Karthikeyan eyes NASCAR move

Former Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan is considering a move to NASCAR after taking part in last week's ARCA series test at Daytona.

The Indian drove for the Starbeast Motorsports team, which is affiliated with NASCAR Sprint Cup squad JTG Daugherty Racing, on the opening day of the test.

"It's a whole new ball game out there," Karthikeyan was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

"I was lucky enough to be invited for a few sessions. NASCAR racing is pure, more basic with its oval tracks and inclined speedways.

"It's a totally new experience driving heavier cars with spotters speaking to you all the time."

The 32-year-old has primarily raced in A1GP since his F1 career ended with a Williams testing stint two years ago, although he also contested several Le Mans Series races for the Kolles Audi team this season.

He said had planned to continue with A1GP prior to the series' collapse, and will stick with the nation versus nation championship if it is rescued.

"It has thrown things open right now," Karthikeyan admitted. "The financial downturn caused havoc. If A1GP survives I will be there next year. It is a great championship with a lot of competition.

"However, we will have to sit down and discuss the future course of action if things remain the way they are."

Karthikeyan eyes NASCAR moveAdriano offers on table

Duno plans ARCA Daytona debut

Milka Duno plans to join IndyCar rival Danica Patrick in the ARCA season opener at Daytona on February, after enjoying a successful first stock car test at the track last weekend.

Duno was one of several female drivers taking part in the three-day ARCA RE/MAX Series test at the 2.5-mile oval, where she set the 13th fastest time during her only full day of running among 60-plus drivers.

The Venezuelan was more than happy with her test at the wheel of Braun Racing's #90 Toyota, which she drove for a full day on Saturday but only for a few laps on Sunday due to an engine problem.

"I think I adapted to the car pretty quick, although it was not easy," Duno said. "I think the times show that.

"The car moves around a lot and you have to be very gentle. But I'm happy with the result although I think I could have done better on Sunday, if not for a broken piston on the engine."

Duno took particular delight in beating rival Danica Patrick on the timesheets on Saturday, when most of the drivers completed the bulk of their running.

"Well, she was testing last week at another track," said Duno referring to a private test session Patrick held at Orlando before running at Daytona.

"She ran a lot more laps than I did on Saturday, plus she had two cars at her disposal. And despite that she wasn't faster than I was."

Following her first test, Duno is targeting the ARCA season opener at Daytona on February 6 to make her stock car race debut.

She says a deal is close and pending on sponsorship money, but she is also considering taking part in some NASCAR Nationwide Series races during the year.

A further ARCA test could take place at Talladega if her plans to race at Daytona finally materialise.

"We would like to run the ARCA race in February," said Duno. "I think the team was very happy with what I did in the test, but we need some sponsorship to make it happen.

"The real plan is to do some ARCA races and some in Nationwide also. That's something we've been working on for a while and I hope it happens."

Besides Duno and Patrick, ARCA regular Alli Owens was notable among the female on track at Daytona last weekend, setting the third fastest overall speed.

Toure happy at BarcaDuno plans ARCA Daytona debut

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Danica Patrick is considering contesting some NASCAR events in between IndyCar races during the summer, rather than doing all her stock car racing outside the IndyCar Series calendar as initially intended.

The American will compete in a currently unspecified programme of ARCA and Nationwide Series races with JR Motorsports next year to get a taste of NASCAR, but is also committed to Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series for at least the next two seasons.

Although it was previously suggested that all Patrick's NASCAR outings would take place before or after the 2010 IndyCar season, which starts a month after NASCAR and finishes six weeks sooner, she is now pondering adding some stock car races between IndyCar rounds in the middle of the year, once the Indianapolis 500 is out of the way.

"I think our plan is to run a few races through the summer after Indy maybe," Patrick told American TV channel SPEED. "That's the idea right now. We still haven't nailed down exactly the places we're going to go to. But we do plan on running a few."

Patrick added that one of the reasons she had been attracted to NASCAR was because there were fewer opportunities to race on ovals in the IndyCar Series' increasingly diverse calendar.

"Just over the last couple of years watching the transition that the IndyCar Series has made with its schedules and tracks and everything... It's not that I don't enjoy that, as well. There's probably nothing more rewarding than being fast on a road course because it's really up to you," she said.

"But on the other hand, [in] the races, there's a lack of racing and not much passing that happens. It came to how much I liked oval racing, short ovals, mile-and-a-half, side-by-side, the challenge of the short ovals, the chess match that is the two-mile ovals - it's just interesting to me.

"I'm excited to do more of that and that's going to come with all this [NASCAR] running."

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR racesBig guns set sights on Canales

Duno plans ARCA Daytona debut

Milka Duno plans to join IndyCar rival Danica Patrick in the ARCA season opener at Daytona on February, after enjoying a successful first stock car test at the track last weekend.

Duno was one of several female drivers taking part in the three-day ARCA RE/MAX Series test at the 2.5-mile oval, where she set the 13th fastest time during her only full day of running among 60-plus drivers.

The Venezuelan was more than happy with her test at the wheel of Braun Racing's #90 Toyota, which she drove for a full day on Saturday but only for a few laps on Sunday due to an engine problem.

"I think I adapted to the car pretty quick, although it was not easy," Duno said. "I think the times show that.

"The car moves around a lot and you have to be very gentle. But I'm happy with the result although I think I could have done better on Sunday, if not for a broken piston on the engine."

Duno took particular delight in beating rival Danica Patrick on the timesheets on Saturday, when most of the drivers completed the bulk of their running.

"Well, she was testing last week at another track," said Duno referring to a private test session Patrick held at Orlando before running at Daytona.

"She ran a lot more laps than I did on Saturday, plus she had two cars at her disposal. And despite that she wasn't faster than I was."

Following her first test, Duno is targeting the ARCA season opener at Daytona on February 6 to make her stock car race debut.

She says a deal is close and pending on sponsorship money, but she is also considering taking part in some NASCAR Nationwide Series races during the year.

A further ARCA test could take place at Talladega if her plans to race at Daytona finally materialise.

"We would like to run the ARCA race in February," said Duno. "I think the team was very happy with what I did in the test, but we need some sponsorship to make it happen.

"The real plan is to do some ARCA races and some in Nationwide also. That's something we've been working on for a while and I hope it happens."

Besides Duno and Patrick, ARCA regular Alli Owens was notable among the female on track at Daytona last weekend, setting the third fastest overall speed.

Toure happy at BarcaDuno plans ARCA Daytona debut

Karthikeyan eyes NASCAR move

Former Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan is considering a move to NASCAR after taking part in last week's ARCA series test at Daytona.

The Indian drove for the Starbeast Motorsports team, which is affiliated with NASCAR Sprint Cup squad JTG Daugherty Racing, on the opening day of the test.

"It's a whole new ball game out there," Karthikeyan was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

"I was lucky enough to be invited for a few sessions. NASCAR racing is pure, more basic with its oval tracks and inclined speedways.

"It's a totally new experience driving heavier cars with spotters speaking to you all the time."

The 32-year-old has primarily raced in A1GP since his F1 career ended with a Williams testing stint two years ago, although he also contested several Le Mans Series races for the Kolles Audi team this season.

He said had planned to continue with A1GP prior to the series' collapse, and will stick with the nation versus nation championship if it is rescued.

"It has thrown things open right now," Karthikeyan admitted. "The financial downturn caused havoc. If A1GP survives I will be there next year. It is a great championship with a lot of competition.

"However, we will have to sit down and discuss the future course of action if things remain the way they are."

Adriano offers on tableKarthikeyan eyes NASCAR move

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Danica Patrick is considering contesting some NASCAR events in between IndyCar races during the summer, rather than doing all her stock car racing outside the IndyCar Series calendar as initially intended.

The American will compete in a currently unspecified programme of ARCA and Nationwide Series races with JR Motorsports next year to get a taste of NASCAR, but is also committed to Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series for at least the next two seasons.

Although it was previously suggested that all Patrick's NASCAR outings would take place before or after the 2010 IndyCar season, which starts a month after NASCAR and finishes six weeks sooner, she is now pondering adding some stock car races between IndyCar rounds in the middle of the year, once the Indianapolis 500 is out of the way.

"I think our plan is to run a few races through the summer after Indy maybe," Patrick told American TV channel SPEED. "That's the idea right now. We still haven't nailed down exactly the places we're going to go to. But we do plan on running a few."

Patrick added that one of the reasons she had been attracted to NASCAR was because there were fewer opportunities to race on ovals in the IndyCar Series' increasingly diverse calendar.

