From Track Release
January 10, 2005
08:56 AM EST (13:56 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Jimmie Johnson, the 2004 Nextel Cup Series runner-up, returned to Daytona International Speedway on Sunday for his first Rolex 24 test session in the No. 4 Howard-Boss Motorsports Pontiac Crawford that he will share with co-drivers Butch Leitzinger and Elliott Forbes-Robinson. Johnson kicked off his 2004 racing season with the same two drivers in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, finishing eighth in the Daytona Prototype class and 28th overall. He and his legendary sports car racing teammates are obviously looking for bigger and better things in this year's rendition, but the team faces an even tougher challenge this year with so many more stars from the Nextel Cup Series and other forms of racing in the field. "More than anything, there are so many more competitors here and a lot of familiar faces," Johnson said. "What Tony (Stewart) was able to do last year, and what I did, we went back and bragged to all our friends, so they've decided to come and play this year. I had a great time last year and think the world of Crawford Racing and everyone involved. "I had a blast with Butch and Elliott. I'm just glad to be back and want to have more fun. I am a lot more comfortable in the car than I was last year. I expect to have a lot of fun and hope to win. I have two of the best teammates in the business, so as long as I don't mess it up, we'll be in good shape." Johnson was the last of the Nextel Cup Series stars to arrive for the Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Test Days. Champions Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Bobby and Terry Labonte put their Daytona Prototypes through testing paces throughout the weekend, as did many other Nextel Cup Series stars. Stewart, the 2002 Nextel Cup champion, will drive in a team car to Johnson for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, but was unable to participate in test days due to other commitments. Clearly, the Nextel Cup Series was well-represented throughout the three-day test session and will be once again on the February 3-6 race weekend. "There are a couple of reasons why," Johnson explained. "You can enter into the sport and be competitive. Before you couldn't. There were three or four teams that dominated and it wasn't affordable to be involved. This sport has allowed team owners to bring multiple cars and allowed Cup drivers and drivers from a lot of different disciplines to be a part of it. With that in mond, from a driver's standpoint, that's what piqued my interest. "You can come down and be part of a great program and be competitive as far as the equipment. You don't always have the experience, that's why the 24-hour race is so appealing, because it's more of an endurance race instead of a three-hour sprint. When you set a pace like this, it allows us to get some seat time and have a great experience with it. I think you'll see more people doing it. I know a few Cup drivers who hate that they missed the opportunity this year and plan on coming down next year." All of the Nextel Cup Series stars have the support of NASCAR president Mike Helton, who was among the interested observers making the rounds during today's final day of testing. "It makes me pretty proud, quite frankly, because these guys are racers," Helton said. "It goes to show that if you're a racer, you're a racer. That transcends across the world of motorsports, but I also think it speaks to the Rolex 24, that draws that type of professional athletes to the race. It's pretty exciting to be able to follow them through the practice and through the entire 24-hour race process. We're pretty excited about that. "Beyond NASCAR, walking up and down through here and seeing the guys that are practicing for the 24 hours, it's got a big feel to it. It's got a special event feel to it again. In this business, that's a big thing." Tickets for the Feb. 5-6 Rolex 24 At Daytona are available by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com . | 
