Speed Racer
aka "mach5driver"
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive January 7, 2003
1:04 PM EST (1804 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Mike Skinner and Morgan-McClure Motorsports were relishing their switch to the Pontiac Grand Prix for the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup season Tuesday morning at Daytona International.
Skinner posted the fastest speed of 25 teams that were on hand at the speedway for the opening of NASCAR's Preseason Thunder test period and had two of the four fastest times clocked in the three-hour morning session by 39 cars.
Skinner's best lap was in 49.495 seconds, an average speed of 181.837 mph. That was slower than a year ago, when Daytona 500 Bud Pole winner Jimmie Johnson opened the first morning of the three-day test at 49.151 seconds, 183.109 mph.
The top-five individuals Tuesday morning included Elliott Sadler in his first Daytona test in Robert Yates Racing's No. 38 Ford (49.567/181.572), Rusty Wallace in his first run in a Penske Racing Dodge (49.657/181.243), Johnny Benson in a Pontiac (49.717/181.025) and rookie Casey Mears in one of two Chip Ganassi Dodges (49.720/181.014).
Skinner, Sadler and Mears all had two cars in the top-10 cars overall. Morgan-McClure, which ran Chevrolets for more than the last 12 seasons, was one of five teams at the test using a different manufacturer than in 2002.
1:04 PM EST (1804 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Mike Skinner and Morgan-McClure Motorsports were relishing their switch to the Pontiac Grand Prix for the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup season Tuesday morning at Daytona International.
Skinner posted the fastest speed of 25 teams that were on hand at the speedway for the opening of NASCAR's Preseason Thunder test period and had two of the four fastest times clocked in the three-hour morning session by 39 cars.
Skinner's best lap was in 49.495 seconds, an average speed of 181.837 mph. That was slower than a year ago, when Daytona 500 Bud Pole winner Jimmie Johnson opened the first morning of the three-day test at 49.151 seconds, 183.109 mph.
The top-five individuals Tuesday morning included Elliott Sadler in his first Daytona test in Robert Yates Racing's No. 38 Ford (49.567/181.572), Rusty Wallace in his first run in a Penske Racing Dodge (49.657/181.243), Johnny Benson in a Pontiac (49.717/181.025) and rookie Casey Mears in one of two Chip Ganassi Dodges (49.720/181.014).
Skinner, Sadler and Mears all had two cars in the top-10 cars overall. Morgan-McClure, which ran Chevrolets for more than the last 12 seasons, was one of five teams at the test using a different manufacturer than in 2002.
