Daytona Beach, FL (Best E Casino) - Weather permitting, NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers will begin a three-day test at the Daytona International Speedway. Teams in the odd-number rankings in 2006 car owner points will participate as they prepare for the 2007 Daytona 500 scheduled for Sunday, February 19th.

Among the drivers scheduled to appear are: 2006 Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman and Bobby Labonte.

Those who don't test this weekend will run in a second three-day test scheduled to start January 16th.

One driver missing from the test is Tony Stewart who is competing in the 20th annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, OK. Mike McLaughlin will fill in for Stewart in the No.20 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet.

Also not scheduled to appear is Robby Gordon who is competing in the 15-day Dakar Rally which began on January 6th. The California native is currently running 22nd overall in the 8,708-kilometer race between Lisbon, Portugal and Dakar, Senegal.

The weather forecast for the Daytona Beach area includes showers today, but clear skies for Tuesday and Wednesday.