Erik Darnell continued a strong showing at testing for Roush Racing, leading the morning session at 178.951 mph. Credit: Don Bok/Motorsports Images and Archives

Rookie-veteran battle previewed at Truck test

Darnell latest Roush driver to lead a session; Earnhardt strong

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The second day of Preseason Thunder testing for the Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway forecast an intriguing struggle between veterans and rookies during Speedweeks 2006.

The 41 truck teams on hand Saturday battled gusting winds in two sessions in which rookie drivers led the way.

	Kerry Earnhardt led the afternoon session with a speed of 177.445. Credit: Don Bok/Motorsports Images and Archives
	EARNHARDT IN 13 CHEVY Kerry Earnhardt will drive the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet for the 2006 Truck season.  •   Complete story, click here

Erik Darnell, who'll drive the No. 99 Ford as a Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate for owner Jack Roush, was fastest in the morning with a lap in 50.293 seconds, an average speed of 178.951 mph.

It marked the second consecutive day that Roush trucks led practice, as David Ragan, who isn't eligible for rookie honors due to running 10 races in 2004, was fastest Friday morning in the No. 6b Ford.

"The guys back in the shop having been putting together some awesome trucks," Darnell said. "They've been working their butts off, and I think it's showing out there on the track right now."

In the windier and shorter afternoon session, for the second consecutive day defending Daytona Bud Pole winner Kerry Earnhardt stepped up in the No. 13 ThorSport Chevrolet to lead the way at 50.720 / 177.445.

"They tell me this chassis is nine years old, and the body on it is four years old -- it should be in a museum somewhere, as old as it is, but it's fast," Earnhardt said. "I haven't been able to spin it out yet, in traffic, even though I've been trying to get it as loose as I can ... drivers keep coming by the garage to tell us how steady it is in the corners."

Earnhardt said the wind caused little trouble for his truck's stability, while Darnell said his F-150 was "washing out" a bit coming off Turn 2 of the 2.5-mile speedway.

"The wind didn't really affect my truck a whole lot," Earnhardt said. "Coming off of Turn 4 I could feel the cross-wind, but that was the only thing I could feel on the truck.

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"The truck's been fast all weekend and I haven't seen where anything aero has really affected it."

"You can feel it going down the backstretch ... I got hit with it a couple of times coming off of 2 and kind of lost the nose of the truck -- it didn't feel like I had a whole lot of grip," Darnell said. "It's noticeable, but I don't think it's slowing them down a whole lot.

"If we come back here and we race and it's windy out like that, we'll have a little bit of experience with it, but I don't think it's hurting too much."

Overall, speeds continued to be down as the trucks use a one-inch spacer with four tapered openings between the carburetor and intake manifold atop the engine, which cuts about 125 horsepower. The trucks also have a right-side window installed for the first time at Daytona.

Rounding out the top-five morning speeds were Jon Wood in the No. 20 Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Ford (178.696 mph), Ragan (178.377), Rick Crawford in the No. 14 Ford (177.009) and Earnhardt (176.981).

Johnny Benson's No. 23 Bill Davis Racing Toyota was fastest for that marque in 13th (175.768 mph) and Chase Montgomery's No. 8 BHR2 Dodge was the fastest Ram, in 24th (174.331).

Rounding out the top-five afternoon speeds were Darnell (177.315 mph), Todd Bodine in the No. 30 Germain Racing Toyota (176.574), Terry Cook in the No. 10 ppc Racing Ford (176.571) and Kyle Krisiloff in the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet (176.298).

Montgomery's was again the fastest Dodge, 24th at 174.334 mph.

Jon Wood explains how he led the drafting session. Credit: Don Bok/Motorsports Images and Archives

Later in the day, the trucks conducted drafting practice for more than two-and-a-half hours. There were only momentary interruptions through the entire day.

Wood was fastest in the drafting session, with a lap that again was slightly slower than Matt Crafton's best Friday drafting lap of better than 184.7 mph. Wood was at 48.739 seconds, 184.657 mph.

Rounding out the top-five speeds in the draft were Bodine (184.173 mph), teammate Ted Musgrave in the No. 9 Toyota (184.124), Dennis Setzer in the No. 46 Morgan-Dollar Motorsports Chevrolet (183.857) and Boston Reid in the No. 25 Woodard-Sharp Racing Dodge (183.850).

Darnell and Ragan worked together Saturday, as their veteran Roush teammate, Mark Martin, wasn't at the track. Darnell got the benefit of Martin's experience Friday, though, and 2005 Truck Series rookie of the year Todd Kluever was also on hand.

"We weren't talking to one another [on-track] on the radio," Darnell said. "But when we came back in [Martin] said his truck felt good when I was behind him, and mine felt good when he was behind me, so pushing and pulling each other whichever way, they were both real stable in the draft and hopefully they'll be that way in a pack."

Given he only has one superspeedway start in his career, in aRounding out the top-five afternoon speeds were Darnell (177.315 mph), Todd Bodine in the No. 30 Germain Racing Toyota (176.574), Terry Cook in the No. 10 ppc Racing Ford (176.571) and Kyle Krisiloff in the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet (176.298).n ARCA RE/MAX Series race last fall at Talladega Superspeedway, Darnell said he's looking forward to feeding off Martin's expertise.

"It's big, having him out here testing with us and telling us what he felt and translating over to what we were doing out there," Darnell said. "We'll have help from him, and we can talk to Todd if we need to find something out about the trucks ... I think we'll be all right."

A huge rookie class is forecast for this season, including Darnell, Earnhardt, Krisiloff, Joey Miller, Kraig Kinser, Aric Almirola, J.R. Patton, Reid, Erin Crocker, Robert Richardson and Chad McCumbee; and at least three drivers who were not approved to test at Daytona: Marcos Ambrose and Wood Brothers/JTG Racing teammate Bobby East and Scott Lagasse Jr.

Saturday drafting session

Saturday afternoon session

Saturday morning session

• Complete weekend Truck speeds