David Green fastest in Pepsi 400 practice.

Current NASCAR Busch Series point lead David Green dished out some 'Cup-whacking' in opening practice for this Saturday's Pepsi 400 at Daytona as he led a 47 strong field in the #60 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

After failing to qualify for the Daytona 500 and then suffering the ignominy of having a top ten Bud Pole qualifying effort at Talladega disallowed when his car failed post-qualifying technical inspection, Green put the #60 Haas Automation Chevrolet top of the pile by almost two-tenths of a second at the famed 2.5-mile Superspeedway.

As in February Chevrolet's appeared to have the upper hand over the rival manufacturers with three Monte Carlo's heading the field. Daytona 500 Michael Waltrip, who had his carburettor confiscated by NASCAR before practice began, was second fastest with his DEI teammate and fellow restrictor-plate powerhouse Dale Earnhardt Jr third.

Carrying sponsorship from the U.S. Air Force for the weekend, Ricky Rudd made a rare appearance in the top five in his Wood Brothers Racing Ford, setting fourth fastest time and leading the blue-oval brigade while rookie Jamie McMurray rounded out the top five in his Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge.

Battling sophomore's Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman continued to ensure that neither suffers the dreaded sophomore slump as they finished the session sixth and seventh fastest respectively, Newman simply praying for a restrictor plate weekend where he doesn't end up on his roof.

Elsewhere down the order, Daytona 500 polesitter Jeff Green was eleventh quickest for the #1 Pennzoil DEI team, defending Winston Cup Champion Tony Stewart 17th, Steve Park aboard the same #30 AOL Richard Childress Racing Chevy that Green rolled to the Bud Pole at Daytona in February 18th and series returnee Stacy Compton 21st fastest.

Another driver making his return to the big leagues this weekend is Buckshot Jones, driving the #09 Phoenix Racing Dodge previously driven by Jeff Purvis, Geoffrey Bodine and Mike Wallace to impressive restrictor plate displays over the course of the past two years. Trying to make his first NWC start since being released from Petty Enterprises mid-way through last season, Jones was 28th fastest, one place ahead of Rusty Wallace who had an engine let go on his Penske Racing Dodge and will now start from the back of the grid regardless of his performance in Bud Pole Qualifying on Thursday evening.

Christian Fittipaldi was 30th fastest in the #44 Petty Dodge, Kerry Earnhardt 39th, Shane Hmiel 40th and Mike Bliss, driving a third Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet, 46th. With four teams set to miss the show on Saturday night, Earnhardt, Hmiel and Bliss will all be looking for extra speed in order to crack the top 36 during their two Bud Pole laps.