2006 9:36 am
1. Erik Darnell, 99a, 50.293
2. David Ragan, 6b, 50.458
3. Rick Crawford, 14, 50.874
4. Kerry Earnhardt, 13, 51.033
5. Jon Wood, 20a, 51.337
6. Stacy Compton, 21, 51.388
7. Mike Skinner, 5, 51.390
8. Johnny Benson, 23, 51.411
9. Jack Sprague, 60, 51.655
10. Boby Hamilton, Jr., 08a, 51.673
11. Mike Bliss, 16b, 51.906
12. Timothy Peters, 4, 51.961
13. Chad McCumbee, 06, 52.006
14. Joey Miller, 12, 52.100
15. Boston Reid, 25a, 52.176
16. Brandon Whitt, 40, 52.334
17. Kraig Kinser, 47b, 52.452
18. Erin Crocker, 98, 53.153
19. Blake Mallory, 76, 53.207
20. Carl Long, 28. 55.207
Clean and Green So Far
01-14-2006 9:55 am
The first session has run clean and green so far with no stoppages for anything. Many expected the wind to cause some debris to possibly make its way on to the speedway from time to time, but there has yet to be any reason to bring a halt to the action.
Xpress Back with the Two Trucks Crashed Last Year
01-14-2006 9:57 am
Xpress Motorsports did not have a lot of fun here last year. Within just a matter of moments, the team lost two trucks in the first session of the rain-plagued test. First Jack Sprague was involved in a pileup on the frontstretch, then Regan Smith got loose coming off turn two and popped the backstretch wall. Team owner Dave Fuge has brought both of those trucks back to Daytona for more action this year.
"We have both the trucks we crashed here last year," he said. "We don't want to see what happened last year happen again this year so we probably won't spend a lot of time drafting with them."
Day Two Session One Rundown 2
01-14-2006 10:24 am
1. Erik Darnell, 99a, 50.293
2. David Ragan, 6b, 50.458
3. Kerry Earnhardt, 13, 50.853
4. Rick Crawford, 14, 50.874
5. Jon Wood, 20b, 50.900
6. Jon Wood, 20a, 51.075
7. Terry Cook, 10b, 51.100
8. Jack Sprague, 60, 51.205
9. Johnny Benson, 23, 51.328
10. Kyle Krisiloff, 15a, 51.350
11. Ron Hornaday, 33b, 51.353
12. Stacy Compton, 21, 51.388
13. Mike Skinner, 5, 51.390
14. Bobby Hamilton, Jr., 08a, 51.673
15. Kelly Sutton, 02, 51.679
16. Timothy Peters, 4, 51.734
17. Mike Bliss, 16b, 51.830
18. David Reutimann, 17a, 51.837
19. Aric Almirola, 75a, 51.839
20. Carl Long, 28, 51.845
21. Joey Miller, 12, 51.857
22. Chase Montgomery, 8, 51.862
23. Sean Murphy, 07a, 51.918
24. Brandon Whitt, 40, 51.962
25. Chad McCumbee, 06, 51.994
26. Eric Norris, 03, 52.078
27. Boston Reid, 25a, 52.103
28. Michael Ritch, 59, 52.358
29. Kraig Kinser, 47b, 52.392
30. Brendan Gaughan, 77, 52.486
31. Kevin Hamlin, 04, 52.556
32. Blake Mallory, 76, 52.676
33. Robert Richardson, 35, 52.686
34. Erin Crocker, 98, 53.003
35. David Starr, 38b, 53.177
Still Clean and Green
01-14-2006 10:57 am
As we pass the two-hour mark in the first session of the second day of Preseason Thunder, we still haven't seen the first stoppage of the on-track action due to an incident or debris. The majority of the teams on site have made at least one run at this point, while others are waiting to get to business during the drafting session later this afternoon.
Ragan Dooesn't Coast Far Enough, Red Out
01-14-2006 11:30 am
When the drivers finish their mock qualifying runs, they usually cut the ignition at the start finish line or some other point on the track and coast back to the garage area. Well, when David Ragan did that just now he didn't quite coast far enough to make it back around, so the red flag was thrown so his crew could go out and retrieve him.
