Tim Sauter was the top Raybestos Rookie in today's final practice session for the Mountain Dew 250, posting the 15th best overall speed. Sauter leads Willie Allen by four points (138-134) in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering Saturday's race.

Tim Sauter, No. 07 Lester Buildings Chevrolet: "The truck drove good. I think everybody's trucks are driving pretty good by the looks of it but I'm happy with it. It's comfortable and I can do what I need to do with it and that's half the battle. We don't have anything for qualifying so we're just working on race trim, making it comfortable."

Does it really matter where you start here? "It absolutely does not matter at all because you can be last and three laps later you can be first and you'll see it Saturday, big-time."

Is this your first race here on the new pavement? "Yeah and it's awesome. There's not a bump in the place. With the fresh asphalt it's still got good grip so that makes it easier for the drivers."

Are you concerned about the pavement being too good and every driver feeling like they are Superman? "Well, not on a personal note but I think everybody gets a little more aggressive because they think they are Superman but somebody always pays the price for that . I just hope it's not me."

Comment on drafting practice. "It was a little hairy and aggressive today and I'm not exactly sure why. I think, really, it was because some of the trucks getting up to speed weren't fast enough and the lead pack would have to let off a little bit and it would accordion everybody but all in all, it was alright."

Joey Clanton was the top Raybestos Rookie in the first practice today at Talladega, logging the eighth-best overall speed. Clanton finished sixth in Chevy Silverado 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (race No. 1), the only other restrictor plate event for the Craftsman Truck Series this season.

Joey Clanton, No. 09 Zaxby's Ford: "The truck drives good. We can drive all the way back up to the front. We were just trying to figure out what it took to stay out front and I think we accomplished it right there in the last run. We're just trying to figure out how to run with those Toyotas and see where I need to be to make my run. If I tried it at the backstretch, by the time we got to the frontstretch they were coming back around me. I made a run on Benson here on the front straightaway through the trioval and went to the outside and passed him by the time we got to the line. So the truck will pull out of line and go and we're just trying to make sure that we get this Zaxby's F-150 up front, keep it up front and be in position there that last lap because that's where it's going to matter. I've only run a few of these things but I've been successful if the truck won't go don't push it, just ride in the back and stay with the main pack. Try to get position where in the last 30 laps you can start working your way back up and having a good truck where you can get to that point where you can make that run at the back. I tried to ride and be with the right people at Daytona and it about got me. Luckily we had a truck that would just push and push and I didn't let out of it the last three laps. I found my dancing partner coming backwards and stayed on his back bumper until we pushed all the way back to the front. But there is a little different. There isn't any handling involved. The guy is going to be wide-open all day long. At Daytona you had to start lifting. Here you're on the mat all the time. I think it's just going to be what you've got and where you're position is on the last lap."

Will anyone draft with you? You are carrying the yellow stripes. "No. Kyle Busch has been bump drafting and Todd Bodine is pushing us. I think I've got the respect of the guys to where they'll stay with me. If we're slow they're not going to stay with us and I don't blame 'em. But they'll draft with us. It's hard to see our yellow strip when our back bumper cover is yellow."

You ran well at Daytona earlier this year. You must like restrictor plate racing. "It's just short track racing on a bigger scale. You've got to be on your toes. The wreck that happened today, I told my spotter I saw it before he did, before it ever happened. You've got to go back to that mentality of racing on short tracks and watching what goes on before it happens. You're going to rub in the trucks and that's the great thing about 'em. These things will run three and four-wide here at Talladega and it's just fun."

How close were you to the wreck? "I was the first one behind it. I think the 16 got loose, slammed the 6 and they went back down and caught the other two or three. I saw when the 6 went to go to the outside and the 16 started dancing I just started backing off. There are 36 trucks here and you don't have to race like that. You don't have to take chances. You can try to see what your truck is going to do to the fullest as long as you don't take those chances that you take in the race. Some guys haven't learned that yet."