Contract Status: Driver: 2012; Primary Sponsor: none

Kurt Busch discusses incident at Darlington: #51-Kurt Busch met with members of the media at Charlotte Motor Speedway and discussed many things including last week's incident with Ryan Newman, the transcript in part:
Q) YOU AND (RYAN) NEWMAN DIDN'T HAVE AN ISSUE ON TRACK (LAST WEEKEND IN DARLINGTON) SO WHY DID YOU BUMP HIM AFTER THE RACE?
Busch: "That is where everybody checked-up coming in the garage. I was taking my helmet off so I didn't have a problem with (Ryan) Newman. I didn't have a problem with his crew guys. Then things just really got out of control in a hurry."
Q) WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU LEFT PIT ROAD?
Busch: "I was just trying to beat the pace car out. I didn't think anything of it other than we have put up a good fight this whole year. Trying to just work as hard as we've worked, trying to complete the day and get those top-10 finishes. These guys work harder than anybody else in this garage. This No. 51 Phoenix Racing team, I love them to death. They have my back, I've got theirs and we just wanted to finish on the lead lap. I was trying to get off pit road as quick as I could. Newman, he left his pit, I don't know, a good 10 seconds before us. I didn't think there was any reason to think that any crew guys were in danger. One guy has a problem with it and it just escalated from there."
Q) DID YOU FEEL LIKE THE FINE WAS JUSTIFIED?
Busch: "The fine is what it is. There was the problem of me not lining-up properly when NASCAR told me to get to be the last car on the track. You have to do that when you pit too soon. That is just a normal penalty that you have to adhere to. I was, but everybody kept waving me by. When everybody is waving you by and NASCAR is yelling in your ear to go to the back. It's like I'm confused on where I'm supposed to line-up. Whether it was pit road, whether it was not lining up where I was supposed to be, whether it was the incident on pit road when everybody checked-up and I was taking my helmet off. Which (Ryan) Newman said that he thought that was a lie, that is the honest truth. Newman and I were friends. We were great teammates. He needs to check his trophy case on the Daytona 500 trophy that I helped him get years ago. We have always been great friends. There was no need for his comments afterwards. He knew that his Southern 500 didn't go the way that he wanted it to. At the end of the nigh everybody is hot, pissed off. The Daytona 500 is a big race; Darlington is just as big of an event. A lot of people get excited for it. I wanted to finish in the top-10 and we didn't get that top-10 finish. It was a tough night that all went bad in a hurry. For that I apologize to NASCAR for them to have to make a decision on penalizing me. It is what it is, I will move on. Is my strike zone bigger than others? Yeah, it might be a little bigger than others but I don't have a problem with it. I've got a great group of guys here that I'm working with on this Phoenix team to go there and put together the results that we can. We need to get those good solid finishes like we know we are capable of."
Q) HOW DO YOU TAKE RYAN'S (NEWMAN) COMMENTS AFTERWARDS WHERE HE MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT CHEMICAL IMBALANCE?
Busch: "Yeah, we're friends. He was agitated just like I was after a good day gone bad. He was just in the emotion of it. With him making the comments that he did, he was a little out of line as well for the heat of the moment. "
Q) NO LONGER FRIENDS NOW OR DO YOU NEED TO TALK WITH HIM?
Busch: "Well I think that we are both looking at the same scenario coming up here in these next few summer months."
Q) SINCE YOU AND RYAN (NEWMAN) ARE BOTH UNSETTLED RIGHT NOW FOR 2013, DO YOU THINK WITH HIS COMMENTS HE CAN DISCREDIT YOU IN THE PUBLIC MARKET?
Busch: "This is good for our sport. This is WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) type action."
Q) ARE THERE THINGS YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?
Busch: "I would have done my best to keep the car off the wall and not get that flat tire and to bring out car home 10th. That was a tough race for us to race in the top-five like we did for a little while we were a seventh to eighth place car genuinely all night. Pit stops put us back to 15th a few times, but I wasn't upset about that when that happened."
Q) WHAT ABOUT POST RACE?
Busch: "Those things happen because of what happen during the race. I'm passionate about what I do and I want to complete those days when we are running well. Just like when we were at Talladega. To get spun out with just a few laps to go, it's like man what else can happen to us in the last few laps of a race."
Q) DO YOU PERSONALLY PAY THE $50,000 OUT OF YOUR POCKET?
Busch: "Absolutely, I have all through my career. I've been fined probably the most out of any driver and I've probably paid it out of my pocket more than any driver."
Q) WERE YOU SURPRISED AT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE CREW GUY BECAUSE RYAN (NEWMAN) HAS ALREADY COME OVER TO THE CAR AND WALKED AWAY?
Busch: "Yeah, it was surprising that guy was just as excited as anybody else. That is the passion that all of us have in this sport. Did I mean to drive through their pit box? Heck there could have been 42 other guys pitted next to us, but it just happened to be the guy that spun around in our same incident. It wasn't anything that I tried to do and he was just excited about things. I was trying to be the man and get my car back to the garage. Instead I could have walked away like (Ryan) Newman walked away."
Q) DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DROVE THROUGH THEIR PIT BOX RECKLESSLY? THAT IS WHAT NASCAR FINED YOU FOR.
Busch: "No, not at all. They fined us for a multitude of things."(Team Chevy)(5-19-2012)

Monster Energy Sponsors Kurt Busch in All-Star Race: It was announced that Monster Energy will sponsor Kurt Busch and the #51 Chevy of Phoenix Racing in Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "The association with Monster Energy has been beyond great, and it's fun being a part of the Monster Energy Team of Athletes," said Busch, winner of the 2010 All-Star Race. "When we started the relationship with Monster Energy we had talked about doing some Sprint Cup Series races together. What better race to do that than an event like the All-Star Race with all of that energy and excitement? It was just the perfect opportunity and I'm really looking forward to having that Monster claw on the hood of the #51 Chevrolet Saturday night." In March, Busch was added to the Monster Energy Team of Athletes. The 2004 Sprint Cup champion shares the driving duties of the #54 Monster Energy Toyota in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with his younger brother Kyle, who serves the dual role of driver/owner with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Kurt scored the first win of the 2012 season for Monster Energy when he won the April 27 race at Richmond.
"Monster Energy supports Kurt Busch because of his passion for racing and his passion for winning," said Mitch Covington, director of motorsports for Monster Energy. "The Monster Energy Team of Athletes is a group of determined, fearless and committed individuals and we support our athletes 100 percent. Kurt has gone the extra mile for us  not only in representing our brand but also with everything he does behind the scenes with our employees and customers. The Sprint All-Star Race is a great race for us to showcase our brand and commitment to our athletes."(True Speed Communication)(5-18-2012)

NASCAR Issues Fines And Probation For Violations at Darlington: NASCAR has fined Kurt Busch, driver of the #51 car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, $50,000 and placed him on NASCAR probation until July 25 for his actions during the May 12 race at Darlington Raceway. Kurt Busch violated Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing; reckless driving on pit road during the race; involved in an altercation with another competitor after the completion of the race) of the 2012 NASCAR Rule Book. Additionally, Craig Strickler, a crew member for the #51 team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31 for violating Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing; interfering with a member of the broadcast media).
Tony Gibson, crew chief for the #39 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, has been placed on NASCAR probation until June 27 for violating Section 12-1 and Sections 12-4G and 9-4A (Crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his team members). Andrew Rueger, a crew member for the #39 team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until June 27 for violating Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing; failure to comply with a directive from a NASCAR official). Both of these violations occurred post-race.(NASCAR)(5-15-2012)

