Roush signs Fedewa for truck test
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
January 19, 2002
6:04 PM EST (2304 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR multi-team owner Jack Roush put veteran Busch Series driver Tim Fedewa in his No. 99 Ford F-150 Friday for the opening of a three-day NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series test session at Daytona International Speedway.
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Tim Fedewa (right) debriefs with members of the Roush Racing truck crew.
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Fedewa and Roush truck team manager Max Jones both said the move was simply to maximize the information gathered at the test to better Roush’s primary program, the No. 50 Ford for 20-year-old Jon Wood.
Roush, whose plans to run teenager Kyle Busch for Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the NCTS were wiped out by NASCAR’s new 18-year-old age limit for drivers that goes into effect this season, called Fedewa, 34, a four-time NBS winner, only days before the test.
Fedewa, who before Friday had only a couple testing laps in one of Rick Carelli’s 2000 trucks on his resume, was only too happy to accept.
“Right now it’s just a test for Daytona, but we’re not sure what we’re gonna do with it yet,” Jones said Friday. “Tim’s doing a great job so there might be an opportunity for him to drive it here at Daytona. We’re working some deals for the 50 but we’re actually looking for sponsors for both trucks.”
“I think they wanted a little bit of experience just to see what they had here,” Fedewa said of his first serious outing in a truck after 254 career Busch Series starts. “I’ve been working on some stuff all winter, but nothing has materialized yet, so I was free to come down here for a great opportunity. I’m glad I was available and answered the phone that day.”
With more than 30 truck teams on hand for the test, Fedewa wasted little time getting into the top-15 on the speed chart.
“I’m learning these things a little bit -- they’re a little bit different,” Fedewa said of the trucks, which rely on their bulkier aerodynamics rather than carburetor restrictor plates to keep their speed down. “I’m used to running a restrictor plate here so it really feels nice. I really like it and I wish that there was some way they could implement non-restrictor plate racing into the Busch Series and a lot of guys wish they could do it in the Cup Series as well.”
Fedewa said after the first day of the test that he had been scrambling all winter to make something happen for his career in 2002.
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Fedewa started 25 of 33 Busch Series races in 2001.
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“I probably had at least three legitimate deals that went sour over the winter,” Fedewa said. “We’re trying -- every day I’m trying and I’ve got people helping me out. It’s been tough going, not just in racing. The whole country is in a little bit of disarray right now, but it’ll get better and we’re just gonna keep making phone calls and making contacts and hope for the best.”
Fedewa does have some activity set for the coming week.
“I’m going to test Buckshot’s Busch car for him,” Fedewa said of his plans for the two Busch Series test sessions, for odd- and even-numbered finishers in the 2001 NBS car owner points. “I ran that car a few times last year and they were really nice people to let me do that when I needed a ride.”
Fedewa was released from his ride with Cicci-Welliver Racing mid-way through last season and he picked up a few rides for the balance of the season, including several with Billy Jones’ Buckshot Racing. That team won two races early last season with Todd Bodine driving its cars.
Buckshot Jones’ regular job is driving Petty Enterprises’ No. 44 Winston Cup car, but he has continued to drive the Busch car for extra seat time.
“I look forward to doing that and maybe something will come about since I’ll be here,” Fedewa said. “I’ve been trying all winter to get sponsorship for that car so I could drive it. It’s been tough to get sponsorship, as a lot of people will tell you.
“We haven’t gotten anything but we’re still working on it. I don’t have a sponsor and I know Billy doesn’t for Buckshot, either. I know they were looking at getting him some laps so he could take what he learns over to the Cup side, but if he asked me (to drive in EAS/GNC Live Well 300) I sure wouldn’t say no.
“They’re a great bunch of guys and they helped me out when I needed it. I sure would like to help them now when they could use a break.”
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