Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Test session slated Jan. 27-30 at LVMS

Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2003 | 9:55 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

Reigning NASCAR Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart, four-time champ Jeff Gordon and Las Vegas native Kurt Busch head a list of more than two dozen Winston Cup and Busch Series drivers scheduled to take part in a four-day test session Jan. 27-30 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Each driver will be allowed to test for a maximum of two days at LVMS and all four sessions -- tentatively scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day -- will be open to the public, free of charge.

Other Winston Cup drivers who have indicated they will test at LVMS include Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Petty, Jeremy Mayfield, Jamie McMurray, Jerry Nadeau, Bobby Labonte, Ward Burton, Joe Nemechek, Ted Musgrave, Greg Biffle, Jack Sprague, Casey Mears, Kenny Wallace and Jimmy Spencer.

The 2003 Winston Cup season opens Feb. 16 with the 45th Daytona 500. The sixth annual UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 will be held March 2 at LVMS and the seventh annual Sam's Town 300 Busch Series race is set for March 1.

Jeff Burton (2000) and Jeff Gordon (2001) and the two fans who had drawn their names in a lottery earned $1 million 'No Bull 5' bonuses by winning in Las Vegas.

Spencer was let go by Chip Ganassi Racing after finishing 27th in points in the No. 41 Dodge. Tommy Baldwin will serve as Spencer's crew chief.

"We're excited about Jimmy coming on board because he's one of the finest competitors in our sport," Smith said.

"The excitement he brings on and off the track is something our sport thrives on and having Spencer as the driver and Tommy Baldwin as the crew chief will make for a good combination for Ultra Motorsports and Sirius Satellite Radio."

The Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo will be sponsored at Daytona by the Monaco Coach Corporation. Petree said he still is searching for funding to run a full Winston Cup schedule this year.

"We really appreciate the knowledge and experience Robin brought to our race teams, and wish him nothing but the best as he continues his career," Petty Enterprises CEO Kyle Petty said. "We know he will be successful in anything he does, and we will continue working to bring that same type of success to all of our teams."