Kurt comes to town

BY SPENCER CAMPBELL
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

BRISTOL, Va. – If Kurt Busch drove as poorly as he played golf, he’d probably still be on his learner’s permit.

The 2004 Sprint Cup champion sometimes forgets to rotate his wrists. In racing parlance, he slides into the outside wall quite often.

Or at least that was the case on Thursday, when Busch dusted off his clubs for a quick nine holes at the Virginian Golf Club before jetting off to this week’s Sprint Cup race in Michigan.

But he can be forgiven for a poor round of golf. He has next week’s Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on the brain.

“Bristol, this area, has always felt like home with me having my first win at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2002,” Busch said. “I always jump at the chance to come to Bristol.”

Busch and BMS have always entertained a special bond.

He has entered Victory Lane at Bristol five times, including his first career victory and his inaugural win at Penske Racing.

Even though four of his five BMS wins have come during the spring, Busch said that there’s nothing quite like the track’s Saturday night race.

“As a kid growing up, the Saturday night Bristol race, even in Las Vegas we didn’t race. The race track actually said, ‘We’re taking that weekend off so everybody can enjoy the Saturday night action,’ ” Busch said. “That moment and that time made it important to me. It made an impression on me and how big this race is.”

While some fans have begun taking a dim view of the Bristol races – complaining that the new track surface reduces the amount of automotive carnage – Busch took up for his favorite NASCAR track on Thursday afternoon.

If anything, he said, the new track surface that allows drivers to speed around the track in multiple lines has only added to Bristol’s excitement, giving fans two aggressive racing styles to watch.

“People always ask: ‘Is it better, is it worse?’ ” Busch said. “There’s that bump-and-grind atmosphere you have at Bristol, and now there’s that side-by-side atmosphere you have at Bristol. You don’t miss the bump and grinding at all, but you’ve gained the side-by-side action, which is thrilling at a half-mile short track.”

In fact, there aren’t many changes that Busch doesn’t like, especially when they are applied to BMS. Take, for example, double-file restarts. The Food City 500 in March did not feature them, and many fans are wondering how they will affect racing at BMS.

“That’s definitely going to plug stuff up,” Busch said with a smile. “You’re going to see guys looking three-wide off turn two to find an advantage.”

While the past few years have been a struggle for Busch, he has quietly put together a stellar 2008. After missing out on the Chase for the Sprint Cup two out of the last three years, Busch sat fourth in the standings heading into Michigan.

Busch might have only one win the season, but his consistency – 12 top-10s in 22 races – is paying dividends in the long-run.

Not that consistency breeds attention. His low win total and lack of controversy have this one-time hothead flying under the radar – for once.

“We’re not a championship favorite, yet we’re considered to be a threat,” he said. “Anytime you’re the underdog, the attention isn’t focused on you and it seems easier to go about your daily business. And then we’re not in that group seventh to 14th. Those guys are fighting to get into the Chase, they have that worrisome feel every lap they make.”

That’s something Busch won’t have to worry about until the Chase. He’ll then be served a 10-week dose of worry. For now, however, he’s just happy to return to his favorite track and compete for a sixth BMS victory.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Busch said. “It’s racing the way it ought to be.

“Wow. I hit that perfect didn’t I?”

scampbell@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2543