17 Team Starts Preparation for Testing at Daytona

HUNTERSVILLE, NC - Daytona 500 testing will be conducted a little differently this year. Instead of each manufacturer being scheduled for two days of testing together, all car makes will now test in conjunction with each other. Based on year-end car owner points, Cup teams are split into two groups. The odd numbers test January 7-9 and even numbers test January 14-16.

Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 DEWALT team are scheduled to test at Daytona International Speedway January 14, 15 and 16. With only two weeks left to prepare and plans to have three cars ready to test, the Roush Racing team is busier than ever.

"One of the cars we're taking to Daytona is one we ran last year," crew chief Robbie Reiser said. "We tested it in the wind tunnel earlier this month and we were pleased with the results. We made some adjustments and now we feel it's ready to test on the track."

One of the goals of the No. 17 team is to build five new cars over the course of the off-season. Most of their time this week has been devoted to finishing one of those cars.

"We're focusing on completing the new car we're calling car no. 16," Reiser said. "We tested lots of different things throughout the year and we implemented what we learned in the design of this car.

"The team's excited to test at Daytona. We're planning on running all kinds of things. When we find something that works we'll stick with it, but we're planning on trying everything."

Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Roush Industries and operates eight teams; four in NASCAR Winston Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch; two in the Busch series with Burton and Greg Biffle; and two in Craftsman Truck with Jon Wood and Kyle Busch.