Engine Change Complete; Crafton on Track
01-14-2006 11:32 am
The ThorSport team has completed the engine change on the No. 88 truck and Matt Crafton has made his first laps of the day. He quickly moved up to 13th on the charts.
Day Two Session One Rundown Three
01-14-2006 11:33 am
1. Darnell, 50.293
2. Wood, 50.364
3. Ragan, 50.458
4. Crawford, 50.844
5. Earnhardt, 50.853
6. Wood, 50.900
7. Cook, 51.100
8. Hornaday, 51.105
9. Cook, 51.202
10. Sprague, 51.205
11. Benson, 51.238
12. Compton, 51.315
13. Crafton, 51.348
14. Krisiloff, 51.350
15. Hornaday, 51.362
16. Krisiloff, 51.362
17. Skinner, 51.390
18. Starr, 51.455
19. Reutimann, 51.607
20. Almirola, 51.621
21. Montgomery, 51.625
22. Kinser, 51.653
23. Hamilton, Jr., 51.673
24. Sutton, 51.679
25. Reutimann, 51.715
26. Bliss, 51.732
27. Peters, 51.734
28. Miller, 51.735
29. Whitt, 51.758
30. Patton, 51.782
31. Long, 51.845
32. Setzer, 51.865
33. Murphy, 51.918
34. Hamilton, 51.919
35. Norris, 51.983
36. McCumbee, 51.994
37. Reid, 52.032
38.Ritch, 52.224
39. Kinser, 52.392
40. Crocker, 52.447
41. Gaughan, 52.486
42. Richardson, 52.491
43. Hamlin, 52.554
44. Mallory, 52.676
45. Starr, 53.117
Slight Correction: Ragan Spins Off Four to Bring Out Red
01-14-2006 11:42 am
Okay, we're not always perfect...close, but not always. To correct an posting from a couple of moments ago, we can now confirm that David Ragan spun the No. 6 Roush Racing Ford off turn four to bring out the day's first red flag. He did not hit anything and as we reported previously his crew was able to head out to the head of pit road to retrieve him. UPDATE: As Ragan slid off the banking, he did damage the front valance of the truck. The team should be able to quickly repair the damage, but it is significant enough to require some time to get it fixed.
Lunch is Over; Trucks on Track
01-14-2006 12:51 am
After about an hour off for lunch, the roar of racing engines has resumed and the teams of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series are back at work collecting data on the Daytona International Speedway. We should have another hour or so of single truck runs then move into the perilous drafting runs around 2 pm ET. We'll have all the action and updates for you right here.
Day Two Session Two Rundown One
01-14-2006 1:31 pm
1. Cook, 10b, 50.971
2. Earnhardt, 13, 50.978
3. Sprague, 60, 51.240
4. Wood, 20a, 51.256
5. Crafton, 88, 51.292
6. Darnell, 99a, 51.3165
7. Hornaday, 33a, 51.316
8. Compton, 21, 51.319
9. Bodine, 30, 51.385
10. Krisiloff, 15a, 51.408
11. Crawford, 14x, 51.450
12. Skinner, 5, 51.495
13. Reutimann, 17b, 51.567
14. Kinser, 47a, 51.617
15. Starr, 38a, 51.622
16. Whitt, 40, 51.677
17. Setzer, 46b, 51.690
18. Sutton, 02, 51.707
19. Miller, 12, 51.732
20. Hamilton, Jr., 08a, 51.752
21. Almirola, 75a, 51.763
22. Reutimann, 17a, 51.837
23. Chapman, 03, 51.897
24. Peters, 4, 51.925
25. Reid, 25a, 52.014
26. Patton, 63, 52.021
27. Montgomery, 8, 52.150
28. McCumbee, 06, 52.193
29. Gaughan, 77x, 52.621
30. Mallory, 76, 53.331
Audio's Up; TruckShots Gallery is Full!
