Most everyone hopes to shed unwanted poundage before beach season. We just hope we’re in the top 35 come Martinsville. At the top of Red Bull Racing Team’s New Year’s Resolution list is the number that eluded us in 2007, but we also vow to…

1. Not let the “American Idol” premier get in the way of Daytona testing.
2. Avoid mention in the next Mitchell Report.
3. Live up to our end of a hotel reservation on race weekend.
4. Double check BV’s power steering before NASCAR’s longest race.
5. Test, test and keep testing.
6. Have the Sprint Cup name change down by the time we leave Daytona.
7. Quit calling our cars the COT.
8. Qualify ninth at Talladega and AJ actually make the race.
9. Buy stock in umbrellas.
10. Stay out of the New England Patriots’ way.
11. Train like an Olympian for SoCal’s August heat.

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Preseason testing: Daytona International Speedway