Mike McLaughlin

Tony Stewart doesn't plan to attend the preseason Nextel Cup testing session scheduled to begin Monday January 8th at Daytona International Speedway. Veteran driver McLaughlin will test the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet for Stewart, scenedaily.com reports.

Mike McLaughlin, former Busch Series driver, was at Nashville Superspeedway on Wednesday working as a consultant to Joe Gibbs Racing -- tutoring J.J. Yeley and rookie Denny Hamlin in the NASCAR Busch Series. McLaughlin says he's through as a driver insideracingnews.com reports. "I'm out here among all these race cars and it doesn't bother me a bit," said McLaughlin, "I felt like the time was right to quit driving."

McLaughlin was named to succeed Clay Rogers as the driver for Frank Cicci Racing's No. 34 Chevrolet Monte Carlos in the Busch Series, Nascar.com reports.

After failing to qualify for the Busch race in Las Vegas, McLaughlin said he would take some time off from racing while he searches for a ride with a well-funded team, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

McLaughlin will not race at Rockinham, but will return to the Busch Series in Las Vegas with a new sponsor, his official web site reports.