Newman, Busch incident after Darlington race: UPDATE: Several of #39-Ryan Newman's crewmen confronted #51-Kurt Busch on Saturday night at Darlington Raceway following an ill-advised decision by Busch to do a burnout through Newman's pit box. After Busch had a flat tire and crashed with six laps remaining - an incident which also collected Newman - the Phoenix Racing driver lost his cool and began yelling on the team radio. When Busch completed his pit stop to fix damage shortly after the wreck, he & did a loud, angry burnout while leaving his pit box. The burnout startled fans in the stands and put up a huge plume of smoke, an expression of Busch's frustration at a promising night gone bad. But while doing the burnout, Busch drove through Newman's pit box as well - and several Newman crew members were still over the wall after recently completing service on the #39 car. Among the angry crewmen was Newman's gas man, Andy Rueger, who went to the #51 hauler to await Busch's arrival. Rueger planned to confront Busch immediately after the race. But Busch's team knew Newman's crew was upset, and so crew chief Nick Harrison instructed Busch to stop at the entrance of pit road and leave the car there instead. The driver was livid on the radio and had been screaming obscenities during the final few laps, and the team felt it would be a good idea for him just to get off the track. Words were exchanged between the crewmen and Busch, and a NASCAR official fell onto Busch's hood in the process. Though contact with Rueger sparked the official's tumble, NASCAR's Robin Pemberton said the official just lost his footing. It's unclear whether NASCAR will issue any penalties in this situation. If NASCAR feels its official tumbled onto the hood on his own, then Newman's gas man could go unpunished.(SB Nation)
AND: #39-Ryan Newman had strong words for #51-Kurt Busch after their incident Saturday night. Here's what Newman told [Dustin Long] in a one-on-one conversation about the incident:
(WHAT HAPPENED?)
"I'm not sure what happened. It's easy to see and it's easy to say that Kurt blew a fuse again. I'm not sure why he did it and tried to run over our guys and NASCAR officials. And nobody is. I think the chemical imbalance speaks for itself. Kurt drilled me in pit lane and said that he was taking his helmet off and he didn't see where he was going, which I'm pretty sure there were 42 other guys that are taking their helmets off and doing whatever for the last 10 years and that's the first time that's happened to me. Circumstances I think are that he lied and was so frustrated that he doesn't know how to deal with his anger.
(WHAT NOW?)
"From my standpoint, that's the second offense on Kurt when he did retaliation on (teammate Tony) Stewart's crew and the officials there. I can voice my opinion on what they should do to him but that's not going to solve anything.
(YOU WENT IN TO NASCAR HAULER VOLUNTARILY?)
"No. They asked me to come in because they didn't know everything that happened on pit road. They just really wanted to know my side of that story. That was it. They said you're good to go.
(HE SAID HE JUST HIT YOU ON PIT ROAD)
"He said he was taking his helmet off, which I think was a lie.
(ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT HIM AS A DRIVER)
"Everybody has for the last 10 years. He's proven that. When you can't keep a job, it's pretty obvious."(Posted to Twitter by Dustin Long)(5-13-2012)
UPDATE: NASCAR is reviewing the fracas to see if penalties are warranted, said vice president of competition Ryan Pemberton. A Sprint Cup official fell back on Busch's car, but Pemberton didn't think it was an aggressive move toward the official. "We're looking at film, we're still getting all the facts straight," Pemberton said after the race. "We haven't talked to Kurt; we talked to Ryan a little bit. He talked to Kurt afterwards and he told him he didn't mean to hit him, he was taking his helmet off and looked up and he'd run into the back of him. So right now that's really all the facts that we have." Busch did not talk to reporters following the Southern 500.(Associated Press/ESPN)(5-14-2012)

Phoenix Racing, Busch to announce sponsor: UPDATES: Tuesday, #51-Kurt Busch posted the following message to Twitter, "Big sponsor announcement Friday for @PhoenixRacing51 -- be on the look out".(5-2-2012)
UPDATE: per Kurt Busch's Facebook, he will run a Ricky Bobby "ME" scheme from Talladega Nights at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. The car will also carry the logo of the Armed Forces Foundation along with a message on the decklid "Text AFF to 50555 to donate $5". See images of the car on his Facebook page, twitter or my #51 Team Schemes page.(5-4-2012)
UPDATE 2: Getting permission to bring the movie car to life was no easy task. Busch's girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, is the head of the Armed Forces Foundation and approached team owner James Finch with an idea to run a Talladega Nights car while raising awareness for her organization, which does charitable work with armed services members suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Driscoll worked behind the scenes for two months to get approval for the car, which was far more complicated than you might imagine. After lower-level execs at Sony Pictures rejected the idea, Driscoll pulled some strings and finally got the studio's president on the phone. "He was like, 'Yes! This is an awesome idea. Let's do this!'" she said. But even after Sony approved, there were still others who had to sign on. For example:
• The picture of the cougar on the car is actually "Karen," the cougar who co-starred in the movie. Because Busch's car needed to use the photo, Driscoll had to get permission from Karen's handler - and the photographer who took the picture for the hood.
• Every company whose logo appeared on the movie car had to agree not to be on the real-life version.
• Will Ferrell's people had to agree to Busch's use of the car.
And finally, Finch had to agree as well. It took until Monday to get the team owner to sign off on the idea after some initial hesitation. Busch and his crew plan to drop lines from the movie over the team radio all weekend, which will include referring to crew chief Nick Harrison as "Lucius Washington." Driscoll joked about Busch's often-vitriolic radio communications by saying it was the one time where he would actually WANT fans to listen.(SB Nation)(5-5-2012)

Furniture Row has talked to Kurt Busch about second team: UPDATE: #78-Furniture Row Racing general manager Joe Garone confirmed today that talks have taken place between the team and driver Kurt Busch, but said those conversations are not a result of dissatisfaction with the team's current driver, Regan Smith. "I have talked to Kurt Busch," said Garone, "but it was about a team we don't even have yet. We are working diligently on getting a second (Sprint Cup) car for next year, and I'm trying to get my hands around some of the guys that will be available going onto 2013. I wanted to make an introduction to Kurt, and just let him know what our plans are for the future." Garone said he believes Smith and Busch would make good teammates, saying, "Kurt and Regan have worked well together on the superspeedways in the past. They have drafted well together and talked well back and forth. Adding a second team would be a major boost for Furniture Row Racing, and we're all working hard to try and make that happen."(Godfather Motorsports)(5-3-2012)
UPDATE: Furniture Row Racing has met with Kurt Busch, but not in an effort to replace driver Regan Smith. "I met with Kurt about starting a second team for next year," said Joe Garone, FRR's general manager. Since FRR made its debut in 2005, it became clear to team owner Barney Visser that the Denver-based organization would eventually have to expand to two teams to compete with the NASCAR powerhouses. "It's nice that people want to talk and that they're showing interest in me driving for them. And there have been other teams interested. It's very early. (Phoenix Racing team owner James) Finch knows and the rest of the team knows that I'm a free agent. But I'm committed to racing the entire year here at Phoenix Racing and (will) talk with whoever wants to talk about racing in the future." said Busch. Although an investor expressed interest in partnering with FRR, that deal fell through. However, Furniture Row has been mentioned as one of the top candidates for the Dodge Motorsports program. The sticking point in finalizing the deal appears to be which company will build the Dodge engines. Roger Penske currently builds Dodge engines for his teams. However, with Penske Racing moving to Fords for 2013, it's unclear what the future of Dodge's engine program will be. What is missing from the Dodge equation, however, is a marquee driver. Certainly, Busch would fill that void.(Fox Sports)(5-5-2012)

