Notes: Subs step in, do well in Friday's Nationwide test

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- In the final year of the Busch Series, only nine drivers in the series' top 20 in the final standings competed in all 35 races; and in 2008, with a plethora of multi-driver platforms in place, fans can expect more of the same.

Thus, it was no surprise as the first session of the Nationwide Series' version of Preseason Thunder unfolded on Friday at Daytona International Speedway, the top of the single-car speed chart was liberally sprinkled with "subs."

The most notable was also the guy who's been employed as a test pilot by Joe Gibbs Racing for both its programs the past few years, former national Modified champion and JGR Busch Series driver Mike McLaughlin.

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McLaughlin shook down the No. 20 Toyota that will be driven during Speedweeks 2008 by Tony Stewart, and was second on the morning speed chart to Johnny Sauter's No. 1 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet.

Richard Childress Racing's three Nationwide cars will more than likely be driven by Clint Bowyer, Scott Wimmer and Jeff Burton during Speedweeks, but on Friday RCR's No. 2 and No. 21 were piloted by a couple of owner Childress' development drivers, Brandon Miller and Tim McCreadie, respectively.

McCreadie was fifth and Miller sixth as he warmed up the car for Bowyer, who's expected to arrive sometime over the weekend.

While Chip Ganassi Racing drivers Dario Franchitti and Reed Sorenson will probably be in the team's No. 40 and 41 Dodges during Speedweeks, only Franchitti was on hand for the test, as Ganassi development driver Bryan Clauson, fresh off his top-five finish in last weekend's Chili Bowl, was wheeling the No. 41 Charger at Daytona.

Longtime Hendrick Motorsports test and fill-in driver David Green tested the No. 5 Chevrolet that's being cooperatively fielded this season by JR Motorsports in partnership with owner Rick Hendrick.

And owner/driver Stanton Barrett was perpetual motion Friday as he bounced between his own No. 30 Chevrolet and the two No. 37 Baker Curb Racing Fords that were at the test for Kenny Wallace, whose travel plans prevented him from getting to Daytona.

Junior in the house?

If the shaky weather throughout the Southeast not only allows him to travel, but provides for a good day of testing in Daytona, JR Motorsports owner/driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. may show up on Saturday to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet that was shaken down on Friday by 1994 series champion Green.

Earnhardt's driver, Brad Keselowski, who drove the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet as a single-car entrant in 2007, is enthused about the new deal that will give him a team car at most 2008 events -- particularly Daytona.

"It's pretty cool having teammates to work with," Keselowski said. "The guys have been bouncing ideas off each other to see what we can find and we both picked up a bit from the morning to the afternoon.

"I'm really looking forward to [Saturday], though. Junior's coming down to draft with the No. 5 if the weather cooperates, and I want to get out there and learn as much as I can from him. He's a master at this, so having him as a boss and teammate has its perks, here." (Continued)