01-14-2006 1:40 pm
We've tracked down a lot of the participants here in Preseason Thunder testing and got their thoughts on what's been going on so far. Erin Crocker tells us that her Evernham Motorsports team is working hard to get up to speed after a late star building her team. Dennis Setzer and Kraig Kinser talk about how their divergent racing backgrounds affect their communication in the garage, while Jack Sprague tells us whether or not it is advantageous to work with a new team for a few races prior to coming to Daytona. We met up with the BHR teammates and discussed everything under the sun, while David Ragan tells us what happened to get him sideways at the end of the first session this morning.
We also have almost 200 images in the TruckShots gallery. Check it out! Links to all audio and photo galleries are to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page.
Drafting Session Underway
01-14-2006 2:16 pm
The track just went green for the drafting session which will round out the afternoon. There are several groups working around the speedway, in small packs of three and four trucks each. We'll have some times posted soon, and of course we will let you know if anything happens as soon as it happens.
Some Bumping and Banging, But Still Clean and Green
01-14-2006 2:55 pm
The drivers out of the track now are locked side by side, and there has been a little beat of banging but nothing serious enough to cause any type of incident. Just recently, the David Ragan appeared to get into the back of what appeared to be the No. 03 truck going into turn three when the pack slowed slightly entering the turn. We've been incident free so far, and we'll follow with a time report shortly.
Action Hot and Heavy on the Track
01-14-2006 2:58 pm
Day Two Drafting Session Rundown One
01-14-2006 3:01 pm
1. Bodine, 48.867
2. Musgrave, 48.880
3. Krisiloff, 49.048
4. Reid, 49.145
5. Ragan, 49.267
6. Sprague, 49.297
7. Earnhardt, 49.305
8. Hornaday, 49.374
9. Lester, 49.412
10. Krisiloff, 49.438
11. Bliss, 49.499
12. Sutton, 49.511
13. Cook, 49.535
14. Darnell, 49.548
15. Benson, 49.551
16. Skinner, 49.642
17. Reutimann, 49.746
18. Starr, 49.750
19. Murphy, 50.009
20. Hamlin, 50.308
21. Richardson, 50.357
22. Almirola, 50.418
23. Long, 50.534
24. Compton, 51.088
25. Wood, 51.289
26. Setzer, 51.478
27. Montgomery, 51.519
28. Miller, 51.584
29. Kinser, 51.606
30. Peters, 51.679
31. Hamilton, 51.745
32. McCumbee, 51.814
33. Chapman, 51.954
34. Ritch, 52.073
35. Crocker, 52.328
36. Gaughan, 52.724
37. Mallory, 52.946
38. Shuler, 53.272
Musgrave Conks Out on the Track
01-14-2006 3:09 pm
Ted Musgrave was in the midst of a six-truck pack roaring through the tri-oval when his truck lost power and slowed. The trucks directly behind him were able to avoid contact, but Musgrave has now rolled to a stop on the backstretch entering turn three bringing out the red flag for the second time this afternoon. Musgrave reports to his team that the truck has run out of fuel.
That does answer the question on how far a truck can coast, roughly about two-thirds of a lap.
Orleans Changing Engines
01-14-2006 3:19 pm
The Orleans Racing team is busy making an engine change in the No. 77x Dodge. No word on what, if any, problem the original engine had, but it was spotted with a puddle of water underneath it earlier this afternoon. UPDATE: Gaughan said that the change was planned. "We are trying a couple of different speedway packages. The change was planned, but we lost the transmission too and they're having to change that too. Hopefully we can get it back out and try to run it this evening."
Chapman Coasts to a Stop, Red Out
01-14-2006 3:57 pm
Johnny Chapman has coasted to a stop on the bottom of turn three to bring out the red flag again. Just like the previous flag with Ted Musgrave, it appears Chapman merely ran out of fuel. The green should be out shortly.