Phoenix Racing may not run full season? UPDATE 2: In an interview Sunday night on [SPEED's] "Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain," Sprint Cup Series team owner James Finch said "there's a question" whether he will be able to run the full Cup season with driver #51-Kurt Busch. Asked by Despain if there was a question whether his team could do all the races, Finch answered: "Well, we're trying. There's a question. We're off and running and trying. We're talking to some people and going from there. We're headed to Kansas this weekend and hopefully get in the top 10 there and then come back to Talladega and have a really good run. We're optimistic about it. Kurt has put a lot of effort in it. It's kind of like a small team getting a big-time quarterback," Finch said.(in part from the Charlotte Observer)(4-16-2012)
UPDATE: Dave Despain: Dealing with the sponsorship issue, are you feeling good to go for the season or is there a question of whether you guys will be able to do all the races?
James Finch: "Well, we're trying. There's a question. We're off and running and trying. We're talking to some people and going from there. We're headed to Kansas this weekend and hopefully get in the top 10 there and then come back to Talladega and have a really good run. We're optimistic about it. Kurt has put a lot of effort in it. It's kind of like a small team getting a big-time quarterback. Last night (at Texas), it was 480 miles before we got a lap down. The pit crew did a real good job with all the green-flag stops. We're just trying to catch up with Kurt. Kurt's got the speed. We're trying to get the crew chief up. We're trying to get the pit crew up to be able to handle what Kurt can do. Hopefully, we're getting there."(full interview at SPEED)(4-16-2012)
UPDATE 2: Kurt Busch comments about 2012 plans:
Q) What are the plans for Phoenix Racing for the rest of 2012?
Kurt Busch: "I've had a handshake agreement with (James) Finch to run the full season since December. We've talked and that hasn't changed. Do we need sponsorship? Absolutely. There's a lot that goes into making a team successful and sponsorship is a major part of it. I think you'd have to go pretty far back in history to find a team that has contended for wins on a consistent basis or a championship without sponsorship. We've had a handful of races sponsored this season and both Finch and I are working on some things that will help us out as the year goes on, but the search for sponsorship is ongoing. We're coming off of the race at Texas. We had one of our best performances and finishes of the season, where we beat a lot of bigger and better-funded teams. Hopefully, there are companies out there considering our sport and they're paying attention to what we're accomplishing. Like a lot of people these days, we're doing more with less. In the meantime, we're going to keep working hard each and every week to get the best result we can, on the racetrack and off."(see more comments KurtBusch.com/Phoenix Racing/True Speed Communications)(4-19-2012)

Kurt Busch to head to DC after race: Once the checkered flag waves at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, #51-Kurt Busch will travel straight to Washington, D.C., where he will attend the Eighth Annual Armed Forces Foundation Congressional Gala on Tuesday at the Ronald Reagan Building. The annual event recognizes the nation's military service members and their civilian supporters.(Phoenix Racing)(3-22-2012)

Kurt Busch signs up with Monster Energy: #51-Kurt Busch has entered into a personal services agreement with Monster Energy Company to become the newest Monster Energy Team Athlete, effective immediately. This news follows the announcement in January that Busch would partner with his brother Kyle in the NASCAR Nationwide Series to drive the #54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry for Kyle Busch Motorsports in select races and compete for the Nationwide Series owner championship. Through this new partnership, Monster Energy will be part of Busch's Sprint Cup activities in addition to his Nationwide Series activities. Monster Energy branding will be included on Busch's racing helmet, firesuit and trackside apparel.(True Speed Communication)(3-16-2012)

#51 Team changes engines, after Happy Hour: During Happy Hour, Kurt Busch's Daytona 500 possibilities were impacted when his #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy hit a bird. "We hit a bird and I think we cooked the engine," owner James Finch said as he watched his men examine the engine and repair the tear in the car's nose. "We're having so much trouble keeping the engine cool I don't think I want to risk [not changing it]." A Phoenix crewmember confirmed the bird strike tore a small hole in the bottom of the radiator, which unbeknownst to Busch drained the water and necessitated the change. Thus, Busch will be one of five cars that must drop to the back of the grid on the pace laps before the start of the Daytona 500. #38-David Gilliland, #10-Danica Patrick, #42-Juan Pablo Montoya and #27-Paul Menard all went to backup cars after their Gatorade Duel qualifying races so must drop back.(NASCAR.com)(2-26-2012)

Kurt Busch apologizes to Jerry Punch: #51-Kurt Busch publicly apologized Thursday to the ESPN reporter he berated during last season's finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Busch began an on-camera interview with ESPN's Jerry Punch by hugging him and saying he was "so sorry with the way last year ended."
"I feel horrible," Busch added. A fan videotaped Busch verbally abusing Punch as he waited to be interviewed. Busch also was caught on his in-car camera making an obscene gesture as he drove into the garage at Homestead. NASCAR later fined Busch $50,000. Busch and Penske Racing parted ways a few weeks later in what both called a mutual agreement, but many believe he was fired in the fallout of yet another embarrassing incident for the race team. Busch, who has been working with a sports psychologist, is now driving the #51 Chevy for Phoenix Racing and owner James Finch.(ESPN/AP)(2-24-2012)

ESPN's Dr. Jerry Punch at peace with Kurt Busch: Nearly an entire offseason has passed since Kurt Busch made headlines for his profanity-laced tirade toward ESPN personnel at Homestead-Miami Speedway. You would assume hard feelings might linger on the part of ESPN pit reporter Dr. Jerry Punch. You'd be wrong. "Kurt and I, we talked that next week and he sent me a lengthy email talking about how ashamed and embarrassed he was, and he knows that I've tried to be helpful, he knows he messed up. ... He sent me this email and said he wanted my cell phone," Punch said in a phone interview Monday. "I called him the night before Thanksgiving and we talked for a little while, and we went over a lot of the things, and we had some very frank conversation. I said, 'Look, you've apologized, I've accepted your apology, now let's move on. I wish you nothing but success on and off the race track next year.'" Busch parted ways with Penske Racing at the end of last season and will compete this year for Phoenix Racing and team owner James Finch. For his part, Punch is looking forward rather than behind.(in part from SceneDaily / NASCAR Illustrated)(2-14-2012)

Hendrickcars.com to sponsor three NASCAR teams: HendrickCars.com will sponsor three NASCAR teams in select races in early 2012. The sponsorships will promote the new-look retail automotive website, which re-launched Feb. 1, and coincide with the HendrickCars.com "2012 Indy Dream Weekend" sweepstakes. The program will kick off during Speedweeks in Daytona Beach, Fla., with primary sponsorship of #51 Phoenix Racing and 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch in the Feb. 25 Nationwide Series race and Feb. 26 Daytona 500. It will continue with primary sponsorship of JR Motorsports and driver #88-Cole Whitt in the March 17 Nationwide event at Bristol. In addition, HendrickCars.com will be a major associate sponsor of the Richard Childress Racing #33 Chevy with driver Elliott Sadler in NASCAR's biggest race, the Daytona 500. "Last year's Daytona 500 broadcast alone averaged more than 15 million viewers, and we expect 2012 will be even stronger," said Rick Hendrick, Chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, which owns HendrickCars.com. "Combined with our sponsorship in the Nationwide Series, that's tens of millions of people seeing our brand, hearing our message and then visiting HendrickCars.com. We wanted to showcase the new site, and there's no more effective marketing tool than NASCAR."
"We're proud to have HendrickCars.com as our primary sponsor for both races in Daytona," said James Finch, Owner of Phoenix Racing. "The Hendrick people know how well sponsorships like this work when they're done the right way. Daytona is a big opportunity for our team to build some positive momentum to start the season. Having a sponsor for Speedweeks means a lot to us, and we're going to do everything we can to put HendrickCars.com up front." In 2011, HendrickCars.com was a sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott, who competes full-time in the NASCAR K&N Series East. HendrickCars.com will continue to support Elliott in 2012, along with having associate sponsor placement on the #5 Chevy of Hendrick Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne throughout the entire Sprint Cup Series season.(RCR PR) see images of a couple of the Hendrickcars.com schemes on my #5 Team Schemes page and #51 Team Schemes page.(2-13-2012)

