Benson will race Daytona, and he said he will expect to run a handful more races with Finch in 2004 -- possibly Talladega and Richmond. Benson has been a NASCAR regular since breaking into the Busch Grand National Series in 1994, so recent months have been frustrating ones for the 40-year old former Berlin Raceway champion.

But Benson had some good news to report Tuesday. He will now have a chance to compete in the biggest race of all.

"Oh yeah, I'm really excited about it," Benson said. "They have great speedway cars, and I think I'll have a chance to go down there and be competitive. And it gives me something to do."

Benson was with the now-defunct Tyler Jet Motorsports team in 2000 when he eventually finished ninth in the Daytona 500. That team was eventually purchased by MVB Motorsports, the team that released Benson at the conclusion of the 2003 season. Benson has spent the off-season searching for a ride in stock car racing's top ranks. He finally got a break with qualifying less than a month away.

While Phoenix Racing has only dabbled in Winston Cup racing in the past, it has made the most of its opportunities. Finch came up just short of the checkered flag in the 2002 Daytona 500. He put Geoffrey Bodine in his car, and the veteran finished third after qualifying 35th. The team returned last year and cracked the top 10 again, this time with Mike Wallace placing ninth.

And while Finch may not be a household name in Nextel Cup, he has certainly been a contender in Busch. His cars have featured drivers such as Jamie McMurray, Jimmy Spencer, David Stremme, Jeff Purvis and Randy LaJoie. Ironically, Benson isn't the first West Michigan driver to race for Finch. Three-time ARCA champion Tim Steele of Coopersville ran a handful of races for Finch in 1995.

Finch, 53, is a native of Panama City, Fla. He has recently moved his race shop from Florida to Spartanburg, S.C.

"I've known James for a long time, and this is a situation where we don't even need a contract," Benson said. "We had a handshake, and we are ready to go. It's great that there are still people out there that you can trust like that."

Phoenix Racing is participating in Daytona testing this week, and team officials could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Benson is not scheduled to test this week, however, veteran driver Joe Ruttman is shaking down the car. The team has work to do. Ruttman was 25th fastest in both the morning and afternoon sessions out of a field of 27.

Look for Benson to be behind the wheel for the Feb. 8 Daytona 500 qualifying.

"Right now, we are looking at running eight races this year," Benson said. "But we'll just have to wait and see. It could be more. It could be less."