Former Hutchens device wearer Rusty Wallace is among the drivers now required to use the HANS head-and-neck restraint device. Credit: Autostock

Notes: Wallace easing into new HANS device

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Rusty Wallace originally complained that he felt like a "caged animal" by wearing the HANS device for the first time, but after three days of NASCAR Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway, Wallace is getting used to the head-and-neck restraint system.

	John Darby
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Wallace wore the Hutchens device last year, but NASCAR allowed only the HANS to be used in 2005. While the Hutchens is more manageable, especially for a taller driver like Wallace, the HANS can be difficult to get used to.

The HANS, a carbon-fiber device, wraps around the drivers helmet and sits on the driver's shoulders. Wallace complained the HANS rubbed too hard on his collarbone, leaving that area of his body tender.

Wallace also didn't like the way the seat belts wrapped around his chest. With the HANS, Wallace said, his belts felt too far away, and he didn't feel strapped in.

Another problem was the placement of Wallace's seat. Installation of the HANS pushed the seat forward to ensure clearance for a roll bar behind Wallace's head. But moving the seat forward cut down on side window space, critical for Wallace's ability to get quickly out of the car in an emergency.

So Wallace talked to Nextel Cup director John Darby, who allowed Wallace's team to move the roll bar back.

"He said he'd never done it before but said go ahead and do it," Wallace said Thursday as Nextel Cup testing ended. "All those little things I'm having to do to make myself feel better in that car."

But all the work has helped.

"I am adjusting well to it. I really am," Wallace said. "I knew all along I needed to do it, but every time I put it on I'm so uncomfortable wearing the thing. I woke up this morning getting ready to come to the track and I had a bruise on my shoulder right around my collarbone where it's just laying on it.

"It's sore to touch right now, but I'm going to have to get some padding on there and get this thing adjusted where I can wear it. That's it. I want to be able to drive my guts out this year and feel safe doing it."

Hermie Sadler

Sadler skips final day

Hermie Sadler's Peak Performance Motorsports team headed out of Daytona early Wednesday evening, skipping the final day of testing. Sadler said the two-day test went well for the No. 66 team, as Sadler gained more than a second since he got on the track.

Sadler will test next week at Talladega Superspeedway.

"Our main goal first is to be able to come in here and knock off a good qualifying run and have something to fall back on," said Sadler, whose team is outside the top 35 in owners' points, which means he'll have to race or qualify his way into the Daytona 500.

"Our plan is to go home and do some work, do a little cutting and grinding, and go to Talladega for a couple days -- work on some more stuff -- and then come back here. Anything can happen in those qualifying races. Anything can happen drafting in practice here and it would be devastating to us to damage our car. That would put us really far behind, so we made a lot of progress and we want to continue to build on that. "

Robby Gordon's No. 7 team skipped all Thursday, too, and Kirk Shelmerdine left after Thursday morning's session.

Marlin not ready for rocking chair

With the impending retirements of Wallace and Mark Martin, several other drivers have been asked the retirement questions this season. Sterling Marlin, who at 47 is two years older than Martin, isn't ready for the rocking chair yet.

"It's still a lot of fun," Marlin said. "I still enjoy doing it. A couple more years, at least."

Kasey Kahne

Kahne the car owner

Kasey Kahne will be a full-time car owner in 2005, but not in NASCAR. Kasey Kahne Racing will field USAC Silver Crown cars for Kraig Kinser full-time, while Erin Crocker will drive Kahne's cars in five Silver Crown events.

Kahne also has a USAC Sprint Car and Midget that he will dabble in this season.

"It doesn't really take much of my time," Kahne said. "It's a lot of fun to go race it or go watch."

Kahne's cousin, Willie Kahne, runs the USAC teams for Kasey.

Kasey Kahne won't be as busy on the track this season. Last year, Kahne raced full-time in Nextel Cup and nearly full-time in the Busch Series. He also found the time to win two Craftsman Truck Series races.

But though no truck races are planned, Kahne will drive in 10 Busch events for Akins Motorsports and two for Evenrham Motorsports.

AAA to back Edwards

The AAA Auto Club Group has joined Office Depot as a primary sponsor of Carl Edwards' Roush Racing No. 99 Ford. AAA will be the main sponsor for three races -- both Michigan events and the Brickyard 400 -- and an associate on the remaining races.

"We are very excited to have AAA on board as a primary sponsor in 2005," Edwards said. "We're delighted AAA chose the No. 99 team. We look forward to representing them and helping in their effort to educate motorists on driver safety. Safe driving is important not only to NASCAR drivers like me, it is important to every person out on the road. I'm both proud and honored to be a part of AAA's team."

The Auto Club Group is based in Dearborn, Mich. and, is the largest AAA affiliate in the Midwest.

Robby Gordon

Gordon to run Indy 500?

Robby Gordon has a deal put together to run the Indianapolis 500, but he hasn't decided whether to run the Brickyard this year.

"Another nice thing about being a team owner is that if I want to run the Indy 500, I can do that now," said Gordon, who will run his own car in Nextel Cup this year. "We'll do what's right for the team. We have a sponsor for the Indy 500. It's sitting on the desk, and it's been sitting there for a month.

"We're just a little hesitant to sign it because you want to be careful what you wish for. You just might get it. And then we'd have to do that program, too.

"We did race it last year and raced inside the top 10 with our own team and then I had to leave. This year, I really wouldn't have to leave. And then again, when I was leading the Baja 1000, I had to leave to qualify the Cup car down in Homestead. But then again, I wouldn't really have to leave."

Quotable

• Bobby Labonte, on whether Tony Stewart is at a disadvantage for skipping Daytona testing: "I don't know. Probably not. Maybe so. I'm not sure. Doesn't matter too much to me because I'm here."

• Matt Kenseth, on practicing on Daytona's infield road course in preparation for the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance race: "Believe it or not, I didn't know where the road course went out of the infield. I knew it went in at the end of pit road somewhere, and I had no idea where the cars were, so it took me awhile to get going."

• Wallace on racing in the Rolex 24 next year: "Maybe Sterling and I will in 2006." Marlin: "We'll put Coors on one side and Miller on the other." Wallace: "Maybe Kasey could drive with us. Or Jamie [McMurray]. Or, hell, maybe even Ryan Newman."