Hendrick says deal with #51 team doesn't circumvent four-team cap: Rick Hendrick bristled at the suggestion that his Hendrick Motorsports team might be seen as gaining an unfair advantage through its relationship with #51 Phoenix Racing and owner James Finch. Hendrick, who says Finch has been a "good friend and a good engine customer" through the years, scoffed at the idea that the single-car team is a satellite operation of his own four-team program and might be seen as a fifth entry for the 10-time championship group. "Every car he runs, he owns," Hendrick said of Finch. "Every motor he gets, he pays for." Phoenix Racing is a single-car operation in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, and has typically fielded cars for select events each season. The Spartanburg, S.C.-based team, which has purchased chassis and leased engines from Hendrick in the past, did compete in all 36 races in 2011, however, with four drivers. Now that Kurt Busch, the 2004 Cup champion, has joined the #51 team, Hendrick said the change could result in a move to a more proven product as far as engines are concerned. Since 2006, NASCAR has allowed team owners to field no more than four full-time teams, with an exception for an organization that seeks to field a fifth car on a limited basis for an up-and-coming driver. Organizations such as Hendrick, Richard Childress Racing and Roush Fenway Racing (through its Roush Yates Engines group) provide such assistance, at a price. In return, in addition to any monetary profits (such as any vendor would receive) such programs can provide feedback and validation for the hardware being supplied. Owners cannot receive financial consideration based on the performance of those cars to which they provide services, and they may not have an ownership stake in the team or teams. NASCAR can ask to look at contracts and other financial documentation that show the pricing is legitimate.(SceneDaily)(1-29-2012)

Kurt Busch will run for Cup championship: Despite recent speculation to the contrary, Kurt Busch confirmed Tuesday he will compete for the Sprint Cup championship under the Phoenix Racing banner. Some reports suggested that Busch, 33, was considering racing for the Nationwide Series championship rather than the Cup title. Busch will also run a limited Nationwide Series schedule for Phoenix Racing in 2011.(Fox Sports)(1-18-2012)

Petty says sponsors didn't want Kurt Busch: UPDATE: Richard Petty said the reason Kurt Busch wasn't hired to drive his famous #43 was "personality." "Sponsorships," Petty said during a break in Thursday's test session at Daytona International Speedway. "Nobody at the time wanted to pay the bill for him. That's how simple it was." Busch, who was released from Penske Racing after a tumultuous 2011 season that led the 2004 Cup champion to seek professional help for anger issues, ultimately signed with Phoenix Racing. Petty said Smithfield Foods, which he introduced Thursday as a primary sponsor for the No. 43 car he drove to a record 200 victories and seven Sprint Cup championships, was among those that wouldn't come on board if Busch was involved. "Everybody has to protect their brand," Petty said. "Smithfield has a pretty laid back, pretty good down-home persona in the general public. If they had taken him on it would have changed their ... they just didn't like the personality." Petty said Best Buy, which left the #43 to join Roush Fenway Racing as a sponsor, had the same concern.(ESPN)(1-13-2012)
UPDATE: In between talking about how much fun he's having "old school" racing and how he needs to learn how to better handle adversity better, Kurt Busch let it be known that he's focused on the big "prize": 2013. "Yes, 2012 is going to be a unique year for somebody such as myself," Busch said Friday at Daytona International Speedway. "But to take a step back for me personally and look at all of this, this is what I need. And all along we're going to keep our eyes on the prize in 2013." And according to Busch, he could have several quality options. Busch said he talked to a number of team owners about 2012, including Richard Childress, Michael Waltrip and Richard Petty, who on Thursday said he didn't sign Busch because sponsors were leery of the 2004 champion. "It was weird to hear his comments yesterday because he was ready to throw me in the car and we would have been down the road," Busch said. "But the contracts just didn't align on where they were and where I wanted to be, and so I talked with [James] Finch, made the deal happen. " Listening to Busch, it's clear his plan is to be with Finch - a single-car owner who gets support from Hendrick Motorsports - for only one year. Then it's on to bigger and better things. But to get that opportunity, Busch realizes he has to change. Busch said he plans to use on using 2012 as a platform to reintroduce himself to sponsors - to get in front of as many of them as possible and show them that he's more than just a hothead.(Yahoo Sports)(1-14-2012)

TAG Heuer Eyewear will sponsor Kurt Busch: TAG Heuer Eyewear announced that it has entered into a multi-race sponsorship agreement with Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch and Phoenix Racing. Busch, who will drive the # 51 Chevy for Phoenix Racing in the entire 2012 Sprint Cup season, has a personal services agreement with the eyewear company. TAG Heuer Eyewear will be featured as the primary sponsor on the # 51 Chevy for the Feb. 18 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway, where Busch is the defending winner. Additionally, TAG Heuer Eyewear will serve as an associate sponsor on the # 51 Chevy during the 54th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 and again on March 11 for the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Busch's hometown track.(TrueSpeed Communications)(1-11-2012)

Several drivers getting new spotters: In addition to getting adjusted to new personnel on their teams, several drivers will be working with new spotters when testing opens Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. Jeff Dickerson, who has spotted for #24-Jeff Gordon the last couple of years, left to pursue an opportunity in racing that will give him more time with his family. He has not announced where he is going.
• Eddie D'Hondt, who had won 39 races across all NASCAR series with #18-Kyle Busch, will move to Hendrick Motorsports to work as Gordon's spotter.
• Tony Hirschman, who was spotter for AJ Allmendinger, will replace D'Hondt as Busch's spotter.
• Busch isn't the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver to have a new spotter for 2012 as two spotters whose drivers have not announced 2012 rides have found new gigs - Chris Lambert, who was the spotter for Brian Vickers, will replace Curtis Markham as spotter for #11-Denny Hamlin and Rocky Ryan, who was spotter for David Ragan, will replace Joey Civali as spotter for #20-Joey Logano.
• Chris Osborne, who was spotter for Kurt Busch at Penske Racing, will start the season spotting for Allmendinger while Busch will use his new boss - Phoenix Racing general manager Steve Barkdoll - as his spotter.
• #15-Clint Bowyer, who has moved from Richard Childress Racing to Michael Waltrip Racing, will go to the test with MWR general manager Ty Norris as his spotter.
• Kevin Hamlin, who was Bowyer's spotter, will remain at RCR and work with Ty Dillon in the Camping World Truck Series.
• #43-Aric Almirola will use Tyler Green as his spotter. Green spotted for Almirola at JR Motorsports and will now spot for him at RPM.(Scene Daily)(1-11-2012)

Kurt Busch running limited NNS schedule with Phoenix: Phoenix Racing announced that in addition to running the complete NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule with Kurt Busch, they will field the #1 Chevy in a limited amount of NASCAR Nationwide Series races, starting at Daytona with Kurt Busch. The team plans on running all major events and are looking for sponsorship for these races."Everyone at Phoenix Racing is excited about competing on the Nationwide circuit this year," said Steve Barkdoll, General Manager of Phoenix Racing. "Our Nationwide Series team is a proven, winning organization and we're looking forward to Busch continuing the tradition. This is a great opportunity for a company to partner with a top-notch program."(Breaking Limits)(1-9-2012)