"Just over the last couple of years watching the transition that the IndyCar Series has made with its schedules and tracks and everything... It's not that I don't enjoy that, as well. There's probably nothing more rewarding than being fast on a road course because it's really up to you," she said.

"But on the other hand, [in] the races, there's a lack of racing and not much passing that happens. It came to how much I liked oval racing, short ovals, mile-and-a-half, side-by-side, the challenge of the short ovals, the chess match that is the two-mile ovals - it's just interesting to me.

"I'm excited to do more of that and that's going to come with all this [NASCAR] running."

Big guns set sights on CanalesPatrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Karthikeyan eyes NASCAR move

Former Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan is considering a move to NASCAR after taking part in last week's ARCA series test at Daytona.

The Indian drove for the Starbeast Motorsports team, which is affiliated with NASCAR Sprint Cup squad JTG Daugherty Racing, on the opening day of the test.

"It's a whole new ball game out there," Karthikeyan was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

"I was lucky enough to be invited for a few sessions. NASCAR racing is pure, more basic with its oval tracks and inclined speedways.

"It's a totally new experience driving heavier cars with spotters speaking to you all the time."

The 32-year-old has primarily raced in A1GP since his F1 career ended with a Williams testing stint two years ago, although he also contested several Le Mans Series races for the Kolles Audi team this season.

He said had planned to continue with A1GP prior to the series' collapse, and will stick with the nation versus nation championship if it is rescued.

"It has thrown things open right now," Karthikeyan admitted. "The financial downturn caused havoc. If A1GP survives I will be there next year. It is a great championship with a lot of competition.

"However, we will have to sit down and discuss the future course of action if things remain the way they are."

Karthikeyan eyes NASCAR moveAdriano offers on table

Patrick enjoys ARCA experience

Danica Patrick is looking forward to her stock car debut after enjoying her first official ARCA test last weekend at Daytona.

The IndyCar star successfully completed a three-day programme, which she took as preparation for what will be her race debut in the series.

"Well I can finally say I have really run a stock car and that I enjoyed it even more that I thought I would! This is going to be a fun year!" she wrote on her Twitter page.

Patrick only completed four laps on Friday as rain almost washed out the day of running, posting the fifth fastest speed. On Saturday she was able to complete 69 laps - nearly the distance she is set to race in February - getting her first taste of running in the draft.

The 27-year-old admitted to be surprised at how close she could run to other cars relative to her IndyCar experience, admitting it took some time for her to be able to run bumper-to-bumper.

"I guess you can run a lot closer than what I thought," Patrick said. "Two car lengths up above from my spotter is like on him for me. That's on him, you are on him in IndyCar. It was a little bit more challenging to get that last car length or get up on him.

"We even got to the point where they're like, 'give him a little bump down the straight.' I was trying but I couldn't catch him. It's getting into that mode that you need to be right on him to take advantage of the situation and stay with the draft."

On Sunday Patrick completed another full day of running, making single-car runs and then drafting in the afternoon. The day went without incident for her despite a sticking throttle while running in the draft.

Overall, the IndyCar race-winner was classified 14th fastest among a group of more than 60 drivers who set a time over the three days of running.

Patrick's crew chief Tony Eury Jr was pleased with his driver's progress, but even more with her feedback given her lack of experience with a stock car.

"She's spot on," Eury said. "We can go back and look at the changes we've made and look at the data and its reading right what she's saying. She's got an awesome feel, she knows what is happening with the car and she relates it really well.

"She can feel shocks. There's very seldom that you find a driver that can really feel shocks the way she does so that's always a plus when they've got that kind of feel."

Patrick will make her stock car race debut in the ARCA RE/MAX Series Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 on February 6 at Daytona International Speedway.

Race hots up for SuazoPatrick enjoys ARCA experience

Patrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Danica Patrick will miss the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, and plans to make her NASCAR debut a week later at Fontana.

The female racer recently announced that she will make her NASCAR debut in 2010, competing on a partial basis in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although Patrick will be at Daytona in February for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event, where she is set to make her stock car race debut, she will not enter the Nationwide Series event.

The race takes place on the day before the Daytona 500 and usually a high number of Sprint Cup drivers compete in it, something that makes Patrick hesitant about it being the right event to make her NASCAR debut.

"The race is basically a Cup race, some 30-odd drivers in Cup run in it," said Patrick. "So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity."

The IndyCar star now plans to make her Nationwide Series debut at Auto Club Speedway on February 20 and she will also enter the following event at Las Vegas, where she will drive the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com.

Patrick still has to confirm her full NASCAR schedule for next year, which may include up to 13 events.

Race hots up for SuazoPatrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Karthikeyan eyes NASCAR move

Former Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan is considering a move to NASCAR after taking part in last week's ARCA series test at Daytona.

The Indian drove for the Starbeast Motorsports team, which is affiliated with NASCAR Sprint Cup squad JTG Daugherty Racing, on the opening day of the test.

"It's a whole new ball game out there," Karthikeyan was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

"I was lucky enough to be invited for a few sessions. NASCAR racing is pure, more basic with its oval tracks and inclined speedways.

"It's a totally new experience driving heavier cars with spotters speaking to you all the time."

The 32-year-old has primarily raced in A1GP since his F1 career ended with a Williams testing stint two years ago, although he also contested several Le Mans Series races for the Kolles Audi team this season.

He said had planned to continue with A1GP prior to the series' collapse, and will stick with the nation versus nation championship if it is rescued.

"It has thrown things open right now," Karthikeyan admitted. "The financial downturn caused havoc. If A1GP survives I will be there next year. It is a great championship with a lot of competition.

"However, we will have to sit down and discuss the future course of action if things remain the way they are."

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR racesAdriano offers on table

Patrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Danica Patrick will miss the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, and plans to make her NASCAR debut a week later at Fontana.

The female racer recently announced that she will make her NASCAR debut in 2010, competing on a partial basis in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although Patrick will be at Daytona in February for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event, where she is set to make her stock car race debut, she will not enter the Nationwide Series event.

The race takes place on the day before the Daytona 500 and usually a high number of Sprint Cup drivers compete in it, something that makes Patrick hesitant about it being the right event to make her NASCAR debut.

"The race is basically a Cup race, some 30-odd drivers in Cup run in it," said Patrick. "So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity."

The IndyCar star now plans to make her Nationwide Series debut at Auto Club Speedway on February 20 and she will also enter the following event at Las Vegas, where she will drive the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com.

Patrick still has to confirm her full NASCAR schedule for next year, which may include up to 13 events.

Race hots up for SuazoPatrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Danica Patrick is considering contesting some NASCAR events in between IndyCar races during the summer, rather than doing all her stock car racing outside the IndyCar Series calendar as initially intended.

The American will compete in a currently unspecified programme of ARCA and Nationwide Series races with JR Motorsports next year to get a taste of NASCAR, but is also committed to Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series for at least the next two seasons.

Although it was previously suggested that all Patrick's NASCAR outings would take place before or after the 2010 IndyCar season, which starts a month after NASCAR and finishes six weeks sooner, she is now pondering adding some stock car races between IndyCar rounds in the middle of the year, once the Indianapolis 500 is out of the way.

"I think our plan is to run a few races through the summer after Indy maybe," Patrick told American TV channel SPEED. "That's the idea right now. We still haven't nailed down exactly the places we're going to go to. But we do plan on running a few."

Patrick added that one of the reasons she had been attracted to NASCAR was because there were fewer opportunities to race on ovals in the IndyCar Series' increasingly diverse calendar.

"Just over the last couple of years watching the transition that the IndyCar Series has made with its schedules and tracks and everything... It's not that I don't enjoy that, as well. There's probably nothing more rewarding than being fast on a road course because it's really up to you," she said.

"But on the other hand, [in] the races, there's a lack of racing and not much passing that happens. It came to how much I liked oval racing, short ovals, mile-and-a-half, side-by-side, the challenge of the short ovals, the chess match that is the two-mile ovals - it's just interesting to me.

"I'm excited to do more of that and that's going to come with all this [NASCAR] running."

Big guns set sights on CanalesPatrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Patrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Danica Patrick will miss the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, and plans to make her NASCAR debut a week later at Fontana.

The female racer recently announced that she will make her NASCAR debut in 2010, competing on a partial basis in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although Patrick will be at Daytona in February for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event, where she is set to make her stock car race debut, she will not enter the Nationwide Series event.

The race takes place on the day before the Daytona 500 and usually a high number of Sprint Cup drivers compete in it, something that makes Patrick hesitant about it being the right event to make her NASCAR debut.

