Roush Racing's stable of young drivers David Ragan, Todd Kluever and Danny O'Quinn Jr. focus on crew chief Doug Richert. Credit: Autostock

New crop of drivers out to make Busch mark

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Speedweeks is usually the forum for each NASCAR national series' new look -- and Friday's final round of Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway assumed that role for the Busch Series.

Nearly 20 new combinations took center stage on a rain-marred day of testing, highlighted by Roush Racing's latest announcement of another full-time Busch Series program to go with some major crew chief re-assignments.

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Danny O'Quinn Jr., who was one of the finalists in owner Jack Roush's "Driver X" elimination series to determine the driver for one of his Craftsman Truck Series entries, will contest a full series in the No. 50 Ford Fusion.

O'Quinn's car will be tended by crew chief Drew Blickensderfer, who formerly worked with Mark Martin's Busch and Cup crews at Roush.

Carl Edwards, who was the Busch Series rookie of the year in 2005 while also finishing third in the Nextel Cup Series, will return for a full Busch program for the second consecutive year, with a new crew chief on his No. 60 Ford.

Pierre Kuettel, a long-time Roush employee who most recently served as Edwards' car chief on his No. 99 Nextel Cup Fords, has been promoted to crew chief of Edwards' Busch Series entry. He replaces Brad Parrott, who has left Roush Racing.

Todd Kluever, the 2005 Craftsman Truck Series rookie of the year, was behind the wheel of a third Roush entry that will also compete for the full schedule, the No. 06 Ford.

The fourth Roush car at the test represented the "Ameriquest Dream Team," which is comprised of Edwards and his Roush Nextel Cup teammates Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Martin.

When each of them compete in their slate of Busch races, the Cup drivers -- with the exception of Edwards -- will use the numbers associated with their Cup programs. David Ragan, who will also race for Roush in the Truck Series, replaced Biffle, who will race in the season-opening Hershey's Kissables 300, at the Daytona test.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. talks with his driver Mark McFarland. Credit: Autostock

Among the drivers who made their first Daytona appearances with their new full-season programs were the brothers Sauter: Johnny, who will drive the No. 00 Chevrolet, Jay, who returns to the series in the No. 01 Chevrolet and Tim, driving the No. 36 Chevrolet.

Aric Almirola, the Joe Gibbs Racing development driver who will compete in the full Craftsman Truck Series for Spears Motorsports, is testing the No. 19 Gibbs Chevrolet for a possible Busch Series debut.

Burney Lamar, a potential rookie of the year candidate, is testing Kevin Harvick Inc.'s No. 77 Chevrolet. Another high-profile rookie candidate, Mark McFarland, tested Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports' No. 88 Chevrolet.

Veterans participating in their first Daytona tests in the cars in which they'll compete all season include Mark Green in the No. 4 Dodge, Jason Keller in the No. 1 Dodge and Regan Smith in the No. 35 Ford.

John Andretti made his debut in the No. 10 Ford that will be fielded by ppc Racing for nearly 30 of the 35 series races.

Former Indy car champion Paul Tracy tested the No. 34 Chevrolet in which he'll make five starts this season for owners Frank Cicci and Jim Kelly.

Evergreen veteran Kevin Lepage tested John McNelly's No. 56 MacHill Motorsports Chevrolet for its usual limited schedule of events.

Along with Ragan, other drivers who tested cars either for another driver or with uncertain futures included versatile Andy Hillenburg in a No. 66 Dodge listed as a Brewco Motorsports entry; Larry Foyt, who was subbing for Kasey Kahne in Evernham Motorsports' No. 9 Dodge; and Justin Labonte, driving a No. 57 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.