Elliott tops Cup testing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Two-time Daytona 500 winner Bill Elliott set the pace Monday on the first day of preseason testing for NASCAR Nextel Cup teams at Daytona International Speedway.

Elliott has run a limited schedule the past two years and last competed in the season-opening 500-mile race in 2003. But the 1988 series champion will drive a Chevrolet for MB2 Motorsports in both the Budweiser Shootout on Feb. 11 and the 500 on Feb. 19.

He was among 20 drivers who kicked off a three-day test session.

Three-time and defending Daytona 500 champion Jeff Gordon, also driving a Chevy, posted the fastest speed of the morning session with a lap of 187.029 mph, Elliott was faster in the afternoon with a lap of 187.219.

“I felt like this is a great opportunity and why not give it a try,” Elliott said. “If I’m sitting on the couch, I can’t win the Daytona 500 again, so at least I’m down here trying.”

Elliott, who has won the Daytona 500 pole a record-tying four times, is teamed for the one-off Cup race with veteran crew chief Frank Stoddard.

“Regardless of where we end up as far as speeds are concerned, we know we’ve got a pretty good race car,” Elliott said. “Boris (Said) ran good in the race car last year. We’ve just got to expand on that and keep throwing things at it while were here this week and continue to build on the program they’ve got and just try to make the best of when we’re here.”

Jimmie Johnson, Gordon’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, was next on Monday’s speed list with a lap of 187.029, followed by Elliott Sadler, who turned a lap of 186.909 in one of the new Ford Fusion’s. The Fusion replaces the Taurus in the Cup series.