Mike Wallace fastest on final testing day
By Tim Packman, Turner Sports Interactive
January 17, 2002
5:42 PM EST (2242 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Mike Wallace's chase for a sponsor hasn't slowed the team down on the track.
Wallace laid down the fastest lap during drafting in Thursday testing in the No. 33 Chevrolet. The still-unsponsored Andy Petree Racing ride was clocked in 184.302 mph (48.333 seconds) around the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
Defending Daytona 500 champ Michael Waltrip had the best lap of the day in single-car testing, turning a lap of 49.112 seconds (183.255 mph). That was sixth-best overall in the two sessions.
During the drafting phase, Bill Elliott was second and led the Dodge group in the Evernham Motorsports No. 9 with his speed of 184.298 mph (48.834 seconds).
Bobby Labonte put the No. 18 Pontiac through its paces for the fourth-fastest overall time at 184.207 (48.858 seconds)
Matt Kenseth led the Ford camp in the No. 17 with a lap of 184.185 mph (48.864 seconds), fifth on the cumulative chart. For the first time during the three-day test, all manufacturers were in the top five.
Many teams used the afternoon session to work the draft. Ford had five of the fastest ten times for the day. Wallace was the only Chevrolet and Labonte the only Pontiac in the top 10 on the speed chart.
Jimmy Spencer was the third-fastest car in the No. 41 Dodge at 184.222 mph (48.854 seconds) He liked one of the cars he tested, but said he still wants to go faster.
"We drafted in the Budweiser Shootout car," Spencer said. "I like how it handled in the draft. Overall, we're a little disappointed, so we're going to go back to the shop and build a new car to take to Talladega and see what we can learn from that one."
Thursday's session was the final day of testing for the second group of Winston Cup Series teams. The Craftsman Truck Series testing session begins on Friday.
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