Finch Talks About Hiring Kurt Busch: Phoenix Racing made a big hire on Wednesday night as team owner James Finch reached an agreement with 2004 NASCAR champion Kurt Busch. Busch agreed to drive the #51 car for Phoenix Racing in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide series. Busch has had his share of embarrassments in the last few months, getting into a heated argument with a reporter, amongst other things. That led to his departure from Penske racing, and the opening for him to sign with Phoenix. After a few weeks of talks, and a meeting in Charlotte Wednesday, Finch and Busch agreed to a deal. Now Phoenix Racing has a cup champion, and a chase driver behind the wheel. Finch says has already talked with Busch about his past. "He lost a job and he's lost several million dollars, and so I think that's been a wake up call. I told him, I said Kurt it's about winning racing. you need to watch your temper and your mouth," Finch said. "I hired him for his foot and not his mouth. hopefully we can get him controlled. He's got a long way to come. He's got to show people he's going to be a driver. And show NASCAR that he's a driver, and he's going to do what's expected as a driver."(more at WJHG.com.(12-27-2011)

Kurt Busch still expected to drive for Kyle: On Thursday, Phoenix Racing announced it had hired [Kurt Busch] to drive for its #51 Chevy team next season. The #51 entered every Cup race in 2011 with several different drivers. The news release announcing Busch's move said he would drive a "full schedule" with the team. Busch is also expected to join forces with his younger brother, Kyle, and drive for Kyle's Nationwide series team in 2012. One option being considered is for Kurt Busch to run the full Nationwide schedule and compete for the series championship, multiple sources said. Under NASCAR's current system, Busch will only be able to earn driver points in only one series. It remains unclear what effect Thursday's Cup announcement will have on the Nationwide plans. A spokesman for Kyle Busch Motorsports said Friday the team was still finalizing its driver lineup and would not have any official announcements until after Jan. 1. (Charlotte Observer)(12-23-2011)

Kurt Busch gets ride for 2012 UPDATE2 more: Kurt Busch will drive the #51 Chevy for Phoenix Racing in 2012. Busch put the handshake deal together with team owner James Finch on Wednesday night. "I went to the shop, and on the Christmas tree was a sign that read, 'All we want from Santa is a winning driver,' " Finch said. "We will be at the Daytona test next month and start with the Shootout." The decision comes just weeks after Busch left [#22 Dodge] Penske Racing in a mutual parting. Upon his departure, Busch said he "wanted racing to be fun again." Phoenix Racing runs Hendrick Motorsports cars and engines. Said Finch: "I told Kurt, 'I won't fire you, and you won't quit. We'll do whatever it takes  roll in the mud if we have to to win. I've worked construction all my life just so I could race and have a good time. I've worked with iron workers, I worked with construction workers, so working with a driver is not going to be a problem. As I said earlier, all we want to do is win". Landon Cassill most recently piloted the #51 for Finch last season. Finch finished 30th in owner points.(FoxSports)(12-22-2011)
UPDATE: Phoenix Racing General manager Steve Barkdoll said Busch has a one-year deal to drive the car, which finished 30th in points last season with Landon Cassill driving most of the 36-race schedule. He agreed that Finch won't tolerate Busch's behavior, adding the deal will be good for both sides. "I talked to Kurt a few times," Barkdoll said. "He just wants to get back to where he's having fun again and earn his respect back again. If you ask anybody in the garage where you can have the most fun, it's racing for James Finch." Nick Harrison will serve as Busch's crew chief for the organization that has 18 employees. Because Phoenix Racing gets its engines and chassis from Hendrick Motorsports, it is considered one of the best rides without a big-time driver. "Kurt needed a good ride and with Hendrick Motorsports behind us we can give him one,'' Barkdoll said.(ESPN)(12-23-2011)
UPDATE 2: "I just want to get back to having fun in the racecar." Those were the words spoken by Kurt Busch just a few days after the season-ending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Banquet in Las Vegas. Today, the 2004 Sprint Cup champion is well on his way toward that simple goal as he's teamed with Phoenix Racing to run the full 2012 Sprint Cup schedule. "I'm very happy to join Phoenix Racing and after entertaining a lot of quality offers, there's no better place for me," said Busch, winner of 24 Sprint Cup races, as well as the 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the 2011 Gatorade Duel and the 2011 Budweiser Shootout. "We're going to run the full schedule together, and we're going to have fun doing it. It's going to be old-school racing, where we show up, race hard and go for the win. And if we don't win, we'll go back to the shop, work hard and do it all over again next week. That's the way we all started racing, and it's great to get back to that."
James Finch, owner of Phoenix Racing, celebrated his 20th year as a NASCAR team owner in 2011. His Spartanburg, S.C.-based team has won 13 NASCAR races, the most prominent of which was the April 2009 Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. "All we want to do is win," Finch said. "Winning is why I've been in racing for as long as I have, but NASCAR is a very competitive sport, and winning  especially at the Sprint Cup level  is hard. But now with Kurt Busch as our driver, we have a shot to win every week. He's a past champion and he's proven he can win everywhere. Our sponsors are looking forward to Kurt representing their brands. We have excellent equipment and a hard-working group of guys who want that trophy at the end of every race. Kurt's the guy who can deliver it to them."
Busch will drive the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy in 2012, and his first race will be the non-points Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway where he is the defending winner. "James Finch has always had pretty stout cars for the restrictor-plate races and I know we'll be very competitive at Daytona," Busch said. "We'll participate in the test down there in January to get a good handle on our Daytona 500 car, but also to win another Budweiser Shootout. "Christmas came early for me this year, and I honestly can't wait for the season to begin." The 33-year-old Busch has made the Chase for the Sprint Cup six times since the inception of the Chase in 2004, when he won the series title. His Sprint Cup championship followed the International Race of Champions (IROC) title he won in 2003. And before joining the Sprint Cup ranks in late 2000, Busch was the 1999 NASCAR Southwest Tour champion, where at age 21, he was the youngest driver to win that series' championship. Originally from Las Vegas, Busch now makes his home in Mooresville, N.C.(True Speed Communication / Phoenix Racing)(12-23-2011)

Ragan talks to Penske; Kurt Busch will talk to Phoenix Racing: David Ragan has met with Penske Racing officials about replacing Kurt Busch. Busch's future could hinge on whether Ragan is hired. James Finch, the owner of Phoenix Racing, said he had a deal with Ragan to drive the #51 Chevy next season subject "to him getting a better deal.'' That possibility happened on Monday when Busch was released by Penske Racing, leaving the #22 with sponsor Shell Pennzoil open. Finch told ESPN.com on Friday that Ragan contacted him on Thursday to say he met with Roger Penske in Detroit and planned to meet next week with Shell Pennzoil officials. Ragan confirmed he met with Penske and other officials and planned to "follow up next week." Meanwhile, Finch said Busch contacted him about driving for his Spartanburg, S.C. -based organization. "I told him I'd meet with him and see what's going on,'' Finch said. "I haven't decided who I am going to put in my car next year. He wasn't necessarily at the top of the list." Finch said Busch's behavior that led to what was described as a "mutual'' split with Penske Racing wouldn't discourage him from hiring the 2004 Cup champion. He also said he wouldn't tolerate Busch's sometimes volatile behavior. "Kurt, his talent is pretty good,'' Finch said. "He's one of the best there is, but I'm not going to listen to that s--- and pay him money."(ESPN)(12-9-2011)

TRG Motorsports would be intersted in Busch: #51-Phoenix Racing, which finished 30th in the owner points this season with Landon Cassill as its primary driver, and #71-TRG Motorsports, which finished 36th in owner points, don't have a driver signed for 2012. Owned by James Finch, Phoenix has one Cup victory with Brad Keselowski at Talladega in 2009. A spokesman for Phoenix said the team was keeping its options open. TRG is interested in Busch, and a spokesman said owner Kevin Buckler hopes to meet with Busch.(Sports Illustrated)(12-8-2011)

