Daytona Dodge test – day one: Close, but…

After Ford and GM had tested last week, it was time for Dodge to get the first true benchmark of where it lies relative to 'the establishment'. As expected, it was slightly off the pace - but its star draw driver Bill Elliott, driving for programme leader Ray Evernham's Dodge Dealers team, still posted a lap less than two mph slower than the benchmark so far.

"We're just trying to figure out what this thing likes," said Elliott, a man synonymous with Ford prior to his switch to the DaimlerChrysler camp.

"It doesn't concern me about what everybody's showing. What concerns me is when you come back, what everybody's found," he said, referring to claims that both Ford and GM were 'sand-bagging' during their official tests.

Awesome Bill from Dawsonville's best lap around the 2.5-mile tri-oval was 180.574mph (49.841s), compared to the best time set last week, Ford driver Matt Kenseth's 182.271mph (49.377s).

Second quickest of the 10 Dodge drivers present was Stacey Compton's Melling Racing entry at 180.169mph.

Headwind's on the track's Superstretch back straight hampered running in the afternoon, but the teams also noted a shortfall in the Intrepids' downforce figures compared to the Taurus, Monte Carlo and Grand Prix hordes.

"These cars don't quite have the numbers, downforce-wise, as the Fords and Chevrolets, but balance-wise, they'r' pretty good," said Compton. "We feel like we can come back for Speedweeks and be right in the ballpark."

Dodge tests again today, before switching to Talladega for a two-day test on NASCAR's other superspeedway. The Daytona 500 is on February 18, with Pole Day on February 10 and the twin 125-mile qualifying races on February 15.


1 Bill Elliott (Evernham) 180.574mph 49.841s
2 Stacey Compton (Melling) 180.169mph 49.953s
3 Dave Blaney (Bill Davis) 179.666mph 50.157s
4 John Andretti (Petty Enterprises) 178.919mph 50.302s
5 Sterling Marlin (Ganassi) 178.529mph 50.412s