Rain returns, halts Friday's testing
Friday, Dec. 18, 2009
Tony Eury Jr. talks with driver Danica Patrick during Friday's ARCA testing at Daytona International Speedway. (Motorsports Images & Archives)
IndyCar star and ARCA rookie Danica Patrick makes her way through the garage at Daytona International Speedway on Friday. (Motorsports Images & Archives)
The rain is back and cars – including the one occupied by Danica Patrick – are pulling off the track as Friday's ARCA testing has been interrupted at Daytona International Speedway.
Teams were able to briefly work on single-car runs after foul weather delayed on-track action until early Friday afternoon. The sun had started burning through the drizzle at the 2.5-mile speedway – albeit briefly – about noon.
More rain is forecast Friday, the first of three partial days of Automobile Racing Club of American testing.
Three of the Venturini Motorsports entries topped the speed chart in the abbreviated session. Driver Mikey Kile posted teh best lap and was closely followed by teammates Steve Arpin and Alli Owens, according to ARCARacing.com's scoring.
Patrick, the person most responsible for the added attention to the offseason's first stock car test session, was 12th fastest.
The IndyCar star strode into her No. 88 JR Motorsports hauler around 9 a.m. – greeting competition director Tony Eury Sr. with a “Pops!” She huddled with the crew members who will help launch her NASCAR career in the Nationwide Series this season.
Though Patrick is expected to make her Nationwide debut on Feb. 20 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., Eury Sr. reiterated that time line could change depending on how competitive she feels after undertaking the ARCA test this weekend and the series’ Feb. 6 opener at DIS.
“It’s kind of up to her,” he said, finishing off a small bag of corn chips. “You just don’t want to come to the Nationwide race (Feb. 13 at Daytona) and run 30th. She’s so competitive, got so much confidence, she just doesn’t want to jump into it if she’s not ready for it.”
The first test this weekend will be single-car runs, Eury Sr. Her four hours of work at Walt Disney World Speedway last week was more of a shakedown – though a successful one, Eury Sr., said – and couldn’t simulate the draft that dominates racing at Daytona.
“She needs to get used to the car before we put her around anyone else,” he said. “She definitely needs to ease into it.”
ThatsRacin.com editor Bob Henry contributed.
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