"The race is basically a Cup race, some 30-odd drivers in Cup run in it," said Patrick. "So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity."

The IndyCar star now plans to make her Nationwide Series debut at Auto Club Speedway on February 20 and she will also enter the following event at Las Vegas, where she will drive the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com.

Patrick still has to confirm her full NASCAR schedule for next year, which may include up to 13 events.

Race hots up for SuazoPatrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Patrick enjoys ARCA experience

Danica Patrick is looking forward to her stock car debut after enjoying her first official ARCA test last weekend at Daytona.

The IndyCar star successfully completed a three-day programme, which she took as preparation for what will be her race debut in the series.

"Well I can finally say I have really run a stock car and that I enjoyed it even more that I thought I would! This is going to be a fun year!" she wrote on her Twitter page.

Patrick only completed four laps on Friday as rain almost washed out the day of running, posting the fifth fastest speed. On Saturday she was able to complete 69 laps - nearly the distance she is set to race in February - getting her first taste of running in the draft.

The 27-year-old admitted to be surprised at how close she could run to other cars relative to her IndyCar experience, admitting it took some time for her to be able to run bumper-to-bumper.

"I guess you can run a lot closer than what I thought," Patrick said. "Two car lengths up above from my spotter is like on him for me. That's on him, you are on him in IndyCar. It was a little bit more challenging to get that last car length or get up on him.

"We even got to the point where they're like, 'give him a little bump down the straight.' I was trying but I couldn't catch him. It's getting into that mode that you need to be right on him to take advantage of the situation and stay with the draft."

On Sunday Patrick completed another full day of running, making single-car runs and then drafting in the afternoon. The day went without incident for her despite a sticking throttle while running in the draft.

Overall, the IndyCar race-winner was classified 14th fastest among a group of more than 60 drivers who set a time over the three days of running.

Patrick's crew chief Tony Eury Jr was pleased with his driver's progress, but even more with her feedback given her lack of experience with a stock car.

"She's spot on," Eury said. "We can go back and look at the changes we've made and look at the data and its reading right what she's saying. She's got an awesome feel, she knows what is happening with the car and she relates it really well.

"She can feel shocks. There's very seldom that you find a driver that can really feel shocks the way she does so that's always a plus when they've got that kind of feel."

Patrick will make her stock car race debut in the ARCA RE/MAX Series Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 on February 6 at Daytona International Speedway.

Duno to join Patrick at ARCA testRace hots up for Suazo

Duno plans ARCA Daytona debut

Milka Duno plans to join IndyCar rival Danica Patrick in the ARCA season opener at Daytona on February, after enjoying a successful first stock car test at the track last weekend.

Duno was one of several female drivers taking part in the three-day ARCA RE/MAX Series test at the 2.5-mile oval, where she set the 13th fastest time during her only full day of running among 60-plus drivers.

The Venezuelan was more than happy with her test at the wheel of Braun Racing's #90 Toyota, which she drove for a full day on Saturday but only for a few laps on Sunday due to an engine problem.

"I think I adapted to the car pretty quick, although it was not easy," Duno said. "I think the times show that.

"The car moves around a lot and you have to be very gentle. But I'm happy with the result although I think I could have done better on Sunday, if not for a broken piston on the engine."

Duno took particular delight in beating rival Danica Patrick on the timesheets on Saturday, when most of the drivers completed the bulk of their running.

"Well, she was testing last week at another track," said Duno referring to a private test session Patrick held at Orlando before running at Daytona.

"She ran a lot more laps than I did on Saturday, plus she had two cars at her disposal. And despite that she wasn't faster than I was."

Following her first test, Duno is targeting the ARCA season opener at Daytona on February 6 to make her stock car race debut.

She says a deal is close and pending on sponsorship money, but she is also considering taking part in some NASCAR Nationwide Series races during the year.

A further ARCA test could take place at Talladega if her plans to race at Daytona finally materialise.

"We would like to run the ARCA race in February," said Duno. "I think the team was very happy with what I did in the test, but we need some sponsorship to make it happen.

"The real plan is to do some ARCA races and some in Nationwide also. That's something we've been working on for a while and I hope it happens."

Besides Duno and Patrick, ARCA regular Alli Owens was notable among the female on track at Daytona last weekend, setting the third fastest overall speed.

Duno plans ARCA Daytona debutToure happy at Barca

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Danica Patrick is considering contesting some NASCAR events in between IndyCar races during the summer, rather than doing all her stock car racing outside the IndyCar Series calendar as initially intended.

The American will compete in a currently unspecified programme of ARCA and Nationwide Series races with JR Motorsports next year to get a taste of NASCAR, but is also committed to Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series for at least the next two seasons.

Although it was previously suggested that all Patrick's NASCAR outings would take place before or after the 2010 IndyCar season, which starts a month after NASCAR and finishes six weeks sooner, she is now pondering adding some stock car races between IndyCar rounds in the middle of the year, once the Indianapolis 500 is out of the way.

"I think our plan is to run a few races through the summer after Indy maybe," Patrick told American TV channel SPEED. "That's the idea right now. We still haven't nailed down exactly the places we're going to go to. But we do plan on running a few."

Patrick added that one of the reasons she had been attracted to NASCAR was because there were fewer opportunities to race on ovals in the IndyCar Series' increasingly diverse calendar.

"Just over the last couple of years watching the transition that the IndyCar Series has made with its schedules and tracks and everything... It's not that I don't enjoy that, as well. There's probably nothing more rewarding than being fast on a road course because it's really up to you," she said.

"But on the other hand, [in] the races, there's a lack of racing and not much passing that happens. It came to how much I liked oval racing, short ovals, mile-and-a-half, side-by-side, the challenge of the short ovals, the chess match that is the two-mile ovals - it's just interesting to me.

"I'm excited to do more of that and that's going to come with all this [NASCAR] running."

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR racesBig guns set sights on Canales

Duno plans ARCA Daytona debut

Milka Duno plans to join IndyCar rival Danica Patrick in the ARCA season opener at Daytona on February, after enjoying a successful first stock car test at the track last weekend.

Duno was one of several female drivers taking part of the three-day ARCA RE/MAX Series test at the 2.5-mile oval, where she set the 13th fastest time during his only full day of running among 60-plus drivers.

The Venezuelan was more than happy with her test at the wheel of Braun Racing's #90 Toyota, which she drove for a full day on Saturday but only for a few laps on Sunday due to an engine problem.

"I think I adapted to the car pretty quick, although it was not easy," Duno said. "I think the times show that.

"The car moves around a lot and you have to be very gentle. But I'm happy with the result although I think I could have done better on Sunday, if not for a broken piston on the engine."

Duno took particular praise out of beating rival Danica Patrick on the timesheets on Saturday, when most of the drivers completed the bulk of their running.

"Well, she was testing last week at another track," said Duno referring to a private test session Patrick held at Orlando before running at Daytona.

"She ran a lot more laps than I did on Saturday, plus she had two cars at her disposal. And despite that she wasn't faster than I was."

Following her first test, Duno is targeting the ARCA season opener at Daytona on February 6 to make her stock car race debut.

She says a deal is close and pending on sponsorship money, but she is also considering taking part in some NASCAR Nationwide Series races during the year.

A further ARCA test could take place at Talladega if her plans to race at Daytona finally materialize.

"We would like to run the ARCA race in February," said Duno. "I think the team was very happy with what I did in the test, but we need some sponsorship to make it happen.

"The real plan is to do some ARCA races and some in Nationwide also. That's something we've been working on for a while and I hope it happens."

Besides Duno and Patrick, ARCA regular Alli Owens was notable among the female on track at Daytona last weekend, setting the third fastest overall speed.

Toure happy at BarcaDuno to join Patrick at ARCA test

Patrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Danica Patrick will miss the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, and plans to make her NASCAR debut a week later at Fontana.

The female racer recently announced that she will make her NASCAR debut in 2010, competing on a partial basis in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although Patrick will be at Daytona in February for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event, where she is set to make her stock car race debut, she will not enter the Nationwide Series event.

The race takes place on the day before the Daytona 500 and usually a high number of Sprint Cup drivers compete in it, something that makes Patrick hesitant about it being the right event to make her NASCAR debut.

"The race is basically a Cup race, some 30-odd drivers in Cup run in it," said Patrick. "So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity."

The IndyCar star now plans to make her Nationwide Series debut at Auto Club Speedway on February 20 and she will also enter the following event at Las Vegas, where she will drive the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com.

Patrick still has to confirm her full NASCAR schedule for next year, which may include up to 13 events.

