Thursday, Jan. 5, 2006 | 8:30 a.m.
If all goes according to plan, Paul Tracy will be trading his open-wheel racecar for one with doors and fenders at the end of this racing season.
Tracy, a Canadian who maintains a residence in Las Vegas, has told team owner Gerald Forsythe that the 2006 season would be his last in the Champ Car World Series. Tracy wants to be running full time in NASCAR in 2007.
"My game plan was to make the transition (to NASCAR) in '06 but it really didn't come together," Tracy said. "I've made another year commitment to Forsythe Racing. (Forsythe has) been gracious enough to say 'go do whatever you want to do and try whatever you want to try.'
"My timetable is to be in NASCAR in '07."
Toward that end, Tracy took part in an ARCA RE/MAX Series test last month at Daytona International Speedway. Although it was Tracy's first time on the 2 1/2-mile oval, he recorded the fifth-fastest time among the 10 drivers who tested on the first day of the three-day session.
Tracy said he has financing to compete in a limited number of NASCAR Busch Series races this season in a second car for Biagi Bros. Racing.
"Hopefully, I can run 10 to 11 races in Busch and maybe a (Nextel Cup Series) race or two," Tracy said.
Tracy, 37, won the 2003 Champ Car World Series championship and leads active Champ Car drivers with 30 career victories and 25 poles.
Back in the 500
Bill Elliott, a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, will race in this year's NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season opener for the first time since 2003.
Elliott, who has run a limited schedule the past two years, will drive the No. 36 Chevrolet for MB2 Motorsports in the Feb. 19 Daytona 500. MB2 also fields cars for Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek.
"MB2 has a top-notch superspeedway program and I am looking forward to being part of it," Elliott said. "Both Sterling and Joe are good on the big tracks and having them as teammates gives us added potential."
Elliott, 50, also will drive the No. 36 in the Feb. 11 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway.
Also noted:
* Former open-wheel star Adrian Fernandez will drive a Pontiac Riley Daytona Prototype this season for newly formed Lowe's Fernandez Racing in the 14-race Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. Fernandez, who will continue to drive in select NASCAR Busch Series races for Hendrick Motorsports, will team with former Champ Car World Series driver Mario Haberfeld in the Daytona Prototype.
* A third of the way into the grueling 6,500-mile Dakar Rally, NASCAR's Robby Gordon was in 45th place overall after finishing 19th in Wednesday's fifth stage. Gordon's Hummer developed transmission problems during the fourth stage, leaving Gordon and navigator Darren Skilton more than four hours off the pace.
* The 2006 SCORE Desert Series will open its season next weekend (Jan. 12-15) with the 12th annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge. Prerace festivities will be held Thursday and Friday and racing will be Saturday and Sunday. Additional information can be found at www.score-international.com.
BY THE NUMBERS:
2 -- The number of Champ Car World Series victories by Paul Tracy in 2005
26 -- The car number Jamie McMurray will drive this season as Roush Racing is replacing the No. 97 (which Kurt Busch drove the past five seasons)
45 -- The number of days until the Daytona 500
Brian Hilderbrand can be reached at 259-4089 or at [email protected].
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