Day Two Drafting Session Rundown 2
01-14-2006 4:08 pm
1. Bodine, 48.867
2. Musgrave, 48.880
3. Setzer, 48.951
4. Reid, 48.953
5. Skinner, 48.959
6. Wood, 48.967
7. Krisiloff, 49.048
8. Reid, 49.145
9. Earnhardt, 49.248
10. Starr, 49.249
11. Richardson, 49.252
12. Reutimann, 49.266
13. Ragan, 49.267
14. Sprague, 49.297
15. Hornaday, 49.374
16. Lester, 49.412
17. Krisiloff, 49.438
18. Bliss, 49.499
19. Sutton, 49.511
20. Cook, 49.535
21. Darnell, 49.548
22. Benson, 49.551
23. Murphy, 49.552
24. Hornaday, 49.561
25. Miller, 49.648
26. Crafton, 49.681
27. Reutimann, 49.746
28. Almirola, 49.785
29. Hamilton, 49.804
30. Montgomery, 49.926
31. Hamilton, Jr., 49.064
32. Cook, 49.997
33. Crocker, 50.056
34. Peters, 50.057
35. Long, 50.080
36. Kinser, 50.127
37. McCumbee, 50.159
38. Patton, 50.223
39. Hamlin, 50.308
40. Compton, 51.021
41. Shuler, 51.101
42. Crawford, 51.105
43. Chapman, 51.090
44. Ritch, 52.073
45. Gaughan, 52.724
46. Mallory, 52.946
Benson Sponsor Announcement Soon?
01-14-2006 4:20 pm
There should be an announcement early next week announcing a 15-race primary sponsorship program for the No. 23 Bill Davis Racing Toyota. Indications are that Toyota Certified Used Vehicles will be the major backer on Benson's ride. Team sources say an announcement could come as early as next week.
Day Two Drafting Session Final Times
01-14-2006 4:52 pm
1. Wood, 48.739
2. Bodine, 48.867
3. Musgave, 48.880
4. Setzer, 48.951
5. Reid, 48.953
6. Skinner, 48.959
7. Crafton, 49.012
8. Compton, 49.017
9. Krisiloff, 49.048
10. Hamilton, 49.064
11. Reid, 49.145
12. Almirola, 49.222
13. Earnhardt, 29.248
14. Starr, 49.249
15. Richardson, 49.252
16. Reutimann, 49.266
17. Ragan, 49.267
18. Sprague, 49.297
19. Cook, 49.321
20. Darnell, 49.337
21. Hornaday, 49.367
22. Lester, 49.412
23. Krisiloff, 49.438
24. Bliss, 49.499
25. Suttonm 49.511
26. Hamilton, Jr., 49.536
27. McCumbee, 49.539
28. Peters, 49.541
29. Gaughan, 49.548
30. Benson, 49.551
31. Norris, 49.552
32. Hornaday, 49.648
33. Joey Miller, 49.722
34. Reutimann, 49.85
35. Almirola, 49.785
36. Hamlin, 49.796
37. Montgomery, 49.926
38. Cook, 49.977
39. Starr, 50.025
40. Chapman, 50.028
41. Crocker, 50.056
42. Long, 50.080
43. Kinser, 50.127
44. Ritch, 50.183
45. Whitt, 50.192
46. Patton, 50.223
47. Shuler, 51.101
48. Crawford, 51.105
49. Gaughan, 52.724
50. Mallory, 52.946
That's it for Saturday
01-14-2006 5:29 pm
That's going to do it for Saturday here at Preseason Thunder testing from Daytona. We have a ton of audio for you to enjoy, browse through the picture galleries, and don't forget to stop back for the conclusion of our preseason testing coverage tomorrow. We'll kick it off tomorrow morning at 9 am ET. Until then, good night everybody!
Good Sunday Morning from Daytona
01-15-2006 8:52 am
Good morning from Daytona International Speedway! We have reached the third and final day of Preseason Thunder for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and it is another beautiful day here in Florida. While it is again crisp and cool, the sun is out and the breeze is very gentle rather than the 30 mph gusts we had yesterday. The first runs have just started, and we'll keep you abreast of all the action throughout the day right here on TrackSideLive!
Toyotas First on Track Today
01-15-2006 8:55 am
A fleet of Toyotas was first out this morning, with Bill Lester the first driver onto the speedway. He was followed in short order by David Reutimann, and the Germain Racing teammates Todd Bodine and Ted Musgrave. While the morning has been reserved for single truck runs the previous two days, many teams are looking to call it a day around noon, so look for some teams to hook up and work in the draft this morning as well. That is exactly what the Germain team is doing, with Bodine and Musgrave locked in a tight draft early on.