Kurt Busch out at Penske? UPDATE mutual agreement to part ways: Penske Racing officials are meeting Monday to determine the future of driver #22-Kurt Busch. Penske officials were contacted by ESPN.com on Sunday, but would not confirm or deny the meeting over Busch's status, while the Charlotte Observer reported that Busch has been fired. Busch has been involved in several behavior incidents on the track this season, including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Busch made an obscene hand gesture leaving the track after his transmission failure early in the race. He also had a profanity-laced tirade at ESPN's Dr. Jerry Punch and his camera crew in the garage moments later, which went viral on YouTube. NASCAR later penalized Busch $50,000 for the two incidents. Penske officials, along with team sponsors Shell Pennzoil, publicly reprimanded Busch afterward. Sources confirmed that Shell Pennzoil officials have spoken with team owner Roger Penske and expressed concerns about Busch continuing as the driver. Penske spokesman Bud Denker and Walt Czarnecki, the executive vice president of Penske Corportation, said they will stand by their comment made after Busch was fined by NASCAR that they will not comment further until their internal review is complete. Kurt Busch had an earlier incident with reporters this season at Richmond in September, the final event before the Chase started. He had to be restrained from a NASCAR.com reporter on pit road. Busch also tore another reporter's interview transcript in half after being questioned about recorded comments that he denied making. Last week in Las Vegas, Busch said he was seeing a sports psychologist to deal with his anger issues.(ESPN)
AND Speculation points to David Ragan as the leading candidate for the job. Ragan spent the 2011 season with Roush Fenway Racing, but his future has been in doubt since the team lost sponsorship for next season. He earned his first career Sprint Cup victory this season, at Daytona International Speedway. Other candidates for the job include David Reutimann and Brian Vickers  two drivers who drove in the Sprint Cup Series this past season but are without a ride for 2012  and Sam Hornish Jr., who has previously driven for Penske at the Sprint Cup level.(FoxSports)(12-4-2011)
UPDATE Penske Racing announced today that it has reached a mutual agreement with driver Kurt Busch to end its driver/race team relationship, effective immediately. The team will evaluate its options for the driver of the #22 Sprint Cup Series car in the future while Busch will seek new opportunities with another race team. "I appreciate the victories that Kurt has brought Penske Racing and our sponsors over the past six years," said Roger Penske. "While I am disappointed that Kurt will not be racing for our team in the future, both Kurt and I felt that separating at this time was best for all parties, including our team and sponsors. I wish Kurt the best in his future racing endeavors."
"I am grateful to Penske Racing for six very productive years," said Busch. "Together we won a lot of races -16 in all. Leaving a great organization and a lucrative contract is not easy, but it's an important step for me and allows me to take a deep breath to work on things that can make me a better driver and a better person. I want to personally thank Roger Penske for the opportunity that he has given me."(Penske Racing)
AND been told Ragan has been released by Roush Fenway Racing and Ford to pursue other oppurtunities. Supposedly he was in line to run the #51 Chevy in 2012, but now hearing he will sign a one-year deal to run the #22 Dodge for Penske.(12-5-2011)
AND III: Penske was out of the country and unavailable to comment directly. But Bud Denker, a senior vice president for Penske Corporation, said the split was best for all parties. "Kurt had some concern with our performance,'' Denker told ESPN.com. "Obviously, we had concerns with his on and off the track behavior. We agreed to take the high road for both of us. We agreed that separating at this time was best for all parties, including Kurt and the sponsors.'' Denker would not comment on whether Penske Racing had to meet any financial obligations to Busch, who had several years left on his contract. But he said "we have no further obligations, financially or contractually.'' Denker said while Shell Pennzoil was consulted in the decision, "it was ultimately our decision.'' "It's important for people to understand the nature of what we've done,'' Denker said. "It's a mutual separation. Kurt came to the conclusion and we have as well that it's time to move on. Kurt has been a terrific driver for us. He's a friend. We have been working with problems and issues in the past. It's well documented by everyone. As we looked at 2012 and beyond it was time to move on based on that incident at Homestead.'' Denker said it was a difficult decision, noting Busch has done a great job promoting sponsors for Penske Racing.
One of the criteria Shell Pennzoil had when it signed with Penske Racing last season was to have a championship-caliber driver. That prompted the move of Busch from the #2 Miller Lite car to the #22. Denker said Busch's replacement "may not be a championship driver right now,'' but said Shell is behind anybody they choose. He acknowledged that David Ragan, who won at Daytona in June, might be a possibility. Ragan remains under contract with Roush Fenway Racing, but he doesn't have a ride for 2012 because he lost sponsor UPS. Initial inquiries, multiple sources said, have been made. "It could be David, it could be others,'' Denker said. "We have not started that process yet.''(ESPN)(12-5-2011)

Said: "We Settled Our Differences": Boris Said told Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that he and Greg Biffle spoken via telephone Tuesday and cleared the air after their post-race confrontation at Watkins Glen international the previous day.
"We talked about it today, and I think we settled our differences," said the California native, who threatened to "go see him at his house and (give him)... a freakin' whooping" after Biffle confronted him following the race. "We had a long talk and I think we're okay. Maybe now we'll be lovers, not fighters." Said insisted he was serious about fighting the Roush Fenway driver, saying, "If could have gotten to him (after the race), I'd have beat his ass. It's a good thing I didn't get to him. I had a bunch of people text me his address, and I would probably have been over there today if he hadn't called me."
"There were two separate things that went on (Monday), and I just want to clarify them," he said. "The (crash) with David Ragan had nothing to do with what happened with Greg Biffle. The thing with Ragan is what I'm most sorry about, and it really was just one of those racing deals. It was a product of double-file restarts and the green-white-checker. The way I see it  after talking with David and Jack (Roush) today  I gave him the inside in Turn One and we were drag racing toward Turn Two. Then his spotter cleared him and he came across my bow. It was a split-second decision and I couldn't get out of the gas. I wasn't even thinking about getting out of the gas, I was thinking about racing to the outside of him in Turn Two. It was unfortunate and I felt really bad about it."
"The issue with Biffle, I have big problems with," repeated Said. "He was two laps down, and on one of the (earlier) restarts he was trying to wreck me. He told me I was `number one' for an entire lap. He's a good one-handed driver, that's for sure. I wanted to wreck him, but I have a lot of respect for Jack Roush, (who) has helped me a lot over the years. I wasn't going to wreck his car, so after I finally got by him, I told my spotter, `You tell Biffle that I'm going to come to his hauler after the race. I'm going to give him a free shot, then I'm going to whup his ass.' If had gotten to him, I'd have beat his ass," said Said. "It's a good thing I didn't get to him. We talked about it today, and I think we settled our differences. We had a long talk and I think we're okay. Maybe now we'll be lovers, not fighters."
Said confirmed that he and Biffle had issues a year ago at WGI, after Biffle accused him of racing too hard and forcing a three-wide situation in Turn One. "He said I'm not a (Sprint Cup) regular and I shouldn't be racing him hard," recalled Said. "I could understand that if I was driving my own car, had a single trailer and was showing up to one or two races a year. But James Finch has a full-time team and he's been writing checks to NASCAR for entry fees since long before Greg Biffle ever got there. When James hires me, he expects me to go 100-percent. He doesn't expect me to let people by just because they're in it for points. James is in it for points, too. That's what I have a big disagreement about with Biffle. When Michael Waltrip runs two races a year, he doesn't tell his sponsor, `Oh by the way, I'm going to have to pull over for all those (full-time) guys because I'm not running for points.' I get disappointed and frustrated when I hear comments like that from guys like Biffle. I need to go out there and run as hard as I can, or people aren't going to hire me to drive their cars. That's what a guy like James Finch expects."(Sirius Speedway)(8-18-2011)

