Hamilton Jr. ready to live up to expectations

The way Bobby Hamilton Jr. finished 2003, many expected him to keep on rolling into this year's Busch Series season. He won two of the last five races last year and finished third in the other three.

Hamilton Jr. ended up 49 points behind champion Brian Vickers, and considering he was over 200 points out of the lead during part of the season, you can see why much was expected of him in 2004.

	Bobby Hamilton Jr. is seventh in the Busch Series standings. Credit: Autostock

OK, so we're getting ahead of ourselves a little. The season is only two races old, of course, and Hamilton Jr. hasn't exactly fallen on his face. But it is time to win, and he'd love to do that in this weekend's Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"We've had two races and haven't won, and we're all about winning, but we can't be too greedy because we're in the championship picture at the start of the season," Hamilton Jr. said.

"In all reality, you have to look at points, but we didn't get to where we were last year looking at points. We were just all out and whatever happened, happened. How can you go back and change that? We can't because the way we approached the end of the year was just to go out and win the race, period.

"If we finished third, we went back and said, 'Why couldn't we have won the race? What put us off?' You have to go back in there with that same mentality, and that's what we're doing."

Hamilton Jr. was 13th at Daytona and seventh at Rockingham, and he's seventh in the Busch Series points standings. But he doesn't believe the team has lost any momentum from last year, and for that he credits crew chief Harold Holly.

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"Harold is so smart just on common sense things that we forget, and he just kinda keeps that ball rolling for you," Hamilton Jr. said. "He had that same momentum with (Jeff) Green when he was winning all the races, so there's no reason to think that we peaked out."

Besides, there is plenty to be done. It's no secret that Team Rensi Motorsports wants to move to the Nextel Cup Series in 2004, but Hamilton Jr. has a few things on his mind regarding the Busch Series. This year isn't about getting ready for the step up, he said.

"I haven't won a championship yet," Hamilton Jr. said. "I guess that's really the bad thing about winning four races and having the most top-10s and tied for the most top-fives, there is so much more we can do. Now we know we can do it, so there's no satisfaction of having just four wins. Now we know we can do four or so at the end of the season, so why can't we do four at the beginning?

"You just keep building yourself up, and until you get to a point where you've won four or five championships and all of the races, then it's like, 'Well, we've done all we can do here.' But, right now there is still work to be done."

Yeley ready to make stock car debut

	J. J. Yeley Credit: Autostock

Open-wheel star J.J. Yeley will make his much-anticipated stock car debut in the Sam's Town 300. Yeley, who won all three of USAC's major open-wheel championships in 2003, is driving a part-time ARCA, Busch and Cup schedule for Joe Gibbs Racing this year.

Saturday's race will be his first in a stock car of any kind.

"To say that I am excited would be an understatement," Yeley said. "I am very proud of all of my accomplishments in USAC, and I am going into this form of racing with my eyes wide open and feet firmly planted to the ground.

"As I listened to those that I trust and analyzed all of the wonderful opportunities that were presented to me, it became very obvious that NASCAR is where I should be, and Joe Gibbs Racing was the perfect place for me to start my career in NASCAR."

Fedewa to keep an eye on Elliott

	Tim Fedewa will be pulling double duty this weekend at Las Vegas, sort of. Credit: Autostock

Several drivers will be pulling double-duty at Las Vegas, running both the Busch Series and Nextel Cup races. Tim Fedewa will be working during both events, too, but he's only driving in one. Fedewa, who drives for FitzBradshaw Racing in the Busch Series, will serve as Bill Elliott's spotter during the Nextel Cup event

"I think it helps me to spot," Fedewa said. "It gives me another way to look at the track and see things from a different angle. Hopefully, I will see something I can use when I am out there."

Tire/aero package gets first real test

Saturday's race will be the first with NASCAR's new tire and aero package. Goodyear has built a "softer" tire for the race, which is designed to wear a little quicker. NASCAR has also mandated a smaller spoiler, which will decrease grip in the corners.

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The package wasn't used at Daytona or Rockingham. David Green was one of several drivers who tested at LVMS earlier this year, and he said things have changed dramatically.

"It will be a whole different race than we've ever seen before," Green said. "A lot of emphasis will be put on setup and driver control, especially as the tires begin to drop off, and to me that falls right into our strengths. (Crew chief) Jason (Ratcliff) and the guys give me fast, steady race cars week in and week out.

"Everyone is going to be fast on fresh tires, so I don't think you will see much of a difference in qualifying. However, the teams that can find speed on old tires will rise to the top during the race."