The Backstretch Blog: This is only a test

As NASCAR fans, we are just different than fans of other sports. Spoiled I say. The sport is pretty much a year around affair. And for the short time that is gone, we go through some major withdrawals. And lets be honest, anyone that would dedicate 4 hours ever Sunday from February to November must have a major addiction.

So it probably comes as no surprise to you that I found myself squinting at my i-Phone, watching the cars go around the track for Day One of the pre-season test at Daytona know as "Pre-season Thunder." Many of you probably did the same thing.

But as excited as we as fans were to see cars back on the track on Thursday, many of the drives seemed to be equally as excited.

"The past month or so we've been running all over, doing all sorts of different things, and it's been fun," said Carl Edwards. "And there's been one common thing that I've found is everywhere we go people are pumped about this season."

Maybe the excitement, the anticipation is because of the way last season ended. A tie at the top of the points, a new champ, and Tony Stewart taking the title in dramatic fashion.

Maybe the excitement is about a the change. Stewart has a new crew chief. The defending champion crew chief is now with the team that finished runner up two seasons ago. Many other teams also have crew chiefs, or new drivers our both. The off season has been so wild, there have even been about a dozen new spotters joining new teams.

And then there is the much anticipated move to NASCAR full-time by Danica Patrick. Love her or not, she was fast on day one of testing.

"Just like probably like going to the first day of school, you want to make a good impression, you want to do a good job," said Patrick.

All this excitement, all this build up, and this is only a test. Actually racing doesn't start for another month.