Biffle tells his side of the story [altercation with Boris Said]: When it was all said and done, #16-Greg Biffle didn't have to hide from #51-Boris Said and Said wasn't forced to find him as he had promised. The two spoke and aired their differences via phone Tuesday, and then Biffle headed to the SPEED Studios to share his side of the story with NASCAR Race Hub. Following is a transcript from host Steve Byrnes' interview with Biffle:
On his response to Said's post-race comments:
Biffle: "Several things to come mind. One  he wrecked me there last year. Never called me, never said anything about it. Number two  he ran me off in the carousel. That's what ticked me off. Same place we saw the 24 and 31 in that huge wreck  ran me off the track there and that was why I was mad at Boris Said. Then he goes and hits the 6 car off the track. We just heard him say (on video replay) that he had no choice. Well, I disagree about having no choice of turning a guy the wrong way into the wall. And then after the race, not concerned about the safety of those guys (David Ragan and David Reutimann), he drives to my truck and parks behind my car. I was fine after the race and that just set me off. He pulled up behind my truck like he had a problem. I didn't act properly there. I shouldn't have been as aggravated as I was. He should have went and parked at his truck, took his gear off and talked to me or whatever he wanted to do."
On whether he was upset with Said that he seemed unconcerned about David Ragan and David Reutimann post-race:
Biffle: "Yeah. That was kind of what fired me up because I had kind of forgotten about Boris Said running me off in the carousel. Let's face it  I could have turned him anywhere on that race track that I wanted to. I got more respect for our race cars and other competitors on the race track to do that. Did you see the video footage of his car (with damage) when they were putting it on the lift gate? That was the opposite side of the car that he had the scuffle with the 6 on. So, he had been in a lot more incidents in that race than that one. You can't come and race in this series and race guys with no respect at all. Come race hard, do your thing. Boris has a lot of talent, a lot of skill. He's just not showing it."
On his Tuesday phone conversation with Said:
Biffle: "He understands and he apologized for running me off in the carousel. He didn't know he did. That was probably the whole thing that led to him coming up to my truck because he didn't understand why I was so mad at him. He ran me off the race track in a very vulnerable spot, similar to what he did to the 6. We talked about it and I told him, 'You can very well be where Marcos Ambrose was yesterday. You need to get in a fast car and show your talent, not be beating and banging and running guys off the race track at spots like that.' We kind of said our peace and that's that."
(jokingly) On whether Said is going to give him a black eye as promised Monday:
Biffle: "I don't know (laughing). I felt like it was like fifth grade, right, which means after recess, 3 o'clock on Wednesday, we're going to fight over by the fence."(SPEED)(8-17-2011)

Latest feud: Said vs. Biffle: NASCAR officials will review an incident in which #16-Greg Biffle took a swing at #51-Boris Said in the garage following Monday's Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International. According to witnesses, Biffle approached Said's car after a wild green-white-checkered finish in which Said got into the back of #6-David Ragan, Biffle's Roush Fenway Racing teammate. After the race, Biffle took at least one swing at Said through the window of Said's Phoenix Racing Chevy. Once Said unstrapped himself and climbed out of the car he went after Biffle, who by then was protected by his crew. "He is the most unprofessional little scaredy cat I've ever seen in my life,'' said an angry Said during a TV interview with ESPN The Magazine's Ryan McGee. "He wouldn't even fight me like a man after. So if someone texts me his address, I'll go see him Wednesday at his house and show him what he really needs." Biffle used his Twitter page to respond to Said's remarks. "Boris,'the roadcourse ringer' caused that wreck," he posted on his page, later adding. "Then Mr. Class pulls in behind my truck after the race today?! Shouldn't you go check on David & David? How unprofessional & disrespectful!" Both drivers left the track before NASCAR officials had a chance to talk to them. "We are evaluating the situation," NASCAR spokesperson Kristi King said. Any potential penalties likely would be announced on Tuesday or Wednesday.(ESPN.com)(8-16-2011)

Cassill returns to the #51 seat, Bliss to practice: After a one-week hiatus to let Boris Said tackle the Sonoma road course, Landon Cassill will return behind the wheel of the #51 Security Benefit/Thank A Teacher Today Chevy for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). This week's event will mark the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native's first Sprint Cup Series event at the famed 2.5-mile high-banked speedway. He comes in with a lot of confidence after finishing 12th two weeks ago at Michigan. The finish was his best in Sprint Cup competition. Prior to heading to Daytona, Cassill will spend this Thursday at the National Education Association's convention in Chicago, Ill. He will represent Security Benefit's Thank A Teacher Today program, signing autographs and taking pictures with thousands of dedicated educators. Mike Bliss will practice the car for Cassill on Thursday, before Cassill assumes driving duties on Friday. Phoenix Racing will be unloading the same car that they used at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this season. Cassill qualified the machine to a sixth-place starting position, but finished 31st after he was sidelined in an accident.(Phoenix Racing)(6-29-2011)

Said in the #51 for road courses? YES According to Fox Sports' Lee Spencer, "Phoenix Racing is expected to run Boris Said at both Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen".(6-18-2011)
UPDATE: Boris Said will take the reins of the Security Benefit/Thank A Teacher Today Chevy in this week's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. It will mark the Carlsbad, Cali. road racing ace's first Sprint Cup Series event with Phoenix Racing. Said has 11 Sprint Cup Series starts at the 1.99 mile road course. He boasts of one pole (2003) and five top-10s. He's recorded a best finish of sixth-place on two occasions (2003, 2004). Said has made two Nationwide Series starts in Phoenix Racing entries, which came in 2005. He scored a fifth-place finish at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City driving the James Finch-owned car.(Breaking Limits/Phoenix Racing)(6-21-2011)

Phoenix Racing changing number: UPDATE: According to NASCAR's preliminary entry list, Landon Cassill and Phoenix Racing are now entered in this weekend's race at Kansas in the #51 Chevy [rather than the #09]. Scene Daily's Bob Pockrass tweets that the team will use the number the remainder of the year. #51 was the team's original number.(6-1-2011)
UPDATE: Phoenix Racing arrives at the Kansas Speedway this weekend with a familiar color scheme, but slightly new look. The team announced today the #51 will replace the #09 on the roof and sides of the team's cars for the remainder of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The colors of Security Benefit and their Thank a Teacher Today program will remain the same, but will now also be visible on the team transporter, driver and crew uniforms as well as pit equipment. The number 51 was last used in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series during the 2010 Daytona 500 by driver Michael Waltrip. Prior to that, Phoenix Racing used the number in four events in 2001 with driver Jeff Purvis. The number has been used in 336 Sprint Cup events with two wins by Gober Sosebee in 1952 and 1954.(Breaking Limits)(6-3-2011)

Cassill to drive the #09 at Auto Club: Landon Cassill will return to the driver's seat of the team's Sprint Cup car, the #09 Chevy, beginning this weekend at Auto Club Speedway. Team owner James Finch said he appreciates the contributions of Bill Elliott, who drove the #09 car in the first four Sprint Cup races of 2011 and helped the team achieve its goal of locking in a spot among the top 35 in car owner points, which assures starting positions for upcoming races. With one race remaining before the switch to this year's points, Phoenix is 26th in the standings, with a comfortable margin over the 36th-place team. "I am very thankful for what Bill has done for my team and sponsors to date, and we look forward to him running races later on this season," Finch said. In the meantime, Elliott plans to focus on working with his 15-year-old son Chase, who recently signed a driver agreement with Sprint Cup team owner Rick Hendrick.(Phoenix PR/Bill Elliott site), no word who will drive the #60 Toyota that Cassill was listed to drive at Auto Club.(3-22-2011)

