BUSCH: Daytona testing 97-01-16

Todd Bodine fastest in Daytona NASCAR Busch Series test

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 16) -- Todd Bodine clocked the fastest speed Thursday, the first day of a two-day NASCAR Busch Series stock car test at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the season-opening Gargoyles 300 on Feb. 15. Bodine's was the fastest first-day speed in 10 days of January stock car testing, and the youngest of three Bodine brothers racing in NASCAR's two top series was only the fifth driver to better 188 mph out of the more than 80 stock car drivers who have tested so far this winter. Bodine was clocked at 47.846 seconds, an average speed of 188.103 mph, in his No. 36 Pontiac Grand Prix. His run, which celebrated his Daytona return with the team for which he captured his first Busch Series victory, capped a busy session in which 38 drivers toured the 2.5-mile trioval. Four other drivers topped the 187 mph plateau, including Bodine's teammate, Mike McLaughlin, at 187.574 mph in the No. 34 Chevrolet; Elton Sawyer, 187.418 mph in the No. 38 Ford; Jeff Purvis, 187.317 mph in the No. 4 Chevrolet; and Jeff Green, 187.211 mph in the No. 8 Chevrolet. The test concludes Friday. A section of the Oldfield Grandstand is open daily at no charge from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with access through the DAYTONA USA lobby. Guided Speedway tours are also available from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a nominal fee.

NASCAR BUSCH SERIES TEST SPEEDS -- Jan. 16*

PS NO DRIVER/CAR                        SPEED
 1 36 Todd Bodine/Pontiac                188.103 mph
 2 34 Mike McLaughlin/Chevrolet                187.574
 3 38 Elton Sawyer/Ford                        187.418
 4  4 Jeff Purvis/Chevrolet                187.317
 5  8 Jeff Green/Chevrolet                187.211
 6 99 Glenn Allen/Chevrolet                187.048                 
 7  9 Jeff Burton/Ford                        186.784                 
 8 64 Dick Trickle/Chevrolet                186.710                 
 9 51 Ron Fellows/Chevrolet                186.525                 
10 17 Tim Bender/Chevrolet                186.459            
11 57 Jason Keller/Chevrolet                186.451       
12 63 Tracy Leslie/Pontiac                186.386         
13 00 Buckshot Jones/Ford                186.370       
14 10 Phil Parsons/Chevrolet                186.193       
15 96 Stevie Reeves/Ford                185.567       
16 88 Kevin Lepage/Chevrolet                185.544       
17 49 Kyle Petty/Chevrolet                185.334       
18  6 Joe Bessey/Chevrolet                185.151       
19 47 Jeff Fuller/Chevrolet                185.124       
20 33 Tim Fedewa/Chevrolet                185.071
21  3 Steve Park/Chevrolet                184.953
22 85 Shane Hall/Chevrolet                184.820
23  5 Terry Labonte/Chevrolet                184.615
24 97 Doug Reid III/Ford                184.570
25 60 Mark Martin/Ford                        184.513
26 74 Randy LaJoie/Chevrolet                184.177
27 29 Elliott Sadler/Chevrolet                184.121
28 43 Rodney Combs/Chevrolet                183.599
29 37 Mark Green/Chevrolet                     183.191
30 77 Jeff McClure/Ford                        182.786
31  7 Brad Teague/Chevrolet                   182.541
32 98 Kenny Irwin/Ford                         181.984
33 28 Johnny Chapman/Ford                180.694
34 81 Jeff Neal/Chevrolet                      179.544
35 97 David Hutto/Chevrolet                    178.784
36 68 Chris Diamond/Chevrolet                  178.681
37 11 Jimmy Foster/Chevrolet                   176.734
38 71 Dennis Setzer/Chevrolet                  174.611

* Electronic times taken randomly throughout the day.