Busch Series Testing for Orbitz 300 Begins

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., -- The search for speed in preparation for the Orbitz 300 NASCAR Busch Series season opener on Saturday, Feb. 17 began on Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

The first wave of Busch Series teams kicked off a three-day test on Friday morning while a second wave will begin a three-day test session on Sunday.

For Shane Huffman, he didn’t want the 2006 Busch Series season end and he is certainly ready for the 2007 season to kick off with the Orbitz 300.

Huffman took over the reigns of the No. 88 Navy Chevrolet fielded by Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports late in the 2006 season

As a late-season replacement, Huffman competed in nine races behind the wheel of the No. 88 car. In the final four races, Huffman had three top-five qualifying efforts and two top-10 finishes.

“I hate the season ended when it did really,” said Huffman. “I wish we could’ve kept rolling. Once we get a test or two under our belt and get things rolling back in the right direction, we will hopefully pick up right where we left off.”

Huffman was anxious to take the track on Friday morning at Daytona International Speedway. His only prior start at DIS came in an ARCA RE/MAX Series race in 2000 where he started 21st and finished 20th.

Last weekend, Huffman tested the No. 40 Chevrolet for Key Motorsports.

“It’s cool,” Huffman said. “This is an awesome place. It’s a lot of fun to be here. I was walking a while ago and I had to pinch myself saying, ‘Am I really here?’

“I got cold chills coming through the tunnels,” Huffman continued. “It’s been a dream of mine to race here and compete here. I’m finally going to get to fulfill it.”

Fast from the start: Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Busch kicked off Friday’s morning session with both of his cars atop the speed charts.

In qualifying trim, Busch had the No. 5B Chevrolet fastest with a lap of 183.057 mph and the No. 5A Chevrolet second fastest with a speed of 182.960.

In the afternoon drafting session, Denny Hamlin was fastest in the No. 20B Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet with a speed of 186.293 mph.

Ambrose Loving Daytona So Far: Aussie Marcos Ambrose, driver of the No. 59 Wood Brothers Racing/JTG Ford, took his first laps around Daytona International Speedway on Friday. Said Ambrose: “It’s a lot bumpier than I thought, a lot narrower than what I thought. It’s just a thrill to be here. It feels like today that I’ve made it to NASCAR. I’ve got a great team and sponsor. We’re here running at Daytona in a Busch car. It’s just a dream come true.”

Testing, testing and testing: Heralded NEXTEL Cup Series rookie Juan Pablo Montoya is making his third and final testing appearance at DIS in January. He first tested his Rolex 24 ride with the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley, then his No. 42 Dodge in the NEXTEL Cup Series and now finally his No. 42 Busch Series ride that he will race in the Orbitz 300.

NASCAR Jackson Hewitt Preseason Thunder Fan Fest: The final two NASCAR Jackson Hewitt Preseason Thunder Fan Fests are set for Saturday and Sunday.

The NASCAR Jackson Hewitt Preseason Thunder Fan Fest events start at 5 p.m. but fans will be able to enter the NEXTEL FANZONE beginning at 9 a.m. to watch all of the exciting testing action for the NASCAR Busch Series. Busch Series admission for the NASCAR Jackson Hewitt Preseason Thunder Fan Fest is $10.

Fans will be able to get a sneak peek on NASCAR teams as they prepare for Speedweeks 2007 with inquisitive fan forums with many of their favorite drivers as well as enjoying all the state-of-the-art amenities in the popular NEXTEL FANZONE.

Also included in NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fests will be bands, show cars, pit stop demonstrations, displays, a silent auction and passenger hot laps around the 2.5-mile tri-oval in pace cars (additional $20).

All testing sessions continue to be free and open to the public with access to the Oldfield Grandstand through the lobby of DAYTONA USA.

Speedweeks 2007 tickets available: Tickets for Speedweeks 2007 events, including the 49th annual Daytona 500, are available by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or by logging onto www.racetickets.com

Friday’s speeds

Speeds from Friday morning’s NASCAR Busch Series testing session:

