Rudd tests, says team will surprise in 2003

CONCORD, N.C. -- Ricky Rudd took some time before the Thanksgiving Day weekend to squeeze in some testing with his new team -- The Wood Brothers.

The test, the third with the team, was conducted at the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway. Rudd and the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford team have tested before at the track, but this time with a Taurus conducive to the 2003 rules.

	Rudd: Three wins in in last two seasons Credit: Autostock

After completing the morning session, the afternoon one was called off because of snow flurries.

"This is only the third time we've tested together as a team, so we're trying to get used to each other," Rudd said. "We're having a pretty good test, it's just that the snow isn't cooperating. It's kind of a 'shake down' cruise.

"We're here with some of the cars built for the new rules. (The new rules) pretty much require that all the race teams cut the bodies off their existing race cars and put on new bodies.

"It's not a 10-minute deal, it's about a two to three-week process and it's pretty involved. This car has been in the wind tunnel with the old body and been back with the new one, so we pretty much know what to expect."

Like any new design or change to an existing one, it takes time and testing to figure out how to get the cars to respond to the driver and crew's liking.

"There's some trial-and-error involved," Rudd said. "But, a lot of it is reading the data and doing what the data says we need to do."

Kentucky an important variable in new testing equation

He added that NASCAR's reduction in the number of times teams can test at Winston Cup tracks has made a place like Kentucky very valuable.

"Kentucky is really the only speedway we can run that's a major, very fast, superspeedway that does not count against the NASCAR test policy," Rudd said. "For the 2003 season, we're only allowed five tests at Winston Cup tracks.

"Besides, there is a ban on winter testing at Winston Cup tracks until January. This place gives us a chance to get a little bit of November and some of December in without counting against our (official) test days. This track will suffice for Las Vegas, Michigan, Fontana and several different racetracks. We can learn a lot by being here."

'It's not going to surprise me to see two or three wins'

Rudd, who is coming over from the No. 28 Ford of Robert Yates Racing, likes what he sees with his new team. Wood Brothers Racing has been around since 1953 but has only been to Victory Lane twice in the last 10 years.

	Len Wood (left) and Eddie Wood Credit: Autostock

"These guys are racers," Rudd said. "They don't have other business distractions to occupy their time. This race team is their baby and they spend all their waking hours working on it, massaging it.

"I think a lot of the successful cars sort of started that way, but as time has gone on, they've migrated to two and three-car teams. Even though those owners would like to spend more time with the race team, they're spread thin.

"With this team all the resources are concentrated right here so it's a little more hands on from an owners' side, which is something I've enjoyed."

With his new team comes a new attitude from Rudd.

"Time well tell," Rudd said. "But, this team is going to do well this coming season. This is the time of year all the drivers are bragging about their new teams, but I'm real excited.

"I know the opportunity that this team presents and it's not going to surprise me to see two or three wins out of this team next year."