Bill Elliott hasn't raced in the Daytona 500 since 2003 and hasn't run a Cup race anywhere in a Chevrolet since 1979.

But the two-time Daytona 500 champion didn't miss a beat here in the first session of testing that wrapped up Wednesday with a day of drafting practice at Daytona International Speedway.

Elliott had the second fastest non-drafting speed in one MB2 Motorsports Chevy and the sixth-best speed in another. He'll compete in the No. 36 in the Bud Shootout on Feb. 11, and then go after a spot in the 500 the next week.

"It's still the same thing," Elliott said. "You've got to do well in a draft and you have to have a car handling. If your car is not really under you, then you can't continue that through the full run.

"That's what I've noticed here today is after 10 laps on your tires, the race track really gets greasy. That's what makes Daytona so much fun."

The fact that Elliott was fast in an MB2 car shouldn't be surprising.

Joe Nemechek, Scott Riggs and Boris said were fast in testing here last year in the team's cars powered by Hendrick Motorsports engines.

Nemechek and Sterling Marlin, who is now in the cars Riggs drove last year, will be part of the second session of testing here Monday through Wednesday of next week.

After Daytona, Elliott said he's not sure how many races he'll run this year. He ran six in 2004 and nine last year after retiring from full-time competition following the 2003 season. All of those races were in Dodges owned by Ray Evernham.

"We'll see where the wind carries me," Elliott said. "I'm still involved with Ray Evernham as far as that's concerned, and I'm kind of on loan from Ray."