Patrick to skip Daytona NationwideRace hots up for Suazo

Patrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Danica Patrick will miss the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, and plans to make her NASCAR debut a week later at Fontana.

The female racer recently announced that she will make her NASCAR debut in 2010, competing on a partial basis in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although Patrick will be at Daytona in February for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event, where she is set to make her stock car race debut, she will not enter the Nationwide Series event.

The race takes place on the day before the Daytona 500 and usually a high number of Sprint Cup drivers compete in it, something that makes Patrick hesitant about it being the right event to make her NASCAR debut.

"The race is basically a Cup race, some 30-odd drivers in Cup run in it," said Patrick. "So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity."

The IndyCar star now plans to make her Nationwide Series debut at Auto Club Speedway on February 20 and she will also enter the following event at Las Vegas, where she will drive the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com.

Patrick still has to confirm her full NASCAR schedule for next year, which may include up to 13 events.

Patrick to skip Daytona NationwideRace hots up for Suazo

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Danica Patrick is considering contesting some NASCAR events in between IndyCar races during the summer, rather than doing all her stock car racing outside the IndyCar Series calendar as initially intended.

The American will compete in a currently unspecified programme of ARCA and Nationwide Series races with JR Motorsports next year to get a taste of NASCAR, but is also committed to Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series for at least the next two seasons.

Although it was previously suggested that all Patrick's NASCAR outings would take place before or after the 2010 IndyCar season, which starts a month after NASCAR and finishes six weeks sooner, she is now pondering adding some stock car races between IndyCar rounds in the middle of the year, once the Indianapolis 500 is out of the way.

"I think our plan is to run a few races through the summer after Indy maybe," Patrick told American TV channel SPEED. "That's the idea right now. We still haven't nailed down exactly the places we're going to go to. But we do plan on running a few."

Patrick added that one of the reasons she had been attracted to NASCAR was because there were fewer opportunities to race on ovals in the IndyCar Series' increasingly diverse calendar.

"Just over the last couple of years watching the transition that the IndyCar Series has made with its schedules and tracks and everything... It's not that I don't enjoy that, as well. There's probably nothing more rewarding than being fast on a road course because it's really up to you," she said.

"But on the other hand, [in] the races, there's a lack of racing and not much passing that happens. It came to how much I liked oval racing, short ovals, mile-and-a-half, side-by-side, the challenge of the short ovals, the chess match that is the two-mile ovals - it's just interesting to me.

"I'm excited to do more of that and that's going to come with all this [NASCAR] running."

Big guns set sights on CanalesPatrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Patrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Danica Patrick will miss the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, and plans to make her NASCAR debut a week later at Fontana.

The female racer recently announced that she will make her NASCAR debut in 2010, competing on a partial basis in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although Patrick will be at Daytona in February for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event, where she is set to make her stock car race debut, she will not enter the Nationwide Series event.

The race takes place on the day before the Daytona 500 and usually a high number of Sprint Cup drivers compete in it, something that makes Patrick hesitant about it being the right event to make her NASCAR debut.

"The race is basically a Cup race, some 30-odd drivers in Cup run in it," said Patrick. "So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity."

The IndyCar star now plans to make her Nationwide Series debut at Auto Club Speedway on February 20 and she will also enter the following event at Las Vegas, where she will drive the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com.

Patrick still has to confirm her full NASCAR schedule for next year, which may include up to 13 events.

Patrick to skip Daytona NationwideRace hots up for Suazo

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Danica Patrick is considering contesting some NASCAR events in between IndyCar races during the summer, rather than doing all her stock car racing outside the IndyCar Series calendar as initially intended.

The American will compete in a currently unspecified programme of ARCA and Nationwide Series races with JR Motorsports next year to get a taste of NASCAR, but is also committed to Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series for at least the next two seasons.

Although it was previously suggested that all Patrick's NASCAR outings would take place before or after the 2010 IndyCar season, which starts a month after NASCAR and finishes six weeks sooner, she is now pondering adding some stock car races between IndyCar rounds in the middle of the year, once the Indianapolis 500 is out of the way.

"I think our plan is to run a few races through the summer after Indy maybe," Patrick told American TV channel SPEED. "That's the idea right now. We still haven't nailed down exactly the places we're going to go to. But we do plan on running a few."

Patrick added that one of the reasons she had been attracted to NASCAR was because there were fewer opportunities to race on ovals in the IndyCar Series' increasingly diverse calendar.

"Just over the last couple of years watching the transition that the IndyCar Series has made with its schedules and tracks and everything... It's not that I don't enjoy that, as well. There's probably nothing more rewarding than being fast on a road course because it's really up to you," she said.

"But on the other hand, [in] the races, there's a lack of racing and not much passing that happens. It came to how much I liked oval racing, short ovals, mile-and-a-half, side-by-side, the challenge of the short ovals, the chess match that is the two-mile ovals - it's just interesting to me.

"I'm excited to do more of that and that's going to come with all this [NASCAR] running."

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR racesBig guns set sights on Canales

Patrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Danica Patrick will miss the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, and plans to make her NASCAR debut a week later at Fontana.

The female racer recently announced that she will make her NASCAR debut in 2010, competing on a partial basis in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although Patrick will be at Daytona in February for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event, where she is set to make her stock car race debut, she will not enter the Nationwide Series event.

The race takes place on the day before the Daytona 500 and usually a high number of Sprint Cup drivers compete in it, something that makes Patrick hesitant about it being the right event to make her NASCAR debut.

"The race is basically a Cup race, some 30-odd drivers in Cup run in it," said Patrick. "So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity."

The IndyCar star now plans to make her Nationwide Series debut at Auto Club Speedway on February 20 and she will also enter the following event at Las Vegas, where she will drive the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com.

Patrick still has to confirm her full NASCAR schedule for next year, which may include up to 13 events.

Race hots up for SuazoPatrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Danica Patrick is considering contesting some NASCAR events in between IndyCar races during the summer, rather than doing all her stock car racing outside the IndyCar Series calendar as initially intended.

The American will compete in a currently unspecified programme of ARCA and Nationwide Series races with JR Motorsports next year to get a taste of NASCAR, but is also committed to Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series for at least the next two seasons.

Although it was previously suggested that all Patrick's NASCAR outings would take place before or after the 2010 IndyCar season, which starts a month after NASCAR and finishes six weeks sooner, she is now pondering adding some stock car races between IndyCar rounds in the middle of the year, once the Indianapolis 500 is out of the way.

"I think our plan is to run a few races through the summer after Indy maybe," Patrick told American TV channel SPEED. "That's the idea right now. We still haven't nailed down exactly the places we're going to go to. But we do plan on running a few."

Patrick added that one of the reasons she had been attracted to NASCAR was because there were fewer opportunities to race on ovals in the IndyCar Series' increasingly diverse calendar.

"Just over the last couple of years watching the transition that the IndyCar Series has made with its schedules and tracks and everything... It's not that I don't enjoy that, as well. There's probably nothing more rewarding than being fast on a road course because it's really up to you," she said.

"But on the other hand, [in] the races, there's a lack of racing and not much passing that happens. It came to how much I liked oval racing, short ovals, mile-and-a-half, side-by-side, the challenge of the short ovals, the chess match that is the two-mile ovals - it's just interesting to me.

"I'm excited to do more of that and that's going to come with all this [NASCAR] running."

Big guns set sights on CanalesPatrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Patrick eyes summer NASCAR races

Danica Patrick is considering contesting some NASCAR events in between IndyCar races during the summer, rather than doing all her stock car racing outside the IndyCar Series calendar as initially intended.

The American will compete in a currently unspecified programme of ARCA and Nationwide Series races with JR Motorsports next year to get a taste of NASCAR, but is also committed to Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series for at least the next two seasons.

Although it was previously suggested that all Patrick's NASCAR outings would take place before or after the 2010 IndyCar season, which starts a month after NASCAR and finishes six weeks sooner, she is now pondering adding some stock car races between IndyCar rounds in the middle of the year, once the Indianapolis 500 is out of the way.

"I think our plan is to run a few races through the summer after Indy maybe," Patrick told American TV channel SPEED. "That's the idea right now. We still haven't nailed down exactly the places we're going to go to. But we do plan on running a few."

Patrick added that one of the reasons she had been attracted to NASCAR was because there were fewer opportunities to race on ovals in the IndyCar Series' increasingly diverse calendar.

"Just over the last couple of years watching the transition that the IndyCar Series has made with its schedules and tracks and everything... It's not that I don't enjoy that, as well. There's probably nothing more rewarding than being fast on a road course because it's really up to you," she said.

