Earnhardt: Testing ban good for team

Earnhardt says the fact they had not been testing thus far, unlike previous years, has provided drivers and team personnel the unique chance to spend more time at home during the off-season and be fully recharged ahead of the Daytona 500.

"(It) gave a lot of guys a lot more time at home with their families," Earnhardt said. "I thought it was a good change of pace. I don't know if this will be the norm for years to come, but it was a nice little change of pace.

"Gave everybody a good rest. Made the off-season a little bit longer."

The Hendrick driver doesn't expect the testing ban to change the pecking order. He says the simulation tools they count on such as seven-post rigs and wind tunnels, should allow them to be well prepared for the start of the season.

"I doubt it will be any different," Earnhardt said. "I doubt it will be unrecognisable. It's probably going to be about the same.

"We have all the technology, all the things, all the engineers, all the stuff we need to really simulate testing, have an idea of what the cars are going to do, how they're going to react, so we should show up in the ballpark.

"It should be an advantage for us, due to the technology and personnel we have that can simulate and estimate where we are and get us in the ballpark when we show up for the racetrack."

The Sprint Cup field will compete for the first time at Daytona during the Bud Shootout, which Earnhardt won last year on his debut for Hendrick Motorsports.