The first week of testing at Daytona has concluded.
The recap of Daytona testing week 1 can be summarized with one word- Earnhardt. The rift between Dale Earnhardt Jr and his stepmother/boss Teresa Earnhardt eclipsed all of the other week's headlines.
Other headlines included:
Toyota hitting the track for the first time- Toyota's preliminary speeds were solid, but Dale Jarrett's candid comments about Toyota's being built in the United States while Fords and Chevrolets were being built in Mexico and Canada dominated this headline.
Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle both suffered off-season injuries, but they appear to be ready for the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season.
Ricky Rudd and his reunion with Robert Yates- It's not surprising that Ricky Rudd and Robert Yates Racing posted fast speeds this past week. The Yates cars are always fast at the super speedways. Rudd will be a great darkhorse pick for the Daytona 500.
Tony Raines and Jeff Green were the surprises of the week. Raines posted the fastest speed Monday morning, and Green posted the fastest cumulative speed.
Kasey Kahne and the rest of the Dodge's still seemed to struggle. The real test will be next week when the Penske cars take to the track. Penske has the best restrictor plate program as far as Dodge is concerned.
