Trouble doesn't slow Said in opening practice

Busch suffers damage; Park replaced by Simo

SONOMA, Calif. -- Infineon Raceway exacted its usual toll early on in Friday's first NASCAR Winston Cup practice. However, even a broken transmission couldn't slow Boris Said.

	Boris Said

Said's No. 01 U.S. Army Pontiac, which had set the fastest time in the session at that point with a lap of 92.543 mph, suddenly slowed coming out of Turn 11, leaving him with no choice but to hoof it back to the garage area.

One of his crew members said the car's gearbox let go. Said was able to return to action minutes before the session ended .

The car was fixed with minutes to go before the end of the session -- so Said promptly returned to the track and laid down a lap of 92.721, fastest of the day.

Others weren't so fortunate.

Kurt Busch, winner of last week's Sirius 400 and currently fifth in Winston Cup points, heavily damaged the left side of his primary car late in the practice session. He had been running times that were solidly in the top five before the incident.

Jim Inglebright and Paul Menard both found the tire barrier. Inglebright's crew was busy pounding out the bent-up trunk area on the No. 00 JellyBelly Chevrolet, while Menard's crew was hurrying to prepare the backup No. 33 Turtle Wax Chevy, which made it back to the track before the session ended.

"I got two tires off track and when that happens, it goes where it wants," Menard said of his car, which was torn up from front to back.

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Jimmy Spencer and Elliott Sadler also spun but were able to continue unscathed.

Ricky Craven failed to even complete a lap before the engine in his No. 32 Tide Pontiac began to have problems.

Brian Simo replaced Steve Park in the No. 30 AOL Chevrolet about halfway through the session but was unable to gain much speed.

Bobby Labonte was second fastest at 92.697 mph, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Robby Gordon.