Engine Change for Patton
01-15-2006 8:57 am
As the gates opened this morning, Mike Mittler and his crew went back to work finishing up an engine change they started last evening. "That was a good engine, it was the one we had last year at Texas," Mittler said. "We figured we would be able to run it through testing and it would be pretty worn out. Well, it turns out it didn't quite make it."
Mittler also clarified something regarding teams that have participated in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series dating back to the series inception in 1995.
"We surely didn't run all of the races that year, but we did come to Milwaukee and a few others that very first year," he said. "But we've run races every year the series has been around."
Mittler said he and driver J.R. Patton are working on a deal that would allow them to compete in every race in 2006.
"We have some work to do to get the deal done, but we'd really like to get it so we could be here every week."
Wallace to Draft for HT
01-15-2006 9:02 am
Mike Wallace is here this morning and will jump in the No. 59 HT Motorsports Dodge for drafting today.
"Mike (Wallace) wasn't available the first two days, he had another commitment, so we had Michael (Ritch) in the truck the first two days," said team owner Jim Harris. "Mike is awesome in the draft, so we should find out what we have for the race by the end of the day today."
Harris also said he has some deals in the works for sponsorship that he hopes are finalized in the next couple of weeks.
"We're working on some deals, and all of them are tied to particular drivers," he said. "As of now, we don't have anyone lined up for 2006, but we should have something done here in the next couple of weeks."
Who's Headed Home
01-15-2006 9:15 am
A couple of teams did not stay over last night and are already headed for home. Jack Sprague and the Wyler Racing team pulled out last night, as did Mike Bliss and Xpress Motorsports. Several teams are looking at a mid-day departure today, including Todd Bodine and Ted Musgrave with Germain Racing and Matt Crafton and Kerry Earnhardt with ThorSport Racing.
Day Three Session One Rundown One
01-15-2006 10:04 am
1. Bodine, 49.694
2. Hobgood, 49.709
3. Cook, 49.807
4. Hornaday, 49.824
5. Wallace, 49.847
6. Ragan, 50.466
7. Darnell, 50.869
8. Earnhardt, 50.887
9. Crawford, 51.047
10. Wood, 51.145
11. Starr, 51.184
12. Crafton, 51.200
13. Compton, 51.203
14. Krisiloff, 51.298
15. Miller, 51.466
16. Reutimann, 51.589
17. Whitt, 51.605
18. Almirola, 51.688
19. Skinner, 51.781
20. Crocker, 51.786
21. Setzer, 51.841
22. McCumbee, 51.925
23. Lester, 51.933
24. Kinser, 51.942
25. Reid, 52.197
26. Gaughan, 52.449
27. Shuler, 52.561
28. Gaughan, 52.870
29. Patton, 52.939
30. Hamilton, 53.164
31. Long, 53.713
Hamlin Helping BHR with Downforce Runs
01-15-2006 10:20 am
He's only scheduled to run one race for the team, but that doesn't mean Kevin Hamlin can't help BHR for the other 23 non-speedway races on the schedule.
"We spent a lot of the day yesterday working on downforce stuff," Hamlin said. "That's why we haven't been higher up the speed charts. We took that stuff off and went back to speedway mode for drafting. That was a lot of fun. One time I had a good run going into three and passed six of them through turns three and four. We want to make sure we can come from the back to the front, and I think we have a truck that can do it."
Earnhardt Running the Oldest Truck in Team's Fleet
01-15-2006 10:22 am
Since the trucks run at Daytona and now Talladega are so much different than every other truck run at every other track on the schedule, many teams will run an old chassis. In many instances, since the threat of "the big one" looms over everyone at all times, it usually is the one truck many consider to be disposable since there is a chance it could come back in a basket.
In Kerry Earnhardt's case, he is running the oldest truck in the ThorSport fleet, but it is far from disposable.
"They call it Miss Piggy it is so old and heavy," he said. "But it is an awesome speedway truck. It handles better than the truck I sat on the pole with here last year."