"But on the other hand, [in] the races, there's a lack of racing and not much passing that happens. It came to how much I liked oval racing, short ovals, mile-and-a-half, side-by-side, the challenge of the short ovals, the chess match that is the two-mile ovals - it's just interesting to me.

"I'm excited to do more of that and that's going to come with all this [NASCAR] running."

Big guns set sights on CanalesPatrick fuels NASCAR rumours

Patrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Danica Patrick will miss the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, and plans to make her NASCAR debut a week later at Fontana.

The female racer recently announced that she will make her NASCAR debut in 2010, competing on a partial basis in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although Patrick will be at Daytona in February for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event, where she is set to make her stock car race debut, she will not enter the Nationwide Series event.

The race takes place on the day before the Daytona 500 and usually a high number of Sprint Cup drivers compete in it, something that makes Patrick hesitant about it being the right event to make her NASCAR debut.

"The race is basically a Cup race, some 30-odd drivers in Cup run in it," said Patrick. "So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity."

The IndyCar star now plans to make her Nationwide Series debut at Auto Club Speedway on February 20 and she will also enter the following event at Las Vegas, where she will drive the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com.

Patrick still has to confirm her full NASCAR schedule for next year, which may include up to 13 events.

Patrick to skip Daytona NationwideRace hots up for Suazo

Q and A with Jarno Trulli

AUTOSPORT heard from Jarno Trulli about his NASCAR Sprint Cup test with Michael Waltrip Racing on Wednesday at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida.

Q. So are you ready now to go on the track with another 43 cars?

Jarno Trulli: I don't think so, I'm not ready yet. At the beginning it was quite a shock because switching from a Formula 1 car to a NASCAR is big, really big - especially the weight of the car, is big.

I think running like I did here is easy, but running with 43 cars is going to be different, so it would need to take a bit of time and experience. But nevertheless I'm enjoying it, step-by-step, to drive this car, which is moving a lot.

I'm used to a very stiff car, really on the ground. This one has a different way of reacting. In some way I would say it's easier for a Formula 1 driver because time reaction is like very slow here, so I can figure it out. But on the other hand there are a lot of little details than can make you go slow or quick and I'm off still from these details.

Q. Was it easier for Mika Salo to adapt because of his sportscar experience?

JT: Well I can't say if it was easier, because for the first time I jumped in the car, leaving the pits, I was closed for the first time in my life, closed in a cockpit. I was struggling a little bit. In fact, I kept doing lots and lots of laps, because I just need to get used to this feeling. Having your head out in the air gives you a different feeling.

Here you feel it is not fair, because I'm closed. I'm fine, I'm safe, slow, but it's a different matter. It requires quite a driving skill, feeling and understanding all the car and the tyres and the grip level. There are so many factors around that keep changing.

So far, from what I understand, you not only need to be a skilled driver but also a smart person. You need to be thinking about what's going on, so what you need to be changing, is it my driving style, the track is going off, the tyres. There are so many things.

Q. Now that you've driven the car, do you feel this is something you would like to be part of?

JT: It's very exciting. I guess this is not the kind of track where you want to race with 43 cars. It would be a bit difficult and tricky. I'm the kind of driver who prefers a more high speed circuit, rolling the car through the high-speed corner, let the car roll, not stopping it too much like here.

At least I had the test here, so I know what the feeling is and I'm enjoying it, I'm just enjoying it. It would be nice to enjoy the race, because Juan Pablo [Montoya] told me the race is even better because you keep fighting every time.

Q. So was this more a Toyota or a Waltrip test?

JT: It's a Toyota test as much as a Waltrip test. I have to thank a lot Michael Waltrip Racing, these guys who made it happen. At the beginning of last year I visited for the first time a NASCAR race as a guest of TRD, nice people; I met a lot of people. I met [Toyota Sprint Cup Series program manager] Andy Graves and I said well, it would be nice to do a test and it was Kyle Busch who wanted to do a F1 test, so we were trying to arrange a test swapping the cars and it didn't happen.

I was busy flying around. And eventually, with Andy and thanks to MWR this year I had at least a chance to test this car and I'm really enjoying this because it's all brand new. I feel like a young driver, that I need to learn everything from scratch.

Q. Can you imagine yourself racing in a bigger, quicker track like Daytona?

JT: I've heard that there are some speedways that are amazingly quick, difficult, and a big challenge. And this is something interesting for a driver. I've heard that it requires a lot of experience and tricks. I don't think you can step in and do it straight away but I think you can build up pretty quickly.

I think it's very important to have a team that teaches you, in order to get everything better and better, like today, I had Trevor [Bayne] here and I had several people telling me and my steps were rapid, quicker and quicker. I think if you have someone teaching you, I think you can make it. Make it means challenging the top people, because winning is another story. Is really difficult.

Q. You've been tipped as a favourite to land a seat with Lotus. Is that what you plan to do next year?

JT: I haven't signed yet, I'm in talks with several teams, and soon I will take my decision. You never know in life. I keep my door open, but definitely I'm dealing closely with some team.

Race hots up for SuazoQ and A with Jarno Trulli

Patrick to skip Daytona Nationwide

Danica Patrick will miss the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, and plans to make her NASCAR debut a week later at Fontana.

The female racer recently announced that she will make her NASCAR debut in 2010, competing on a partial basis in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although Patrick will be at Daytona in February for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event, where she is set to make her stock car race debut, she will not enter the Nationwide Series event.

The race takes place on the day before the Daytona 500 and usually a high number of Sprint Cup drivers compete in it, something that makes Patrick hesitant about it being the right event to make her NASCAR debut.

"The race is basically a Cup race, some 30-odd drivers in Cup run in it," said Patrick. "So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity."

The IndyCar star now plans to make her Nationwide Series debut at Auto Club Speedway on February 20 and she will also enter the following event at Las Vegas, where she will drive the #7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com.

Patrick still has to confirm her full NASCAR schedule for next year, which may include up to 13 events.

Patrick set for Nationwide part-seasonRace hots up for Suazo

Q and A with Jarno Trulli

AUTOSPORT heard from Jarno Trulli about his NASCAR Sprint Cup test with Michael Waltrip Racing on Wednesday at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida.

Q. So are you ready now to go on the track with another 43 cars?

Jarno Trulli: I don't think so, I'm not ready yet. At the beginning it was quite a shock because switching from a Formula 1 car to a NASCAR is big, really big - especially the weight of the car, is big.

I think running like I did here is easy, but running with 43 cars is going to be different, so it would need to take a bit of time and experience. But nevertheless I'm enjoying it, step-by-step, to drive this car, which is moving a lot.

I'm used to a very stiff car, really on the ground. This one has a different way of reacting. In some way I would say it's easier for a Formula 1 driver because time reaction is like very slow here, so I can figure it out. But on the other hand there are a lot of little details than can make you go slow or quick and I'm off still from these details.

Q. Was it easier for Mika Salo to adapt because of his sportscar experience?

JT: Well I can't say if it was easier, because for the first time I jumped in the car, leaving the pits, I was closed for the first time in my life, closed in a cockpit. I was struggling a little bit. In fact, I kept doing lots and lots of laps, because I just need to get used to this feeling. Having your head out in the air gives you a different feeling.

Here you feel it is not fair, because I'm closed. I'm fine, I'm safe, slow, but it's a different matter. It requires quite a driving skill, feeling and understanding all the car and the tyres and the grip level. There are so many factors around that keep changing.

So far, from what I understand, you not only need to be a skilled driver but also a smart person. You need to be thinking about what's going on, so what you need to be changing, is it my driving style, the track is going off, the tyres. There are so many things.

Q. Now that you've driven the car, do you feel this is something you would like to be part of?

JT: It's very exciting. I guess this is not the kind of track where you want to race with 43 cars. It would be a bit difficult and tricky. I'm the kind of driver who prefers a more high speed circuit, rolling the car through the high-speed corner, let the car roll, not stopping it too much like here.

At least I had the test here, so I know what the feeling is and I'm enjoying it, I'm just enjoying it. It would be nice to enjoy the race, because Juan Pablo [Montoya] told me the race is even better because you keep fighting every time.

Q. So was this more a Toyota or a Waltrip test?

JT: It's a Toyota test as much as a Waltrip test. I have to thank a lot Michael Waltrip Racing, these guys who made it happen. At the beginning of last year I visited for the first time a NASCAR race as a guest of TRD, nice people; I met a lot of people. I met [Toyota Sprint Cup Series program manager] Andy Graves and I said well, it would be nice to do a test and it was Kyle Busch who wanted to do a F1 test, so we were trying to arrange a test swapping the cars and it didn't happen.

