Busch targets rare repeat as NASCAR champion
FONTANA, Calif. – During NASCAR’s Preseason Thunder, reigning Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch seemed almost as awestruck as his many new fans. “It’s been a great offseason,” Busch said this week with a broad smile. “Really great.”
That includes the on-track reception he received at California Speedway.
“Just the way that each and everybody in the garage area have come up and congratulated me and shook my hand,” he said, shaking his head with disbelief. “There was not much time for that in Miami after everything (when he clinched the Cup). … And now, we’re up and ready to go for 2005.”
Busch has his portrait from California Speedway – a gift from the track after a win in 2003 – hanging in his shop. And he’s proud to have left his footprints in concrete on the track’s Walk of Fame.
“Hopefully, we can add to that this year and be a second-and third-time winner at California Speedway,” he added.
Busch and his Roush Racing team will have that chance Feb. 27 at the Auto Club 500 in Fontana. But first is the season kickoff Feb. 20 at the Daytona 500.
Busch flew to Daytona Thursday night, at the end of testing at Fontana.
Such is the drive to repeat, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished by a NASCAR Cup champ since Jeff Gordon in 1997 and 1998.
Busch’s Roush teammate, Matt Kenseth, couldn’t repeat last year. Busch knows that everyone else now will be gunning for his No. 97 Ford, just as they targeted Kenseth. To be as ready as possible, Busch has spent seven days testing: two in Daytona, Fla.; three in Las Vegas, his hometown; and the last two at California Speedway.
Relentless Santa Ana winds, often gusting to more than 40 mph, made testing a challenge at best. Old-timers couldn’t believe it.
But still useful, Busch said. “We’ve run through as many different set-ups as we could. With the wind, you work on big changes. That way you get a good driver feel for it and you don’t necessarily have to look at your computer data because if you make a small change, you just can’t find it with the way that wind is blowing.”
The blustery conditions didn’t stop more than 7,000 fans from watching the tests and scoring autographs. Just a nod from Busch brought choruses of squeals.
Busch, 26, feels he can do better in 2005 – even after winning his first Cup.
“I won the championship by only eight points,” he said. “We struggled with a soft summer. We didn’t run consistently in the top five. … I think we can go into the chase in a higher position this year, go in with 20 or 30 more points. That will definitely be a better advantage.”
In particular, Busch is anticipating mixing it up with his younger brother, Kyle. At age 19, Kyle takes over the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. He replaces Terry Labonte, who will drive a limited schedule in his No. 44 car.
“We’re very competitive,” Kurt said of his brother. “He’s seven years younger than I am, and he can’t quite keep up with the experience level. I can jump in and give him some advice, play the mentor role. I can’t share too much (technical) stuff; he works for Hendrick. But I can’t wait to hang him out to dry at Daytona.”
Contact Debbie Arrington at darrington(at)sacbee.com.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com.)