The truck has a long history here at Daytona. Terry Cook drove it to a fourth-place finish in 2000, it's best finish at Daytona. Matt Crafton had a hard crash on the backstretch in 2002, but the truck was resurrected and was fastest in pre-race drafting practice with Tina Gordon at the wheel in 2004. Last year, Tracy Hines qualified fifth with it and spent much of the night running at the front of the pack.
Engine Changes the Order of the Morning
01-15-2006 10:45 am
Three teams are currently working on engine changes in the garage area. The No. 6 Roush Racing Ford, the No. 75 Spears Motorsports Chevrolet, and the No. 18 BHR Dodge teams are all busy with the engine hoists pulling out the old bullet and putting in a new one. All three teams experienced a problem on the racetrack which led them to decide to change the engine.
There is also a big puddle of water underneath the No. 28 FDNY Racing Chevrolet, but there is no problem with the engine.
"We don't have an engine problem, we have a cool down problem," said driver Carl Long. "We don't have a cool down unit, so we're spraying water in there to cool it down."
Day Three Session One Rundown Two
01-15-2006 10:48 am
1. Wallace, 49.551
2. Hornaday, 49.58
3. Bodine, 49.694
4. Hobgood, 49.709
5. Cook, 49.807
6. Ragan, 50.466
7. Crawford, 50.706
8. Crafton, 50.733
9. Darnell, 50.869
10. Earnhardt, 50.887
11. Krisiloff, 51.092
12. Hamlin, 51.142
13. Wood, 51.145
14. Starr, 51.184
15. Crafton, 51.200
16. Benson, 51.240
17. Krisiloff, 51.281
18. Miller, 51.466
19. Reutimann, 51.539
20. Whitt, 51.605
21. Peters, 51.637
22. Setzer, 51.646
23. Skinner, 51.672
24. Almiola, 51.688
25. Long, 51.718
26. Hamilon, Jr., 51.726
27. Crocker, 51.768
28. Lester, 51.784
29. Kinser, 51.828
30. McCumbee, 51.863
31. Reid, 52.094
32. Gaughan, 52.382
33. Shuler, 52.449
34. Gaughan, 52.870
35. Patton, 52.911
36. Hamilton, 53.164
Who Needs to Qualify in on Time?
01-15-2006 10:59 am
Who needs to qualify in on speed when we come back to race here in February?
Chad McCumbee
Ted Musgrave
Jon Wood
Stacy Compton
Boston Reid
Carl Long
Jason Shuler
Robert Richardson
Brandon Whitt
Kraig Kinser
Jack Sprague
J.R. Patton
Blake Mallory
Musgrave and Sprague could have access to champions provisionals, although only Musgrave is guaranteed to be in the field as the most recent past champion.
How Many Trucks on Track?
01-15-2006 11:05 am
We've had a total of 58 trucks on the track at one point or another during Preseason Thunder at Daytona. Many teams have brought two trucks, while some brought only their primary trucks to the test.
Teams with two trucks:
Green Light Racing No. 07
Green Light Racing No. 08
Roush Racing No. 6
ppc Racing No. 10
Circle Bar Racing No. 14
Billy Ballew Motorsports No. 15
Xpress Motorsports No. 16
Darrell Waltrip Motorsports No. 17
Wood/JTG Racing No. 20
Woodard/Sharp Racing No. 25
Kevin Harvick Inc. No. 33
Red Horse Racing No. 38
Morgan-Dollar Motorsports No. 46
Morgan-Dollar Motorsports No. 47
Spears Motorsports No. 75
Orleans Racing No. 77
Roush Racing No. 99
Teams with just one truck:
Sutton Motorsports No. 02
BHR No. 04
MRD Motorsports No. 06
BHR No. 4
Bill Davis Racing No. 5
BHR2 No. 8
Germain Racing No. 9
Darrell Waltrip Motorsports No. 12
ThorSport Racing No. 13
BHR No. 18
Wood/JTG Racing No. 21
Bill Davis Racing No. 22
Bill Davis Racing No. 23
FDNY Racing No. 28
Germain Racing No. 30
Brevak Racing No. 31
Richardson Racing No. 35
Key Motorsports No. 40
HT Motorsports No. 59
Wyler Racing No. 60
Mittler Bros. Racing No. 63
Milburn Racing No. 76
ThorSport Racing No. 88
Evernham Motorsports No. 98
PM Session Underway
01-15-2006 12:47 pm
The afternoon session just got started, and just as they did this morning, the drivers have hooked up in the draft and are going at it hot and heavy on the speedway. We'll have all the action from the final four hours of Preseason Thunder right here at TrackSideLive!
