Vasser off to quick start in Busch car

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2003 | 9:58 a.m.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Jimmy Vasser is making the transition from open-wheel cars to full-bodied stock cars look downright easy.

The 37-year-old Las Vegas resident, who hopes to make his first NASCAR Busch Series start in Saturday's Koolerz 300 at Daytona International Speedway, was fastest in testing here last month and was among the 15 fastest drivers in Tuesday's opening day of practice.

But Vasser, the 1996 CART champion, has been in racing long enough to know better than to get excited about preseason tests and practice runs.

"It's just practice right now and it's not that difficult to run around by yourself in practice or in qualifying," Vasser said. "But the race, I'm sure, will be a whole different experience."

Although Vasser still plans to compete in CART's Champ Car series "for a few more years," he is preparing for an eventual NASCAR career by driving in up to 10 Busch Series races this season with Braun Racing. Vasser is sharing the team's second car with Steadman Marlin.

In his first test in the Busch Series car last month, Vasser was faster than any other Busch Series driver -- including established NASCAR competitors Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Michael Waltrip.

Vasser backed up that performance on Tuesday by running fifth fastest (182.693 mph) in the morning practice and 10th quick (182.737) in the afternoon session in the No. 30 Dodge.

Vasser, however, has no illusions that his success to date in the Busch car will translate into positive results in Saturday's race.

"The times look good but I'm not getting overconfident or running around saying, 'now I've got a shot at (winning) it,' " Vasser said. "I know I can drive, I know that my car is very fast but what I'm really here to do is to get some drafting experience.

"I'm sure I'm going to get schooled a bit on race day -- that's how you learn."

Because the draft is so critical at the 2.5-mile track, Vasser said he spent the better part of the day learning how his car reacted running in packs of cars.

"The biggest thing I've got to learn is drafting and running in the close proximity with other cars; that's going to be a little different," Vasser said. "I run close with other cars in Champ Car, but I'm familiar with my surroundings and the other drivers over there.

"These cars may have fenders but you're still racing at high speeds and I don't want to cause a big wreck so I've got my eyes wide open."

Although Vasser has yet to race a Busch Series car at Daytona, he competed in two IROC events here (1997 and 1998) and also was a member of the third-place Ferrari team in the 1999 Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona.

Vasser, who has 10 victories and 29 podium finishes in 11 seasons in CART, said his goals for Saturday's race are modest.

"I'm just looking to have a good, clean finish and get some experience," he said. "I'm not saying that I don't put on my helmet on race day and try to win but I realize that I don't know everything about this type of racing and this track.

"I'm just here to learn and get some experience."

Vasser's second scheduled race in the Braun Racing Dodge is March 15 at Darlington Raceway -- but he isn't ruling out racing in the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1.

"I could race Vegas if I had another opportunity with another team because it's an open weekend for me," Vasser said.

"Right now, my second opportunity with this team is Darlington but I want to race Vegas. Something might come together (with another team) in the next couple of weeks ... we'll see."