Tracy targets top 15 finish

The Canadian is taking part in five races of NASCAR's second-tier formula this season as he contemplates a move to NASCAR Nextel Cup full time in 2007.

Tracy realises he is facing a huge struggle to become acclimatised to the 750bhp oval racers, and believes that just finishing Saturday's race will be a major accomplishment for a hardened single-seater driver.

"This is a big name starting at zero again," Tracy told autosport.com. "Out here, when you come from other sports, it's not really about what you have done before. So you know really I've had to kind of start over, not as a rookie but as a guy trying to get into the sport.

"I've had a lot of people tell me if you go out and lead the race and end up crashing out people will respect you more than if you run 15th and finish. But these people really look up at a guy who is going to go up there and finish all the races and really win the championships.

"I would rather finish, though, it's kind of against my grain. I've got a good spotter who is going to keep me under control and the key for me right now is to just finish the races and we've got a good car but it is not the level of these big Cup teams or anything like that.

"But if we could finish inside the top 15 that is like a win. People will go 'wow' - you did a really good job in a mid-pack car."

The qualifying session for the race begins at 3.05pm local time today, with the race tomorrow at 1.30pm.