I was busy flying around. And eventually, with Andy and thanks to MWR this year I had at least a chance to test this car and I'm really enjoying this because it's all brand new. I feel like a young driver, that I need to learn everything from scratch.

Q. Can you imagine yourself racing in a bigger, quicker track like Daytona?

JT: I've heard that there are some speedways that are amazingly quick, difficult, and a big challenge. And this is something interesting for a driver. I've heard that it requires a lot of experience and tricks. I don't think you can step in and do it straight away but I think you can build up pretty quickly.

I think it's very important to have a team that teaches you, in order to get everything better and better, like today, I had Trevor [Bayne] here and I had several people telling me and my steps were rapid, quicker and quicker. I think if you have someone teaching you, I think you can make it. Make it means challenging the top people, because winning is another story. Is really difficult.

Q. You've been tipped as a favourite to land a seat with Lotus. Is that what you plan to do next year?

JT: I haven't signed yet, I'm in talks with several teams, and soon I will take my decision. You never know in life. I keep my door open, but definitely I'm dealing closely with some team.

Q and A with Jarno TrulliRace hots up for Suazo

Q and A with Nelson Piquet

Along with Jarno Trulli and Mika Salo, Nelson Piquet Jr was also a visitor at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend. AUTOSPORT heard from the Brazilian on Sunday before the Sprint Cup series race.

Q. So how was you Truck series test?

NP: It was fun, it was different. It was what I expected from these cars, but I obviously didn't expect much more, coming from where I came. But it was good. The team helped me a lot; it was good having everybody helping me to give me tips. I'm very thankful for Red Horse, for the whole team. They were very nice.

Q. How different was the car to what you expected?

NP: I did Le Mans before. I did a few races in Brazil, a 1000 kilometres we did with my father and we won. Finished fourth in Le Mans also. Had a little bit of a knowledge but obviously it's much more different. You're in an oval; the car is even much different as I was racing an Aston Martin. So still a little different, but had a bit of a knowledge.

Q. Did the test raise your interest more for NASCAR?

NP: Not only the test. I mean, driving these kind of cars is not really difficult. Actually it's quite simple. It's nothing compared to a Formula One car. But I think the difficult part here is NASCAR, is the racing in completely different.

In F1 if you're quick in the car, it's 70 per cent done, you need to race a little bit but if you're quick you're there.

NASCAR is different. Everybody is quick but you need to know how to race because it's so close, all the cars banging side-doors and touching each other all the time. So, that's the most difficult part to get used to.

Q. Do you like it here?

NP: Yeah, I think the important thing is enjoying the whole environment, not only the driving. But in the race, during the race if you're having fun, is not only by liking the car.

Obviously there's cars much better technologically. An F1 car, what I'm used to is the top of the world. I think as long as you're having fun it doesn't matter if you're racing a go-kart or if you're driving a NASCAR. If you're having fun and competition is good, that's important.

Q. Is this something you're seriously considering for your future?

NP: Obviously I'm trying to have as good as a look as I can over here. Trying to get a good feeling of what everything here is in America in case I have to make a decision to know what I'm going to feel.

I didn't want to take a decision of coming to America without knowing how things work here, so I've been spending these days here meeting drivers, team owners, and racetracks to really know what I'm getting into if I come here.

Q. Speaking to people here, are you getting some good advice?

NP: Well obviously I don't want to jump any stages if I come to America, I want to do it properly. I want to learn from the bottom. Coming from Formula 1 doesn't mean that I can come here and step into a Cup car. Obviously I don't think about that.

I really want to start with my head down and build myself up because it's a completely different kind of racing, you know. I want to arrive here in Cup because I earned it, not because I'm arriving from Formula 1.

Hopefully if I come, I'll start doing the East [Regional Camping World] Series, you know, maybe doing a few dirt races.

Q. How much have you followed Juan Pablo Montoya's progress?

NP: Well I mean. I raced in Europe with him. I've been following when he came to NASCAR, we tried to follow a little bit in Europe what he was doing here. Not very close, but as much as we could. I don't know what conditions he had, or why he struggled so much at the beginning but I mean, probably it was a different world and he was learning.

Q. Do you have a deadline to make your decision about next year?

NP: No, I'm searching for something to do the 24 hours of Daytona. That's my main goal at the moment, and then obviously exploring because if I decide to come here, then I already know what to do.

Q. Are you planning any further NASCAR tests for this year?

NP: No, not really.

Q. Is Formula One still possible in 2010?

NP: I'm close to Force India at the moment but obviously this is being very interesting for me, so I don't know. I'm still in the process of deciding what I'm going to do. Maybe spend one more year in Europe before coming here; it's still all up in the air.

Q. So you're racing at Las Vegas in the Supernational next week?

NP: Yeah, Schumi and Buemi as well, all the world champions, European champions, so it's going to be a very tough race. But I'm looking forward to it.

Q and A with Nelson PiquetBig guns set sights on Canales

Addington joins Busch at Penske

NASCAR crew chief Steve Addington has joined Penske Racing and will serve as Sprint Cup crew chief for Kurt Busch in 2010.

Addington worked with Kurt Busch's brother, Kyle, for the last two years at Joe Gibbs Racing, where they scored 12 victories together. However, the younger Busch failed to make this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup and Addington was removed from his position and replaced with Dave Rogers.

The 45-year-old will replace outgoing crew chief Pat Tryson, who worked with Kurt Busch for the past two and a half seasons, scoring five victories in that period. Tryson will join Michael Waltrip Racing to work with the team's new driver Martin Truex Jr.

"Steve Addington has a proven track record of success in NASCAR and we are excited to welcome him to Penske Racing," said Roger Penske. "By adding Steve to the winning team and working closely with Kurt, we believe we have the combination in place to compete for a championship as we head into the 2010 season."

This year Kurt Busch was among the title contenders for the Cup after missing out on the Chase in 2008. He finished fourth in the series' standings, his best since joining Penske in 2006 and best also among the non-Hendrick drivers who swept the top-three places in the championship.

"I am really looking forward to working with Penske Racing, Kurt Busch and the Dodge team," said Addington. "This a championship-caliber team with a great driver, and with the resources and experience at Penske Racing we have the opportunity to add to the team's success starting next season."

Despite the great success Penske has enjoyed in racing, the team is still looking for its maiden Cup title - its best result being runner-up in 1993 with Rusty Wallace.

Big guns set sights on CanalesKyle Busch and team penalised

Q and A with Jarno Trulli

AUTOSPORT heard from Jarno Trulli about his NASCAR Sprint Cup test with Michael Waltrip Racing on Wednesday at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida.

Q. So are you ready now to go on the track with another 43 cars?

Jarno Trulli: I don't think so, I'm not ready yet. At the beginning it was quite a shock because switching from a Formula 1 car to a NASCAR is big, really big - especially the weight of the car, is big.

I think running like I did here is easy, but running with 43 cars is going to be different, so it would need to take a bit of time and experience. But nevertheless I'm enjoying it, step-by-step, to drive this car, which is moving a lot.

I'm used to a very stiff car, really on the ground. This one has a different way of reacting. In some way I would say it's easier for a Formula 1 driver because time reaction is like very slow here, so I can figure it out. But on the other hand there are a lot of little details than can make you go slow or quick and I'm off still from these details.

Q. Was it easier for Mika Salo to adapt because of his sportscar experience?

JT: Well I can't say if it was easier, because for the first time I jumped in the car, leaving the pits, I was closed for the first time in my life, closed in a cockpit. I was struggling a little bit. In fact, I kept doing lots and lots of laps, because I just need to get used to this feeling. Having your head out in the air gives you a different feeling.

Here you feel it is not fair, because I'm closed. I'm fine, I'm safe, slow, but it's a different matter. It requires quite a driving skill, feeling and understanding all the car and the tyres and the grip level. There are so many factors around that keep changing.

So far, from what I understand, you not only need to be a skilled driver but also a smart person. You need to be thinking about what's going on, so what you need to be changing, is it my driving style, the track is going off, the tyres. There are so many things.

Q. Now that you've driven the car, do you feel this is something you would like to be part of?

JT: It's very exciting. I guess this is not the kind of track where you want to race with 43 cars. It would be a bit difficult and tricky. I'm the kind of driver who prefers a more high speed circuit, rolling the car through the high-speed corner, let the car roll, not stopping it too much like here.

