Paul Tracy, Erin Crocker Turn First Laps at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., -- Open-wheel star Paul Tracy has competed at historic Daytona International Speedway in a Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype but he’s never turned laps around the 2.5-mile tri-oval until Friday’s first day of a three-day ARCA RE/MAX Series test session.

Tracy, the 2003 Champ Car champion and a native of Scarborough, Ont., Canada, tested a Chevrolet belonging to Andy Hillenburg as he continues to try to gain experience for a potential move to the NASCAR ranks.

“It was pretty different,” Tracy said of his first laps. “Obviously I’ve never driven here other than a Grand-Am car. I think we had a good run. I did an eight- or nine-lap run and I think we ended up seventh or eighth quick. I’m just trying to figure out where I’m going. I was flat foot the whole time trying different lines and ran around on different parts of the track.”

Tracy, who tested a NEXTEL Cup Series car for Richard Childress Racing earlier this year at Michigan Speedway, says he’s close to putting together a limited Busch Series deal with the Biagi Bros.

While he’s returning to Champ Car in 2006, he hopes to be running full-time in NASCAR by 2007.

“My game plan was to make the transition in ’06 but it really didn’t come together,” Tracy said. “I’ve made another year commitment to Forsythe Racing. (Jerry Forsythe has) been gracious enough to say go do whatever you want to do and try whatever you want to try. My timetable is to be in NASCAR in ’07.

“We’re getting the wheels turned now. Hopefully (in 2006) I can run 10-11 races in Busch and maybe a Cup race or two. Really just drive as much as I can.”

Tracy, who met Hillenburg through a friend, says he has been a huge help in figuring out the ins and outs of stock cars.

“Andy’s been really helpful,” Tracy said. “He came from sprint cars and ran in the IRL and ran at Indianapolis. He knows the trials and difficulties of trying to make the transition into NASCAR.”

Erin Crocker

Crocker’s First laps: Evernham Motorsports’ development driver Erin Crocker, who’ll pull a Daytona doubleheader during Speedweeks competing in both the ARCA 200 on Saturday, Feb. 11 as well as the Daytona 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on Friday night, Feb. 17, turned her first laps at DIS on Friday.

“They were exciting,” said the 24-year-old Crocker, a native of Wilbraham, Mass. “It was a childhood dream to race at Daytona and these were our first laps. It’s my first day at Daytona, the first day of many hopefully.”

During the lunch break, Crocker recalled her first trip to “The World Center of Racing.” “My family use to come every year for the 500 up until maybe I was 12 or 13,” Crocker said. “I came the last two years to watch and be here. It’s exciting for me to finally get behind the wheel and not just to spectate.”

“I thought it was wild and you have to be insane to drive it,” said Crocker as she continued to remember her childhood memories of DIS. “But obviously things change as you get older.” Crocker, who began her career at the age of seven racing quarter midgets and is the only female to win a World of Outlaws race, will run a full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the No. 98 General Mills Dodge Ram for Evernham Motorsports as well as selected ARCA RE/MAX Series and Busch Series events.

“We’re just trying to get as much seat time as possible,” said Crocker, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. “I have the dirt background and last year it went well in ARCA and we struggled a little bit on the Busch side of things. We realize I don’t have much pavement experience so we’re going to run a lot of races. We’re going to run full trucks and seven ARCA races and six Busch races as of now.”

KHI, RCR Assisting Burney Lamar: Like Erin Crocker, Kevin Harvick Inc.’s development driver Burney Lamar will also pull double duty during Speedweeks 2006 competing in both the ARCA 200 and the Hershey’s Kissables 300 NASCAR Busch Series season opener.

The 25-year-old Lamar, who will race the No. 77 Dollar General Chevrolet for KHI in the Busch Series in 2006, is testing this week with both KHI and Richard Childress Racing crew members. He was fourth fastest in the morning session.

“The test is going great,” said Lamar, who competed in a limited number of NASCAR Grand National Division West Series, Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series races for KHI. “This is my first time at Daytona and actually I feel a lot smoother than I did at Talladega. I’m getting up top and running where I’m supposed to be is a lot easier. I’m having a lot of fun out here and trying to get these cars up to speed. After running at Talladega, everything here is easy. I’m able to run a little bit higher here and just to be able to say I’ve run at Daytona is a blast.”