Notebook: Petty on mission to find crew chief

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Petty Enterprises lead driver and CEO Kyle Petty feels like his organization has made a lot of progress since the middle of 2004, but he knows there's still some ground to make up.

Petty said this week that's a plus as his team searches for a crew chief for his No. 45 Dodge. The search continued even while he tested at Daytona this week, and Petty said he was surprised at some of the candidates -- which included pairs of crew chiefs and car chiefs from established Cup teams.

Credit: Jason Schoellen/Turner Sports Interactive

"That makes you feel good and that's the best part," Petty said. "I can't overemphasize what Dodge and (new engine supplier) Ray Evernham has done for us.

"When you look at it like that there's people out there who understand what we're trying to do, engineering-wise -- they get it and they know this is a place that they can go and make a positive impact.

"You look at a lot of the guys here and they're already first or second -- they've just got to maintain -- whereas for us, people can come to our team and move us up 10 positions in points and it looks like you're a hero."

Petty said he was sure his crew chief would be hired before Speedweeks in February.

	NASCAR ACCELERATION •   Know Your NASCAR •   Tickets for Daytona •   2004 Daytona 500 highlights •   Get TrackPass for 2005!

"We'll get somebody -- I'm not worried," Petty said. "More than likely we'll have somebody in place before we go to Vegas and California to test (at the end of January)."

Petty said a Daytona test was not critical for a crew chief. He said the team's test program was laid out on a paper grid and that all but three items had been accomplished in the test's first day.

"Then, Greg (Steadman, Jeff Green's crew chief) and the 43 car will come back and hopefully improve on that next week," Petty said.

Truck test booming

So far, 33 Craftsman Truck Series teams -- including all but two of the top 20 in last year's owner standings -- have informed Daytona International Speedway they will arrive Friday to test Saturday and Sunday for the Feb. 18 Florida Dodge Dealers 250.

Earnhardt tests for Harvick

Kerry Earnhardt Credit: Autostock

Kevin Harvick may be in Daytona for this weekend's two-day Craftsman Truck Series pre-season test, but Kerry Earnhardt is assigned to test Harvick's No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet next week during the second round of Nextel Cup Series Preseason Thunder.

Earnhardt has a busy testing schedule. Earlier this week, he tested RCR's No. 33 Chevrolet that he'll try to qualify for the Daytona 500. He is also scheduled to test his full-time 2005 ride -- owner Billy Ballew's No. 15 Chevrolet truck, this weekend.

Harvick's Truck and Busch Series teams will sandwich his RCR Nextel Cup team's test. Ron Hornaday and crew chief Wally Rogers are testing Harvick's No. 6 Chevrolet truck while drivers Tony Stewart and Tony Raines are both listed on the roster for the No. 33 Chevrolet Busch car engineered by Butch Hylton.

Atwood tests truck ride

Casey Atwood, who was released from FitzBradshaw Racing in the Busch Series last year, is scheduled to test a Bobby Hamilton Racing truck this weekend at Daytona.

Atwood, who like Hamilton grew up in the Nashville, Tenn., area, has run one truck race in his career -- in 1996 when he was a teenager.

BHR veteran Randy Seals is listed as the truck's crew chief for the test.

Sponsors sign with Kluever

Craftsman Truck Series rookie Todd Kluever has obtained full primary sponsorship for his No. 50 Ford, Roush Racing has announced.

Todd Kluever

Shell Rotella T motor oil will sponsor Kluever in 10 races, including the Daytona season opener. World Financial Group, which sponsored Roush teammate Carl Edwards in a pair of 2004 Nextel Cup races, will be Kluever's primary sponsor for the balance of the 25-race season.

"This is such a great opportunity for this team," Kluever said. "Although I may be a rookie, I intend to have the truck up front.

"It's quite an honor to have a company like World Financial Group come on board to sponsor our truck when I haven't even raced yet. Their support is integral in helping us succeed in the Craftsman Truck Series (and) I can't wait to run up front with their truck."

Edwards gets additional sponsors

When owner Jack Roush and driver Edwards announced Office Depot's eight-race primary sponsorship deal for Edwards' No. 99 Nextel Cup Series Ford, they said additional deals were on the horizon.

World Financial Group, which sponsored Edwards' first Cup top five finish last season, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, will be the primary sponsor of the No. 99 for two races in 2005, at Las Vegas in March and Talladega in October.

In addition, World Financial will sponsor Roush's No. 60 Ford driven by Edwards in the Busch Series in three races, at Las Vegas and both Phoenix events.

"It is a privilege for any race team when a company opts to expand its sponsorship," Roush said. "World Financial Group was a great partner last year and their support helped Carl get a few Nextel Cup races under his belt -- now they're going to give Todd the same opportunity in the Truck Series."

Truck Series notes