Greg Biffle was fastest in the first test session at Richmond on Tuesday. Credit: Autostock

Biffle, Bowyer fastest on first day of Busch test

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Although no race is listed on the Busch Series schedule this weekend, 25 teams are using the first off-week of the season for the third of four scheduled tests this season.

Richmond International Raceway, site of the May 5 Circuit City 250 presented by Funai and the Sept. 8 Emerson Radio 250, follows Daytona International Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the line of Busch Series test sites.

Kasey Kahne, who won the Busch Pole at the Richmond spring event last May before capturing his first Nextel Cup Series victory the next day, places high value on the test opportunity.

"[The Busch Series and Nextel Cup cars] are not identical so there are a lot of changes that you do have to make," said Kahne, who plans to run up to 19 races for Evernham Motorsports in Busch Series competition this year. "I run the Busch Series races mainly because I just enjoy racing. It makes your odds better to win a race. That's why we do this.

"We want to win and we want to do everything we can to run up front to win for our sponsors, our teams and everybody that puts in such a big effort behind us. I just enjoy racing and when you're driving for Ray Evernham, you have great race cars and it makes it that much better."

Kahne won the Busch Series race at Las Vegas and Nextel Cup race at Atlanta, the only driver to win in NASCAR's top two national series this season.

Greg Biffle, the 2002 Busch Series champion, was fastest in the morning session at 121.548 mph (21.473 seconds). Biffle also is a 2006 winner, having claimed his 18th series win at California in February.

"I just can't imagine not racing in the Busch Series," he said. "I enjoy running [these] cars. [They're] so much fun to drive and I think it's extra experience behind the wheel."

Topping the speed charts for the evening test session was Clint Bowyer, who posted a best lap of 125.406 mph. He was followed by Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, J.J. Yeley and Ryan Newman in the top five.

Elliott Sadler likes the idea of the test session extending into the evening hours. Sadler finished second to Carl Edwards by .144 of a second at Richmond last May. The fall race at Richmond will be run under the lights.

"I think it's going to help us a lot and I'm glad the track is letting us do that," he said. "It's more like racing conditions and more of what we're going to be used to racing against. The track definitely changes under the lights [and] the test will help us fine-tune things a little more and put on an even better show for the fans when we come back."

This year, NASCAR has set a schedule for when and where each of its national series may test at tracks that host NASCAR events -- the teams' only opportunities to test at those tracks. Richmond is the only short track that teams can utilize for tests this season. Lowe's Motor Speedway will host the series May 8--10.

Forty-one drivers are scheduled to participate in the three-day session where teams select two of the three available days to test. Sessions run from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. weather permitting.