Elliott & Phoenix Racing gets sponsor for Daytona 500: Rydex SGI announceed that in partnership with Guggenheim Partners and Security Benefit, the company will be sponsoring #09-Bill Elliott in the Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway. Elliott's car will feature the Rydex logo during the race.(Rydex SGI), see images of the car on my #09 Team Schemes page.(2-20-2011)

Hendrick signs Bill Elliott's son Chase: Hendrick Motorsports has signed Chase Elliott to a multi-year driver agreement. Elliott, the son of 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bill Elliott, will continue to compete for his family-owned team until meeting age requirements for entering NASCAR national series events. Bill Elliott Racing, based in Dawsonville, Ga., will field Chevrolets with support from Hendrick Motorsports. "The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree with Chase," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "I've always admired Bill's ability in a race car and how he handled himself with the fans. I see those same traits in Chase, with his natural driving talent and an awareness of what he needs to do away from the track to be successful. He comes from a great racing family, and it shows. We think it's a terrific situation. Chase already has a strong support system in place (in Dawsonville) that will allow him to focus on his education and grow as a driver, and Hendrick Motorsports will provide whatever kind of assistance the Elliotts need in any area."
A 15-year-old freshman in high school, Elliott already has competed against some of the best short-track racers in the United States. In 40 late model starts last season, he posted 13 victories, 27 top-five finishes and 37 top-10s. "I've always been taught that teamwork and people are important, and that's something Mr. Hendrick really believes in," Elliott said. "Everyone at Hendrick Motorsports has high standards and takes a lot of pride in what they do. Racing with all of their support, and the support of my family, is going to be incredible. I'm going to work really hard to make them proud and make the most of this opportunity."
In 2010, Elliott became the youngest driver to win the Blizzard Series at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., the Miller Lite Series at Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway and the overall Sunoco Gulf Coast championship. The Dawsonville native also posted victories in the prestigious Winchester 400 and at the re-opening of historic North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. Elliott already is two-for-two in 2011 after sweeping the Speedfest late-model features last month at Lanier National Speedway in Braselton, Ga. This season, he plans to enter a combination of super late model, pro late model and NASCAR regional touring series events.(HMS)(2-16-2011)

The official annoucement Elliott to Phoenix Racing: For the first time in his career, Bill Elliott will start the season as a Chevrolet driver. He has teamed up with James Finch's Phoenix Racing to run the #09 Chevrolet in a minimum of 18 races this season. The new combo will start the season at Daytona, where Elliott has four Sprint Cup wins including two in the Daytona 500 and Finch has finishes of third, fourth, ninth, 10th and 12th. Phoenix Racing team also has a Cup victory at Daytona's sister track, Talladega Superspeedway, in 2009 with Brad Keselowski driving. "It's big for us and big for Chevrolet to get Bill Elliott," Finch said. "It's the first time in his career that he's committed to race a Chevrolet." Finch also said he was confident that even at age 55 Elliott, whose previous Cup wins have come in Fords and Dodges, can get the job done in his Chevrolets. "With the right equipment, he's ready," Finch said. "He was just a couple of hundredths of a second off the pole at Homestead last year." Nick Harrison will serve as crew chief on the #09 Impala, and the team will use engines from Hendrick Motorsports. Bill Elliott said he's excited to be moving to Phoenix Racing and to the Chevrolet camp.
"I think this will be a really good deal," he said. "James has really good race cars, and there's no doubt about the Hendrick equipment. After all, look at all the championships they've won." Elliott, who will climb in the #09 for the first time on Thursday {jan 20th] during testing at Daytona International Speedway, said he's pleased to have the opportunity to drive proven equipment at this stage of his career. He plans to make the most of it. "This may well be my last really good chance as a driver," he said. "I'm going to give it my best shot. I feel like I'm still in good shape, and I thought we ran pretty good last year." Finch said he hopes to run the full Sprint Cup schedule with the #09, and he plans to run a limited Nationwide Series schedule, focusing on the restrictor-plate tracks. "I'm going to concentrate on the Cup side," Finch said. "We'll see what we can do."(Bill Elliott Racing)(1-19-2011)

Elliott in the #09 Chevy for 2011 UPDATE 3: Trevor Bayne will be working with Wood Brothers Racing in 2011. Bill Elliott will move from the Wood Brothers to the #09 Chevy at Phoenix Racing.(Augusta Chronicle)(12-20-2010)
UPDATE denied? James Finch [Phoenix Racing] says he has no plans to put Bill Elliott in his #09 Chevy for the opening five races of the 2011 season. Published reports claimed Elliott would drive for Finch's Phoenix Racing Team at the start of the season, in an effort to earn the operation a spot in the Top 35 in owners' points. But Finch told Sirius-Speedway.com that he knew nothing of the deal until reading about it online earlier this week (Sirius Speedway)(12-22-2010)
UPDATE 2: hearing that #09 Pheonix Racing will make an announcement soon regarding the 2011 season, if not by Thursday, we will probably see who is driving the car in the Daytona test, supposedly Bill Elliott will be the driver.(1-17-2011)
UPDATE 3: Bill Elliott will drive the #09 Phoenix Racing entry for a limited NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule beginning with the Daytona 500, team owner James Finch confirmed on Monday. "Hopefully, he will run 18 races, maybe more, depending on sponsorship," Finch said. "It's great to have NASCAR's most popular driver ever in our car. We've been friends with him a long time and we're happy to have him in the car." Finch said the team will test this week at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for Speedweeks in February. Nick Harris will serve as Elliott's crew chief. The Chevys will be powered with Hendrick motors.(FoxSports)(1-17-2011)
UPDATE 4: Elliott said he plans to run at least 18 races in the James Finch-owned car, and said that he feels he's plenty capable of giving the car a good run. "I'm still in good shape physically," he said, adding that he was pleased with the way he ran at times last fall in the Wood Brothers Ford. The team will use engines and equipment from Hendrick Motorsports, and the deal also means that Finch will help support Elliott's son, Chase, who stunned the short track world with his success in 2010, when he won the Winchester 400, a race at North Wilkesboro Speedway and the Gulf Coast championship, which includes racing at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL and Mobile International Speedway. "I watched Chase at the Snowball Derby," Finch said. "That kid's going to be the real deal." Finch said he plans to run the full Sprint Cup schedule with the #09, and that Elliott could make more starts depending on sponsorship. He said he's cutting back on his Nationwide Series efforts and will focus on the races at Daytona and Talladega.(RacinToday)(1-18-2011)

Phoenix Racing plans to return: Earlier this season, word in the garage was that #09-Phoenix Racing owner James Finch was looking to sell his Nationwide Series racing operation. But Friday at Homestead, the veteran Florida car owner said he'd have both cars in Daytona for Speedweeks 2011. "I didn't have any sponsorship for the Nationwide car so I cut it [schedule] back and run more Cup races," Finch said. "And next year I'll run it part-time if I can find some sponsorship -- I'm going to keep it all in place, definitely run Daytona and all the plate races -- about a half-dozen." Finch said he hadn't yet spoken to new parent Ryan Newman, who most recently drove his car. In the past three seasons, in 92 Nationwide starts, Finch has a win -- with Mike Bliss at Charlotte in 2009 -- eight top-five and 35 top-10 finishes. "I'm planning on running all the Cup races, probably with a mix of drivers there, again," Finch said. "We're going to run the first five [races] and try to get into the top 35 [in the owners' points]. We're talking to some sponsors, but we haven't got anything confirmed yet -- but I know we'll be at Daytona."(NASCAR.com)(11-23-2010)