From Thursday night through Sunday night, #99-Carl Edwards, #98-Paul Menard and #12-Brad Keselowski will log some 5,800 miles in the air to practice, qualify and race their Nationwide cars at Road America and their Sprint Cup cars in Infineon Raceway. They’ll also give up track time for both events. The three participated in the 5 ÃÂý-hour test session Thursday in preparation for the inaugural Bucyrus 200 at Road America. But they’ll miss practice Friday while in Sonoma and miss final practice there Saturday to qualify and race at Road America. Whereas in the recent past, double-duty drivers went from Sonoma to the Milwaukee Mile on this weekend, now at least they’ll be driving the same style of racetrack at each venue. “Every time we go to Sonoma, that’s our first road course of the year,” Menard said. “For us to be spending all day here logging laps, I think it’s going to help us for Sonoma and for missing on Saturday. “Obviously there’s nothing like being on track on Saturday afternoon, but me, I’ve got Bill Elliott in my car out there for Saturday, and I can’t think of a better guy.” #2-Kurt Busch will practice in Keselowski’s car as well as his own Saturday in Sonoma, and the early plan for Edwards’ car is to leave it in the garage. Former Indy-car driver Michel Jourdain Jr. will practice Friday for Menard at Road America, where Roush Fenway Racing teammate Erik Darnell will fill in for Edwards and Penske Racing development driver Parker Kligerman will drive Keselowski’s car. The drivers’ odyssey began Wednesday, when they came to Wisconsin. Edwards flew his own plane and then took it to California, where it will remain until he goes home from there. He’ll do the Friday night / Saturday night commute with Menard aboard the Citation X owned by Menard’s father, home-improvement magnate John Menard, the fastest non-military plane available.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), it was also mentioned during SPEED’s practice and qualifying coverage, that Elliott would also practice the #99 Ford as well as the #98 Fordn on Saturday.(6-18-2010)
