Biffle baffled by three-day test

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By RICK MINTER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/11/07 Daytona Beach, Fla. — Greg Biffle said the three-day preseason test sessions at Daytona International Speedway are too long.
"I think certainly we need to come down here, but we could really get everything done in two days," he said. "With the way the rules package is now, where it's kind of closing the doors and confining it a little bit, we're sort of running out of things to do.

MCT (ENLARGE)

Dodge's new NASCAR entry, the Avenger, is unveiled at a major Detroit automobile show this week.

"What we've figured out over the years is that you unload it off the truck and you work on it for the first half a day, you've pretty much found the speed you're going to find for the next three days. It's kind of just polishing on it a little bit."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. apparently agrees. He left Daytona after Tuesday's session in which he topped the speed chart. He then turned over the driving duties of his No. 8 Chevrolet to his brother, Kerry Earnhardt.
Jarrett: Ford playing catch-up to Toyota
Dale Jarrett, who switches from a Ford to a Toyota Camry this season, said Ford is lagging in manufacturer support.
"Ford's going to have to step up and be sure they keep up with the program," Jarrett said. "They have very good race teams ... but they are going to have to put that support behind them to make it all work."
Ford officials responded by pointing out comments made last fall by team owner Jack Roush, who said his technological programs, "are funded as they should be and historically have been by Ford."
Roush also said in November that Chevrolet and Ford supply adequate manufacturer support for their race teams.
"By all appearances, Chevrolet hasn't backed away, and I know Ford hasn't," he said. "They've given me every encouragement that they're going to stay the course and meet the challenge that Toyota brings, but we just don't know how big that challenge is going to be."
Murray coped with pressure in 2006
Jamie McMurray talked with reporters on Wednesday about the heat he felt during a disappointing 2006 season.
"I was scared of the questions that were going to be asked," he said before Wednesday's test session. "If I knew what was wrong, I would have tried to fix it. I didn't know what we needed to do, so the mental side of our sport is big, and I don't think it gets acknowledged as much as what it needs to be."
He said dealing with the pressures caused him sleepless nights. He's planning to take a refresher course in a class he has attended in the past to help keep his confidence high.
"If all we really had to do was race, that's pretty easy," he said. "But it's dealing with the media and the bad questions or the negative questions and your sponsors and the pressure that comes along with that. It's hard to explain to somebody what that's like, lying in bed at night and constantly worrying about everything. I don't deal with that very well and I know that, so I'm going to go back and try to get to where I can think positive again and be happy."
Around the track
Veteran crew chief Gary DeHart has joined Ginn Racing as director of shop operations. DeHart, who led Terry Labonte to the 1996 Cup championship, is one of many new faces at the Ginn team, which fields Cup cars for Sterling Marlin, Joe Nemechek and Mark Martin. Team officials say the number of employees has grown from 85 to 160 since Bobby Ginn purchased controlling interest in the team from Nelson Bowers last July. ... The 3:15 p.m. starting time for Daytona 500 is the latest ever, according to track officials. The later starts have become common as NASCAR accommodates West Coast television viewers. Last year's 500 started at 2:30 p.m. ... Both Nextel Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway will start at 2 p.m., according to track spokesperson Marcy Scott. ... NASCAR has mandated that drivers use a six-point seat belt harness. Many drivers already had swapped the old five-point belts for the new design.






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