Notes: Young drivers have limited yet vital experience

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- As the Nationwide Series drivers prepare to kick off a new season at Daytona International Speedway, the garage is filled with a lot of fresh faces.

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For drivers like Bryan Clauson (No. 41 Chip Ganassi Racing/Felix Sabates Dodge) the advantage of having run a handful of races in 2007 takes on increased importance as a new crop of drivers prepare for the 2008 season. (read more)

"It's nice," said Clauson during Saturday's Preseason Thunder lunch break in the infield media center at Daytona International Speedway. "You've been able to experience everything at least once. You've been to a rookie meeting. You've been to a drivers meeting. It just takes that initial period of where you're lost and you can just focus on racing."

Inclement weather delayed testing Saturday morning. The drivers were able to take the track for drafting practice shortly after 1 p.m. The opening session of Preseason Thunder testing for the Nationwide Series will continue at 9 a.m. ET Sunday. The testing sessions are open to fans at no cost.

Clauson was joined in the media center by Brad Coleman (No. 27 Ford) and Landon Cassill, who in 2008 is slated to run 19 Nationwide races in JR Motorsports' No. 5 Chevrolet. Cassill, who will attempt to qualify for the ARCA race at Daytona on Feb. 9, is at Daytona early spotting for 1994 series champion David Green, who is testing Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car. Cassill made six starts in 2007.

"It knocks the edge off a little bit," said Cassill of last year's experience. "This year will be a lot better because I'm running more races. I'll be able to stay sharp."

Coleman

Coleman is making the transition from Joe Gibbs Racing to the Nashville, Tenn-based Baker Curb Racing. For Coleman, a Texas native, getting to spend time in the country-music capital has been a perk. And he's looking forward to the remainder of testing at Daytona to become better acclimated with his new team.

Coleman was the most experienced of Saturday's media center gathering. He ran 19 races in 2007 in the NASCAR's No. 2 series, earning a pole at Talladega Superspeedway to go along with three top-fives and five top-10s.

"It definitely takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get to this level," Coleman said. "There's not one of us that hasn't given up going to prom or going to some parties with friends or going to a concert. Every weekend you're out at the racetrack. It's what it takes. You just have to dedicate your life to it and work as hard as you can. But once you get there, it's all worth it. It feels good."

Running in the Nationwide Series also means exposure to an even higher level of competition against veterans of the series, as well as Cup Series drivers who run in the series. (Continued)