Day Three Session Two Rundown 1
01-15-2006 1:20 pm
1. Starr, 48.494
2. Krisiloff, 48.795
3. Lester, 48.852
4. Hornaday, 48.861
5. Ragan, 48.887
6. Wallace, 48.916
7. McCumbee, 49.018
8. Benson, 49.040
9. Darnell, 49.840
10. Cook, 50.273
11. Almirola, 50.331
12. Setzer, 50.358
13. Hornaday, 50.475
14. Shuler, 50.518
15. Crawford, 50.536
16. Wood, 50.598
17. Compton, 50.629
18. Hamilton, 50.674
19. Kinser, 51.122
20. Skinner, 51.199
21. Hobgood, 51.377
22. Peters, 51.542
23. Reid, 51.548
24. Crocker, 51.567
25. Hamlin, 51.726
26. Gaughan, 52.008
27. Long, 52.037
28. Patton, 52.379
More TruckShots
01-15-2006 2:21 pm
The TruckShots gallery is overflowing! We just added another batch of 30+ images from the garage, so look to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page and click on the TruckShots link to check it out!
Day Three Session Two Rundown 2
01-15-2006 2:22 pm
1. Starr, 48.494
2. Krisiloff, 48.795
3. Lester, 48.852
4. Hornaday, 48.861
5. Ragan, 48.887
6. Wallace, 48.916
7. McCumbee, 49.018
8. Long, 49.030
9. Benson, 49.040
10. Darnell, 49.050
11. Hamilton, Jr., 49.082
12. Darnell, 49.200
13. Gaughan, 49.258
14. Cook, 49.273
15. Almirola, 49.331
16. Setzer, 49.356
17. Wood, 49.437
18. Hornaday, 49.475
19. Shuler, 49.536
20. Setzer, 49.737
21. Crocker, 50.281
22. Patton, 50.444
23. Crawford, 50.467
24. Compton, 50.597
25. Wood, 50.598
26. Hamilton, 50.674
27. Kinser, 51.122
28. Hobgood, 51.156
29. Skinner, 51.199
30. Almirola, 51.291
31. Peters, 51.397
32. Reid, 51.490
How Does a Driver Chose?
01-15-2006 2:29 pm
Many teams did have two trucks here. So how does a driver chose which one to race come February?
For Ron Hornaday, it is very easy. "I chose by feel," he said. "The truck we loaded on the trailer darted around the racetrack like a little slot car. It was all over the place. The one we'll bring back to race handles like a big ol' Cadillac. That's what you want here, something that handles good and is nice and smooth over the bumps."
Who's Still Here; Who's Not
01-15-2006 3:29 pm
Many teams have called it a weekend and headed for home:
Bill Davis Racing
Orleans Racing
Mittler Bros. Racing
Germain Racing
HT Motorsports
Spears Motorsports
Red Horse Racing
Billy Ballew Motorsports
Circle Bar Racing
Roush Racing (No. 6 only)
Some teams are still here working hard at finding that last hundredth of a second:
Morgan-Dollar Motorsports
Roush Racing
ppc Racing
Bobby Hamilton Racing
Woodard/Sharp Racing
Evernham Motorsports
Reid Wants to Stay
01-15-2006 3:43 pm
While many teams are loading up and heading for home, Boston Reid would like to stay as long as he could.
"We're going to stay until 5:01," he said. "And really, we'd like to stay as long as we could. I wish they'd put the lights on and let us run some more."
Reid is one of the drivers that must make the field based on qualifying speed.
"We have both trucks in the top-10 in drafting," he said. "But we're back in the 30s in single truck stuff. This is going to be a tough field to make, and it's a little nerve wracking."