1, 5B, Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 49.165, 183.057 

2, 5A Kyle Busch Chevrolet, 49.191, 182.960

3, 87B Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 49.221, 182.849

4, 90A Stephen Leicht, Ford, 49.332, 182.437

5, 87A Joe Nemechek, Chevrole,t 49.334, 182.430

6, 32A Dave Blaney, Toyota, 49.348, 182.378

7, 6A David Ragan, Ford, 49.349, 182.375

8, 11A Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 49.420, 182.113

9, 16B Todd Kluever, Ford, 49.470, 181.928

10,37B Jamie McMurray, Ford, 49.487, 181.866

11, 6B David Ragan, Ford, 49.512, 181.774

12, 37A Jamie McMurray, Ford, 49.512, 181.774

13, 20A Denny Hamlin, Chevrolet, 49.522, 181.737

14, 90B Stephen Leicht, Ford, 49.530, 181.708

15, 20B Denny Hamlin, Chevrolet, 49.538, 181.679

16, 32B Dave Blaney, Toyota, 49.594, 181.474

17, 18B Aric Almirola, Chevrolet, 49.597, 181.463

18, 99A David Reutimann, Toyota, 49.616, 181.393

19, 21A Timothy Peters, Chevrolet, 49.619, 181.382

20, 15A Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 49.628, 181.349

21, 16A Todd Kluever, Ford, 49.668, 181.203

22, 38A Jason Leffler, Toyota, 49.717, 181.025

23, 66B Steve Wallace, Dodge, 49.740, 180.941

24, 99B David Reutimann, Toyota, 49.752, 180.897

25, 21B Timothy Peters, Chevrolet, 49.770, 180.832

26, 59A Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 49.806, 180.701

27, 2A Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.861, 180.502

28, 66A Steve Wallace, Dodge, 49.863, 180.495

29, 2B Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.866, 180.484

30, 55A Brandon Miller, Ford, 49.888, 180.404

31, 42B Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 49.997, 180.011

32, 59B Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 50.029, 179.896

33, 88A Shane Huffman, Chevrolet, 50.112, 179.598

34, 28B Robert Richardson, Chevrolet, 50.391, 178.603

35, 88B Shane Huffman, Chevrolet, 50.391, 178.603

36, 42A Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 50.420, 178.501

37, 36B Brent Sherman, Chevrolet, 50.566, 177.985

38, 0A Eric McClure, Chevrolet, 50.586, 177.915

39, 38B Jason Leffler, Toyota, 50.789, 177.204

1 20B Denny Hamlin, Chevrolet, 48.311, 186.293

2 15A Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 48.370, 186.066 

3 11A Martin Truex, Chevrole,t 48.394, 185.973 

4 88B Shane Huffman, Chevrolet, 48.463, 185.709 

5 66B Steve Wallace, Dodge, 48.478, 185.651 

6 18B Aric Almirola, Chevrolet, 48.539, 185.418 

7 42A Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 48.554, 185.361 

8 5A Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 48.566, 185.315 

9 5B Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 48.578, 185.269 

10 59B Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 48.601, 185.181  

11 55A Brandon Miller, Ford, 48.615, 185.128 

12 99B David Reutimann, Toyota, 48.665, 184.938 

13 38A Jason Leffler, Toyota, 48.811, 184.385  

14 59A Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 48.856, 184.215 

15 87A Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 48.924, 183.959 

16 66A Steve Wallace, Dodge, 49.038, 183.531 

17 28B Robert Richardson, Chevrolet, 49.065, 183.430

18 6A David Ragan, Ford, 49.206, 182.905 

19 16B Todd Kluever, Ford, 49.227, 182.826 

20 90A Stephen Leicht, Ford, 49.287, 182.604 60

21 37B Jamie McMurray, Ford, 49.297, 182.567 

22 87B Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 49.324, 182.467 

23 32A Dave Blaney, Toyota, 49.337, 182.419 

24 18A Aric Almirola, Chevrolet, 49.380, 182.260 

25 90B Stephen Leicht, Ford, 49.397, 182.197 

26 21A Timothy Peters, Chevrolet, 49.402, 182.179 

27 20A Denny Hamlin, Chevrolet, 49.414, 182.135 

28 32B Dave Blaney, Toyota, 49.416, 182.127 

29 6B David Ragan, Ford, 49.444, 182.024 

30 2A Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.521, 181.741 

31 36A Brent Sherman, Chevrolet, 49.525, 181.726 

32 2B Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 49.540, 181.671 

33 99A David Reutimann, Toyota, 49.574, 181.547 

34 16A Todd Kluever, Ford, 49.629, 181.346 

35 88A Shane Huffman, Chevrolet, 49.754, 180.890 

36 21B Timothy Peters, Chevrolet, 49.849, 180.545 

37 0A Eric McClure, Chevrolet, 49.880, 180.433 

38 42B Kevin Hamlin, Dodge, 49.927, 180.263 

39 38B Jason Leffler, Toyota, 49.978, 180.079

40 72A Randy MacDonald, Chevrolet, 50.912, 176.776