Tracy passes NASCAR test
By DEAN MCNULTY, TORONTO SUN
Canada's Paul Tracy passed a crucial test yesterday in his quest to crack the NASCAR Busch Series lineup for at least five races this season.
Tracy was behind the wheel of the No. 34 Cicci/Kelly Racing Chevrolet on Las Vegas Motor Speedway's 1.5-mile banked oval for the first of three days of testing in the 3,400-pound stock cars.
And he kept it out of the wall in his first session -- something established NASCAR stars like Ryan Newman and newcomer David Stremme didn't do -- when they both put their cars into the concrete on their first day of testing last week.
The 2003 Champ Car World Series champion hopes to make his debut in NASCAR at the Hershey's Kissables 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18.
Tracy also is scheduled to race at a pair of tracks where he has had podium finishes in Champ Car -- Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on March 5 and a week later at LVMS.
"I'm very excited about my first opportunity to race in NASCAR, especially in the biggest race of the year at Daytona," Tracy said when he signed his deal to race in the No. 34 Chevrolet.
"Then moving on to race at Las Vegas, which is my former home, and then on to Mexico City, where I won in the Champ Car series."
Also testing at Las Vegas yesterday were two other high profile NBS rookies -- Danny O'Quinn and Todd Kluever -- who were on the track in Roush Racing Fords.
"I definitely think this will be one of the most important tests of the year," O'Quinn said. "A large percentage of the tracks we run this year will be 1.5 miles, so for me this is really crucial to get laps behind the wheel and just learn how these cars react."
Kluever is slated to take over the No. 6 NASCAR Nextel Cup Roush Ford from Mark Martin in 2007.
"For me (this test) is critical, being a rookie," he said. "I can spend (a day) on the track learning what a NASCAR Busch Series car feels like."
By DEAN MCNULTY, TORONTO SUN
Canada's Paul Tracy passed a crucial test yesterday in his quest to crack the NASCAR Busch Series lineup for at least five races this season.
Tracy was behind the wheel of the No. 34 Cicci/Kelly Racing Chevrolet on Las Vegas Motor Speedway's 1.5-mile banked oval for the first of three days of testing in the 3,400-pound stock cars.
And he kept it out of the wall in his first session -- something established NASCAR stars like Ryan Newman and newcomer David Stremme didn't do -- when they both put their cars into the concrete on their first day of testing last week.
The 2003 Champ Car World Series champion hopes to make his debut in NASCAR at the Hershey's Kissables 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18.
Tracy also is scheduled to race at a pair of tracks where he has had podium finishes in Champ Car -- Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on March 5 and a week later at LVMS.
"I'm very excited about my first opportunity to race in NASCAR, especially in the biggest race of the year at Daytona," Tracy said when he signed his deal to race in the No. 34 Chevrolet.
"Then moving on to race at Las Vegas, which is my former home, and then on to Mexico City, where I won in the Champ Car series."
Also testing at Las Vegas yesterday were two other high profile NBS rookies -- Danny O'Quinn and Todd Kluever -- who were on the track in Roush Racing Fords.
"I definitely think this will be one of the most important tests of the year," O'Quinn said. "A large percentage of the tracks we run this year will be 1.5 miles, so for me this is really crucial to get laps behind the wheel and just learn how these cars react."
Kluever is slated to take over the No. 6 NASCAR Nextel Cup Roush Ford from Mark Martin in 2007.
"For me (this test) is critical, being a rookie," he said. "I can spend (a day) on the track learning what a NASCAR Busch Series car feels like."