Engine Failure Ahead of Her Sends Crocker Spinning
01-15-2006 4:23 pm
Erin Crocker was running in a tight draft with the BHR trucks when the engine in Bobby Hamilton, Jr.'s truck erupted, leaving a streak of oil in the groove and sending Crocker on a wild spin down the backstretch. Thankfully, no one else was involved and Crocker's machine suffered little or no visible damage.
Keep an eye out on the Sights and Sounds box, we'll have an exclusive interview with Erin Crocker posted shortly.
Sorry for Lack of Times
01-15-2006 4:31 pm
Sorry for the lack of timing updates, but all of the teams that had their scoring monitors have packed up their equipment and have left the speedway. NASCAR does not have their timing and scoring equipment set up as this is not a NASACR sanctioned event, rather a private test at which NASCAR is here to observe. We should have a comprehensive timing list provided by the track at the end of the session, which is approaching quickly.
Just a Few Still Here...
01-15-2006 4:34 pm
Only a few trucks are still out running taking advantage of the final few moments of Preseason Thunder testing. Bobby Hamilton, Timothy Peters, and Kevin Hamlin are still out making laps out of the BHR camp, as well as Boston Reid in the Woodard/Sharp Racing machine. Stacy Compton is currently out making a solo run in the Wood/JTG Racing Ford, while everyone else has loaded up and has called it a day.
Compton In; That's It
01-15-2006 4:46 pm
Stacy Compton just wheeled the No. 21 Ford back to the garage area, and with that Preseason Thunder testing for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has come to a close. But, we still have a few more items of business before we call it a night for TrackSideLive! Stick around for an exclusive post-spin interview with Erin Crocker, and we also have sound clips from former Daytona pole-winner Terry Cook, last year's point runner-up Dennis Setzer, the ultimate underdog here in Daytona Carl Long, as well as a welcome-back interview with former series regular Stacy Compton.
We'll have times posted as soon as they are available, so stick around!
Day Three Session Two Final Rundown
01-15-2006 4:53 pm
1. David Starr, 38a, 48.494
2. Jon Wood, 20a, 48.617
3. Bobby Hamilton, Jr., 08a, 48.720
4. Mike Wallace, 59, 48.762
5. Kyle Krisiloff, 15a, 48.795
6. Bill Lester, 22, 48.852
7. Terry Cook, 10b, 48.853
8. Ron Hornaday, 33b, 48.861
9. Aric Almirola, 75a, 48.861
10. Kevin Hamlin, 04, 48.878
11. David Ragan, 6a, 48.887
12. Erik Darnell, 99b, 48.918
13. Chad McCumbee, 06, 49.018
14. Carl Long, 28, 49.020
15. Johnny Benson, 23, 49.040
16. Erik Darnell, 99a, 49.050
17. Stacy Compton, 21, 49.111
18. Dennis Setzer, 46b, 49.171
19. Brendan Gaughan, 77, 29.257
20. Aric Almirola, 75b, 49.331
21. Ron Hornaday, 33a, 49.475
22. Kraig Kinser, 47a 49.497
23. Rick Crawford, 14, 49.502
24. Erin Crocker, 98, 49.532
25. Jason Shuler, 31, 49.536
26. Timothy Peters, 4, 49.725
27. Dennis Setzer, 46a, 49.737
28. Bobby Hamilton, 18, 49.747
29. J.R. Patton, 63, 50.444
30. Jon Wood, 20b, 50.598
31. Justin Hobgood, 9, 51.156
32. Mike Skinner, 5, 51.199
33. Boston Reid, 25b, 51.362
34. Boston Reid, 25a, 52.228
That's Going to Do It from Daytona
01-15-2006 5:03 pm
As with the teams, it's time to call it a day from Daytona International Raceway. In less than four weeks, we will return for the season opening Florida Dodge Dealers 250, and we'll bring you all of the action from each and every NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in 2006. Please take the time to click on the drivers listed in the Sights and Sounds Box, feel free to enjoy the copious amount of images posted in all of our picture galleries, and check back regularly for all the news and notes from the NCTS as we lead up to race number one here at DIS. So long everybody!
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