At least I had the test here, so I know what the feeling is and I'm enjoying it, I'm just enjoying it. It would be nice to enjoy the race, because Juan Pablo [Montoya] told me the race is even better because you keep fighting every time.

Q. So was this more a Toyota or a Waltrip test?

JT: It's a Toyota test as much as a Waltrip test. I have to thank a lot Michael Waltrip Racing, these guys who made it happen. At the beginning of last year I visited for the first time a NASCAR race as a guest of TRD, nice people; I met a lot of people. I met [Toyota Sprint Cup Series program manager] Andy Graves and I said well, it would be nice to do a test and it was Kyle Busch who wanted to do a F1 test, so we were trying to arrange a test swapping the cars and it didn't happen.

I was busy flying around. And eventually, with Andy and thanks to MWR this year I had at least a chance to test this car and I'm really enjoying this because it's all brand new. I feel like a young driver, that I need to learn everything from scratch.

Q. Can you imagine yourself racing in a bigger, quicker track like Daytona?

JT: I've heard that there are some speedways that are amazingly quick, difficult, and a big challenge. And this is something interesting for a driver. I've heard that it requires a lot of experience and tricks. I don't think you can step in and do it straight away but I think you can build up pretty quickly.

I think it's very important to have a team that teaches you, in order to get everything better and better, like today, I had Trevor [Bayne] here and I had several people telling me and my steps were rapid, quicker and quicker. I think if you have someone teaching you, I think you can make it. Make it means challenging the top people, because winning is another story. Is really difficult.

Q. You've been tipped as a favourite to land a seat with Lotus. Is that what you plan to do next year?

JT: I haven't signed yet, I'm in talks with several teams, and soon I will take my decision. You never know in life. I keep my door open, but definitely I'm dealing closely with some team.

Pennant happy in SpainQ and A with Jarno Trulli

Duno to join Patrick at ARCA test

Milka Duno is set to meet fellow IndyCar driver Danica Patrick in an upcoming ARCA test at Daytona International Speedway.

The Venezuelan will take part in the December 18-20 ARCA test driving for NASCAR Nationwide Series owner Todd Braun.

No plans have been announced yet for her to contest the ARCA season-opener in February, where Patrick will make her stock car racing debut for JR Motorsports.

"This will be a new challenge for me and one that I've been looking forward to," Duno said. "I know it won't be easy - it will be hard work – but work that I'm ready to take on."

"My goal was to reach open-wheel racing in the United States and the Indy 500. I just completed my third season in IndyCar and this year I decided not to once again pass on an opportunity to get behind the wheel of a stock car."

A total four women are set to take part in next week's test, as besides Duno and Patrick, female racers Alli Owens and Leilani Munter - who already have ARCA experience - are also scheduled to be on track.

The test will be Duno's first run in a stock car. She began her career in sportscars before switching to the IndyCar Series in 2007.

Big guns set sights on CanalesPatrick to announce NASCAR plans

Q and A with Nelson Piquet

Along with Jarno Trulli and Mika Salo, Nelson Piquet Jr was also a visitor at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend. AUTOSPORT heard from the Brazilian on Sunday before the Sprint Cup series race.

Q. So how was you Truck series test?

NP: It was fun, it was different. It was what I expected from these cars, but I obviously didn't expect much more, coming from where I came. But it was good. The team helped me a lot; it was good having everybody helping me to give me tips. I'm very thankful for Red Horse, for the whole team. They were very nice.

Q. How different was the car to what you expected?

NP: I did Le Mans before. I did a few races in Brazil, a 1000 kilometres we did with my father and we won. Finished fourth in Le Mans also. Had a little bit of a knowledge but obviously it's much more different. You're in an oval; the car is even much different as I was racing an Aston Martin. So still a little different, but had a bit of a knowledge.

Q. Did the test raise your interest more for NASCAR?

NP: Not only the test. I mean, driving these kind of cars is not really difficult. Actually it's quite simple. It's nothing compared to a Formula One car. But I think the difficult part here is NASCAR, is the racing in completely different.

In F1 if you're quick in the car, it's 70 per cent done, you need to race a little bit but if you're quick you're there.

NASCAR is different. Everybody is quick but you need to know how to race because it's so close, all the cars banging side-doors and touching each other all the time. So, that's the most difficult part to get used to.

Q. Do you like it here?

NP: Yeah, I think the important thing is enjoying the whole environment, not only the driving. But in the race, during the race if you're having fun, is not only by liking the car.

Obviously there's cars much better technologically. An F1 car, what I'm used to is the top of the world. I think as long as you're having fun it doesn't matter if you're racing a go-kart or if you're driving a NASCAR. If you're having fun and competition is good, that's important.

Q. Is this something you're seriously considering for your future?

NP: Obviously I'm trying to have as good as a look as I can over here. Trying to get a good feeling of what everything here is in America in case I have to make a decision to know what I'm going to feel.

I didn't want to take a decision of coming to America without knowing how things work here, so I've been spending these days here meeting drivers, team owners, and racetracks to really know what I'm getting into if I come here.

Q. Speaking to people here, are you getting some good advice?

NP: Well obviously I don't want to jump any stages if I come to America, I want to do it properly. I want to learn from the bottom. Coming from Formula 1 doesn't mean that I can come here and step into a Cup car. Obviously I don't think about that.

I really want to start with my head down and build myself up because it's a completely different kind of racing, you know. I want to arrive here in Cup because I earned it, not because I'm arriving from Formula 1.

Hopefully if I come, I'll start doing the East [Regional Camping World] Series, you know, maybe doing a few dirt races.

Q. How much have you followed Juan Pablo Montoya's progress?

NP: Well I mean. I raced in Europe with him. I've been following when he came to NASCAR, we tried to follow a little bit in Europe what he was doing here. Not very close, but as much as we could. I don't know what conditions he had, or why he struggled so much at the beginning but I mean, probably it was a different world and he was learning.

Q. Do you have a deadline to make your decision about next year?

NP: No, I'm searching for something to do the 24 hours of Daytona. That's my main goal at the moment, and then obviously exploring because if I decide to come here, then I already know what to do.

Q. Are you planning any further NASCAR tests for this year?

NP: No, not really.

Q. Is Formula One still possible in 2010?

NP: I'm close to Force India at the moment but obviously this is being very interesting for me, so I don't know. I'm still in the process of deciding what I'm going to do. Maybe spend one more year in Europe before coming here; it's still all up in the air.

Q. So you're racing at Las Vegas in the Supernational next week?

NP: Yeah, Schumi and Buemi as well, all the world champions, European champions, so it's going to be a very tough race. But I'm looking forward to it.

Big guns set sights on CanalesQ and A with Nelson Piquet

Kyle Busch becomes a team owner

Kyle Busch announced on Friday that he would become a NASCAR team owner, unveiling Kyle Busch Motorsports' assault on the Truck series in 2010.

Following in the footsteps of Sprint Cup colleagues Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick, Busch will now have his own squad in NASCAR, fielding the #56 and #18 Toyota Tundras next year.

Busch will share driving duties in one of his trucks with Brian Ickler, while the other one will have 20-year-old Tayler Malsam at the wheel full-time.

The 24-year-old has hired veteran crew chief Rick Ren to lead his organisation as director of competition. Ren won the Truck series title with Ron Hornaday this season and also in 2007.

"I feel really blessed that my opportunities that I've had over the last few seasons in NASCAR, to now kind of give back a little bit," said Busch. "I have given back to the local short track ranks with the Late Model cars and have had some good partners on that side.

"And now, with the Camping World Truck Series programme, I feel like it's really going to be beneficial to me to have Rick Ren on board and to give back to such young drivers, like Brian Ickler, like Tayler Malsam and myself.

"It's a fun deal for me. I really enjoy racing in the Camping World Truck Series - one of my favorite divisions to race in. Of course, the focus is solely on the Cup stuff for myself and that's been an instrumental part of bringing Rick in, so I can keep that focus over there on that side. The time has come."

In 2009 Busch contested 15 out of 25 events in the truck series, winning seven of them for Billy Ballew Motorsports, for whom he has driven since 2007 without a retainer.

Besides his truck series outings, next year Busch is expected to run a partial schedule as defending Nationwide Series champion, but is placing more emphasis on his Sprint Cup Series duties after missing the Chase this year.

Kyle Busch and team penalisedIbra won’t play friendlies

Piquet set for further Truck tests

Nelson Piquet Jr plans to complete a second NASCAR Truck Series test next year as he continues to ponder options for his career.

The former Renault Formula 1 racer tested for Red Horse Racing in October and attended the NASCAR events at Phoenix in November, holding talks with several teams and series officials, while exploring new opportunities.

