stockcarbits.com

Open-wheel racing was Harold Brasington’s original inspiration for building Darlington Raceway. He’d seen cars racing at Indianapolis and wanted to duplicate that excitement in South Carolina.

But since the track opened as NASCAR’s first superspeedway with the 1950 Southern 500, Darlington has come to be known for stock-car racing. Open-wheel cars haven’t been there in more than 50 years.

That will change next week, however. The U.S. Auto Club will hold a test session for its Silver Crown series cars at Darlington next Thursday and Friday.

The USAC Silver Crown series is in its second year of competition with a new style car built for competition on pavement. The cars weigh 1,700 pounds without a driver, roughly half the weight of a Nextel Cup car, and have engines that generate 750 to 800 horsepower.

No Darlington race date is on the schedule for the series, but the Silver Crown cars are not scheduled to race on the weekend of Darlington’s Nextel Cup weekend in May.

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Josh Yost, the jackman on Jeff Burton’s No. 31 Chevrolets, ruptured his left Achilles tendon during a pit stop in Sunday’s Daytona 500 and will need surgery to repair it.

In May of 2005 at Talladega, Yost suffered a serious injury to his right ankle when he got hit by another car during a pit stop. He had to have the same tendon repaired in his right leg after that incident, but worked his way back into action for the Richard Childress-owned team.

Yost injured his left ankle Sunday during a seemingly routine stop for Burton, who finished third in the race. Despite being in pain, he completed the pit stop before going to get medical care.

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That’s Racin’ ranks the top 40 teams in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series following the Budweiser Shootout, the Gatorade Duel and the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Rankings based on team performance and potential. Each team’s preseason ranking is in parentheses:)

1. (2) Tony Stewart – car No. 20

Yes, this team finished last in the 500. But it served notice it has come to play in ‘07.

2. (4) Kevin Harvick – car No. 29

Someone actually asked him if he felt bad about beating Mark Martin to win the 500!

3. (9) Kyle Busch – car No. 5

By far the best Hendrick car in Daytona. It just never could close Speedweeks deals.

4. (5) Matt Kenseth – car No. 17

Points penalty a misstep and 500 wreck a misfortune. In all, though, the 17 was stout.

5. (1) Jimmie Johnson – car No. 48

Team that dominated the headlines at Daytona last year hardly made a blip in 2007.

6. (10) Jeff Burton – car No. 31

By itself, the 31 was slow at Daytona. But when it raced, Burton took it to the front.

7. (3) Kasey Kahne – car No. 9

This high because of what we expect at California, not what we saw in Speedweeks.

8. (29) Mark Martin – car No. 01

This racing warrior handled crushing disappointment after the 500 with great class.

9. (13) Kurt Busch – car No. 2

Like his younger brother, Kurt had his car in the mix a whole lot during Speedweeks.

10. (31) David Gilliland – car No. 38

This team may not stay here long, but Gilliland showed his stuff in Shootout and 500.

11. (7) Jeff Gordon – car No. 24

12. (6) Denny Hamlin – car No. 11

13. (8) Dale Earnhardt Jr. – car No. 8

14. (11) Carl Edwards – car No. 99

15. (12) Greg Biffle – car No. 16

16. (14) Clint Bowyer – car No. 07

17. (16) Ryan Newman – car No. 12

18. (17) Elliott Sadler – car No. 19

19. (32) David Stremme – car No. 40

20. (20) Jamie McMurray – car No. 26

21. (15) Scott Riggs – car No. 10

22. (18) Casey Mears – car No. 25

23. (24) Reed Sorenson – car No. 41

24. (26) J.J. Yeley – car No. 18

25. (28) Ricky Rudd – car No. 88

26. (25) Martin Truex Jr. – car No. 1

27. (30) Jeff Green – car No. 66

28. (37) David Ragan – car No. 6

29. (40) Joe Nemechek – car No. 13

30. (19) Juan Pablo Montoya – car No. 42

31. (21) Bobby Labonte – car No. 43

32. (22) Dave Blaney – car No. 22

33. (34) Robby Gordon – car No. 7

34. (33) Tony Raines – car No. 96

35. (38) Sterling Marlin – car No. 14

36. (36) Ken Schrader – car No. 21

37. (27) Dale Jarrett – car No. 44

38. (NR) Johnny Sauter – car No. 70

39. (23) Brian Vickers – car No. 83

40. (NR) Michael Waltrip – car No. 55

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Jeff Burton was a little torn.

He is a teammate to winner Kevin Harvick at Richard Childress Racing, but also spent several years as a teammate to Mark Martin at Roush Racing.

“As good as I feel for RCR and Kevin, I feel that bad for Mark,” said Burton, who finished third.

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