Jeremy Mayfield says he had a ball during Busch Series testing at Daytona. Credit: Turner Sports Interactive

Mayfield, Wallace build on once-rocky history

Former feuding teammates now together on Busch team

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Four years ago, anyone who would have predicted that Rusty Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield could field a competitive NASCAR racing alliance would have been laughed at.

The pair's experience as teammates at Penske Racing from 1998 to 2001 was a contentious one, at best.

But the 2005 NASCAR Busch Series season is on the verge of happening and observers who were keeping on eye on the final round of Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway could discern one thing.

That Mayfield's No. 64 Dodge Charger -- fielded by Rusty Wallace Inc. -- would be competitive when Speedweeks 2005 opens up in little more than three weeks.

	Rusty Wallace was a teammate of Mayfield's at Penske Racing from 1998-2001. Credit: Autostock
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"I'm running with Rusty, now because I think he and I kind of realized we were both in the wrong, back then," Mayfield said Sunday prior to packing up to leave Daytona after two days of testing. "I done a lot of things wrong back then and I think Rusty feels like he did the same.

"Yet, we've come back together and shown that we didn't burn any bridges between each other, as badly as we let on. He's just a great guy and a great racer and I'm glad we got all that other junk behind us and we're starting over."

Mayfield's car, dressed with Miller High Life Light and Top Flite Golf logos, was sixth on the Sunday morning time sheet and in the same position on the morning drafting sheet. One final mid-afternoon solo speed run that was mingled with a half-dozen laps in the draft signaled the end for Mayfield.

"I've had a great, great time over the last couple days," Mayfield said. "I didn't know a lot of these guys -- just a couple of 'em -- but I feel like I've been with them forever, now.

"We get along good and we had a great test. This is a great team -- it's just unbelievable when people look inside my cars and see how nice they are. Rusty is first class and he's got all nice stuff and it shows."

Daytona's Hershey's Take 5 300 will be Mayfield's kick-off to a season that he'll split in the No. 64 with Nextel Cup Dodge-mate Jamie McMurray. Blake Bainbridge will continue as RWI's Busch Series crew chief.

"By Rusty asking me to drive his Busch car, meant a lot to me," Mayfield said. "He's shown a lot of respect for me and I've got a lot of respect for him because of that (and) there was no way I was going to turn that (chance) down."

Mayfield said he's been busy so far this year with a Cup test at Nashville with his Evernham Motorsports team, followed Evernham's Daytona test and now, the Busch session. Another test at Nashville will follow, then West Coast sessions at Las Vegas and California.

Mayfield has now been able to draft in both the Cup and Busch versions of the new Dodge Charger.

"It's driving great," Mayfield said. "Dodge has done a great job on the Charger. Of course, my Evernham Motorsports Cup cars were driving good and this car was driving good -- so, so far I've got to say that the Charger is going to be good, and it's going to be competitive.

"It's certainly not something we've got to go back and cut the body off of and start over on, so I think it's going to be good for us, the rest of the year."

Busch Series newcomer Paul Wolfe posted the fastest single-lap test speed of the day in his No. 6 Evernham Motorsports Dodge, in 49.687 seconds, an average speed of 181.134 mph.

Mayfield will split the driving duties of the No. 64 Dodge with Jamie McMurray. Credit: Turner Sports Interactive

Tyler Walker, who was quickest in the morning in the No. 38 Dodge, was second best on the day (180.803 mph) followed by Justin Labonte's Chevrolet (180.716), Johnny Sauter's Dodge (180.672) and Clint Bowyer's Chevrolet (180.632).

Cars participated in two hours of single-car runs in the morning and an addition hour in the afternoon with the rest of the day's four hours of track time devoted to either drafts -- of as many as a dozen cars -- or single-car runs at the 47 drivers that were present's discretion.

Nextel Cup veteran Kevin Harvick continued to take advantage of the only Daytona test he's driven in this winter by leading the day's two drafting sheets. His No. 21 Chevrolet was clocked in 48.086 seconds, 187.235 mph in the quicker morning session.

Aaron Fike, who swapped off rides with his two Brewco Motorsports teammates on Sunday, was second fastest in drafting in the No. 66 Duraflame Ford, at 48.127 / 187.005.

Stacy Compton, with his best lap in two days in the No. 59 Ford (186.792), Denny Hamlin in the No. 20 Chevrolet (186.780) and Greg Biffle -- also in the No. 66 Ford (186.726) rounded out the day's drafting top five.

David Green got his first seat time of the test Sunday afternoon in drafting practice, after recovering from a bout of kidney stones.

Team Rensi Motorsports arrived at the test a day late, but drivers Jason Keller and Ashton Lewis got plenty of seat time in their Fords.