According to a report in USA Today, Piquet plans to take his NASCAR apprenticeship further with another test for the same squad, this time at the half-mile New Smyrna Speedway in Florida, on January 13th and 14th.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT last month at Phoenix, Piquet said if he decided to move to NASCAR, he would like to take the right approach and compete in lower series before trying his hand at a Sprint Cup Series car.

"Well obviously I don't want to jump any stages if I come to America, I want to do it properly," Piquet said. "I want to learn from the bottom. Coming from Formula 1 doesn't mean that I can come here and step into a Cup car. Obviously I don't think about that.

"I really want to start with my head down and build myself up because it's a completely different kind of racing. I want to arrive here in Cup because I earned it, not because I'm arriving from Formula 1."

The Brazilian stated at the time that he still was in talks with Force India to try to remain in Formula 1, but since then the team has announced it will retain Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi.

Piquet has also been linked to Campos Meta 1, but has admitted his chances of landing a seat there are slim.

Q and A with Nelson PiquetRonaldo says sorry

Q and A with Jarno Trulli

AUTOSPORT heard from Jarno Trulli about his NASCAR Sprint Cup test with Michael Waltrip Racing on Wednesday at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida.

Q. So are you ready now to go on the track with another 43 cars?

Jarno Trulli: I don't think so, I'm not ready yet. At the beginning it was quite a shock because switching from a Formula 1 car to a NASCAR is big, really big - especially the weight of the car, is big.

I think running like I did here is easy, but running with 43 cars is going to be different, so it would need to take a bit of time and experience. But nevertheless I'm enjoying it, step-by-step, to drive this car, which is moving a lot.

I'm used to a very stiff car, really on the ground. This one has a different way of reacting. In some way I would say it's easier for a Formula 1 driver because time reaction is like very slow here, so I can figure it out. But on the other hand there are a lot of little details than can make you go slow or quick and I'm off still from these details.

Q. Was it easier for Mika Salo to adapt because of his sportscar experience?

JT: Well I can't say if it was easier, because for the first time I jumped in the car, leaving the pits, I was closed for the first time in my life, closed in a cockpit. I was struggling a little bit. In fact, I kept doing lots and lots of laps, because I just need to get used to this feeling. Having your head out in the air gives you a different feeling.

Here you feel it is not fair, because I'm closed. I'm fine, I'm safe, slow, but it's a different matter. It requires quite a driving skill, feeling and understanding all the car and the tyres and the grip level. There are so many factors around that keep changing.

So far, from what I understand, you not only need to be a skilled driver but also a smart person. You need to be thinking about what's going on, so what you need to be changing, is it my driving style, the track is going off, the tyres. There are so many things.

Q. Now that you've driven the car, do you feel this is something you would like to be part of?

JT: It's very exciting. I guess this is not the kind of track where you want to race with 43 cars. It would be a bit difficult and tricky. I'm the kind of driver who prefers a more high speed circuit, rolling the car through the high-speed corner, let the car roll, not stopping it too much like here.

At least I had the test here, so I know what the feeling is and I'm enjoying it, I'm just enjoying it. It would be nice to enjoy the race, because Juan Pablo [Montoya] told me the race is even better because you keep fighting every time.

Q. So was this more a Toyota or a Waltrip test?

JT: It's a Toyota test as much as a Waltrip test. I have to thank a lot Michael Waltrip Racing, these guys who made it happen. At the beginning of last year I visited for the first time a NASCAR race as a guest of TRD, nice people; I met a lot of people. I met [Toyota Sprint Cup Series program manager] Andy Graves and I said well, it would be nice to do a test and it was Kyle Busch who wanted to do a F1 test, so we were trying to arrange a test swapping the cars and it didn't happen.

I was busy flying around. And eventually, with Andy and thanks to MWR this year I had at least a chance to test this car and I'm really enjoying this because it's all brand new. I feel like a young driver, that I need to learn everything from scratch.

Q. Can you imagine yourself racing in a bigger, quicker track like Daytona?

JT: I've heard that there are some speedways that are amazingly quick, difficult, and a big challenge. And this is something interesting for a driver. I've heard that it requires a lot of experience and tricks. I don't think you can step in and do it straight away but I think you can build up pretty quickly.

I think it's very important to have a team that teaches you, in order to get everything better and better, like today, I had Trevor [Bayne] here and I had several people telling me and my steps were rapid, quicker and quicker. I think if you have someone teaching you, I think you can make it. Make it means challenging the top people, because winning is another story. Is really difficult.

Q. You've been tipped as a favourite to land a seat with Lotus. Is that what you plan to do next year?

JT: I haven't signed yet, I'm in talks with several teams, and soon I will take my decision. You never know in life. I keep my door open, but definitely I'm dealing closely with some team.

Q and A with Jarno TrulliPennant happy in Spain

Q and A with Nelson Piquet

Along with Jarno Trulli and Mika Salo, Nelson Piquet Jr was also a visitor at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend. AUTOSPORT heard from the Brazilian on Sunday before the Sprint Cup series race.

Q. So how was you Truck series test?

NP: It was fun, it was different. It was what I expected from these cars, but I obviously didn't expect much more, coming from where I came. But it was good. The team helped me a lot; it was good having everybody helping me to give me tips. I'm very thankful for Red Horse, for the whole team. They were very nice.

Q. How different was the car to what you expected?

NP: I did Le Mans before. I did a few races in Brazil, a 1000 kilometres we did with my father and we won. Finished fourth in Le Mans also. Had a little bit of a knowledge but obviously it's much more different. You're in an oval; the car is even much different as I was racing an Aston Martin. So still a little different, but had a bit of a knowledge.

Q. Did the test raise your interest more for NASCAR?

NP: Not only the test. I mean, driving these kind of cars is not really difficult. Actually it's quite simple. It's nothing compared to a Formula One car. But I think the difficult part here is NASCAR, is the racing in completely different.

In F1 if you're quick in the car, it's 70 per cent done, you need to race a little bit but if you're quick you're there.

NASCAR is different. Everybody is quick but you need to know how to race because it's so close, all the cars banging side-doors and touching each other all the time. So, that's the most difficult part to get used to.

Q. Do you like it here?

NP: Yeah, I think the important thing is enjoying the whole environment, not only the driving. But in the race, during the race if you're having fun, is not only by liking the car.

Obviously there's cars much better technologically. An F1 car, what I'm used to is the top of the world. I think as long as you're having fun it doesn't matter if you're racing a go-kart or if you're driving a NASCAR. If you're having fun and competition is good, that's important.

Q. Is this something you're seriously considering for your future?

NP: Obviously I'm trying to have as good as a look as I can over here. Trying to get a good feeling of what everything here is in America in case I have to make a decision to know what I'm going to feel.

I didn't want to take a decision of coming to America without knowing how things work here, so I've been spending these days here meeting drivers, team owners, and racetracks to really know what I'm getting into if I come here.

Q. Speaking to people here, are you getting some good advice?

NP: Well obviously I don't want to jump any stages if I come to America, I want to do it properly. I want to learn from the bottom. Coming from Formula 1 doesn't mean that I can come here and step into a Cup car. Obviously I don't think about that.

I really want to start with my head down and build myself up because it's a completely different kind of racing, you know. I want to arrive here in Cup because I earned it, not because I'm arriving from Formula 1.

Hopefully if I come, I'll start doing the East [Regional Camping World] Series, you know, maybe doing a few dirt races.

Q. How much have you followed Juan Pablo Montoya's progress?

NP: Well I mean. I raced in Europe with him. I've been following when he came to NASCAR, we tried to follow a little bit in Europe what he was doing here. Not very close, but as much as we could. I don't know what conditions he had, or why he struggled so much at the beginning but I mean, probably it was a different world and he was learning.

Q. Do you have a deadline to make your decision about next year?

NP: No, I'm searching for something to do the 24 hours of Daytona. That's my main goal at the moment, and then obviously exploring because if I decide to come here, then I already know what to do.

Q. Are you planning any further NASCAR tests for this year?

NP: No, not really.

Q. Is Formula One still possible in 2010?

NP: I'm close to Force India at the moment but obviously this is being very interesting for me, so I don't know. I'm still in the process of deciding what I'm going to do. Maybe spend one more year in Europe before coming here; it's still all up in the air.

Q. So you're racing at Las Vegas in the Supernational next week?

NP: Yeah, Schumi and Buemi as well, all the world champions, European champions, so it's going to be a very tough race. But I'm looking forward to it.

Q and A with Nelson PiquetBig guns set sights on Canales