Driver Scheduled for 2013:
Daytona - 2/24, Regan Smith
Phoenix - 3/3, A.J. Allmendinger
Las Vegas - 3/10, Austin Dillon
Bristol - 3/17, A.J. Allmendinger
Auto Club - 3/24, A.J. Allmendinger
Martinsville - 4/7, Regan Smith
Texas - 4/13, Austin Dillon
Kansas - 4/21, Regan Smith
Richmond - 4/27, A.J. Allmendinger
Talladega - 5/5, Regan Smith
Darlington - 5/11, Regan Smith
Charlotte - 5/18, Sprint Showdown - TBA
Charlotte - 5/26 - TBA
Dover - 6/2, Ryan Truex
the rest TBA

Contract Status: Drivers: 2013; Primary Sponsors: ?

Phoenix Racing to exit NASCAR: Unable to find a long-term sponsor for his #51 Sprint Cup team, James Finch is eyeballing an exit from racing all together. "I'm contemplating finishing up this year, and I don't know if I want a sponsor," Finch said Monday. "Sunday was my 776th start in NASCAR between the Nationwide and Sprint Cup. That's a lot of weekends. I'm considering pulling the plug later in the summer." Finch, 62, said Phoenix Racing will not enter any races after the Brickyard 400 scheduled for July 28 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He said he intends to wrap up team operations before the Chase for the Cup begins in September. "I have not been able to get the right amount of funding, the economy is pretty bad, and a lot of people don't want to do it," Finch said of his team's fruitless search for a permanent sponsor. "I'm getting kind of burned out. I think it is time for me to do something else." Finch's decision comes in the midst of one of his most successful seasons as an owner. Finch currently is tied for 13th in NASCAR's owner points standings with 276 points, just a handful of points outside the Top 10. Phoenix Racing enjoyed a fourth-place finish with Kurt Busch behind the wheel for the Nationwide race at Talladega this past weekend, and Regan Smith steered the team's #51 car to a sixth-place finish in Sunday's Aaron's 499. The team's success, which includes a pair of Top-10 finishes and five Top-15 results, did not appear to help the team find a full-time sponsor, however. The team has found sponsors for individual or small blocks of races, but the lack of a permanent sponsor has forced Finch to cover his team's considerable costs on his own. "I don't want to lose everything I've got trying to outrun people," Finch said. "I can't do that. It's time to do something else and go from there. I've still got some cars I haven't torn up. And I don't want to build any new ones." Finch said he will help his 18 employees find work with other racing teams if they want to remain in the sport.(News Herald)(5-7-2013)

Dillon in the #51 at Texas UPDATE: Nationwide Series driver Austin Dillon will drive the #51 Chevy for Phoenix Racing Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway. The car will be sponsored by Bruce Lowrie Chevy and Realtree. See an image of the car on the #51 team paint schemes page.(4-9-2013)
UPDATE: Austin Dillon will partner with James Finch's Phoenix Racing Team at Texas Motor Speedway to drive the #51 Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet/Realtree Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series. The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion last raced the #51 Chevy at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, where he finished 21st and helped keep the team in the top 10 in the owner's point standings. Realtree and Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet will serve as co-primary sponsors on the entry. Associate sponsors include Cain industries, "Red Barn Steaks, BBQ and Sports" and TAG Heuer Avant Garde Eyewear.(Dillon PR)(4-10-2013)

Ryan Truex's Cup debut delayed UPDATE: Ryan Truex Tweeted Sunday afternoon, "I won't be in the #51 car at Richmond. Broke my collarbone in 2 places on Easter.. Will heal and ready for rehab in May. Cup Debut at Dover.(4-8-2013)
UPDATE: Team owner James Finch said AJ Allmendinger is now scheduled to drive at Richmond. Finch is currently 11th in Sprint Cup owners points after fielding rides for Regan Smith, Austin Dillon and Allmendinger. Allmendinger's seat is also in the car for this weekend's race at Texas Motor Speedway, but details have not been finalized. Initially, Allmendinger, who is pulling double duty between the IndyCar and Sprint Cup series, was expected to attend rookie orientation for the Indianapolis 500, which was postponed due to weather. Allmendinger was also expected to drive the car the following weekend at Kansas Speedway, but team owner Roger Penske confirmed on Saturday that Allmendinger will indeed race at Long Beach on April 21. The former open-wheeler made his IndyCar debut for Penske Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park.(Fox Sports)(4-8-2013)

Regan Smith returns to the #51: Regan Smith is returning to Sprint Cup Series racing this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. He's hopping behind the wheel of the #51 Hendrickcars.com Chevy fielded by Phoenix Racing for Sunday's STP Gas Booster 500. It will mark his first Cup Series start since the Daytona 500, when he piloted the #51 car to a seventh-place finish. Smith hopes his reunion with Phoenix Racing leads to another prosperous run. Smith has eight Cup Series starts at the half-mile, paperclip-shaped oval. He's finished inside the top 20 three times and scored top-15s in two events. His best finish is 13th place, which he achieved in 2011.(Breaking Limits/Phoenix Racing)(4-3-2013)

Smith to run the #51 at Martinsville: Regan Smith will pilot the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway on April 7. AJ Allmendinger's two top-15 performances, at Phoenix and Bristol, helped solidify the team's early success this season. Allmendinger, who was originally tabbed to drive for team owner James Finch's Phoenix team at Martinsville, will make his IndyCar Series debut for Roger Penske at Barber Motorsports Park that weekend.(FoxSports), no word who will drive the #51 at Texas or Kansas. Ryan Truex is scheduled to run the #51 at Richmond in April and Dover in June.(3-19-2013)

Allmendinger returns to the #51: After a successful outing with the #51 team at Phoenix International Raceway, A.J. Allmendinger will pair with Phoenix Racing again this week at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500. Allmendinger will pilot the Guy Roofing Chevrolet in his second Sprint Cup Series event of 2013. Allmendinger and Phoenix Racing raced to an 11th-place finish in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 two weeks ago. Allmendinger's first-ever Cup Series start came at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2007. Phoenix Racing scored its best Cup Series finish at Bristol last season.(Phoenix Racing)(3-13-2013)

Allmendinger and Penske continue a remarkable journey: Eight months removed from the biggest mistake of his life, AJ Allmendinger understands just how extraordinary second chances are - especially coming from the man who was forced to fire him. Before the 2012 season even started, Allmendinger had attained a lifelong dream. He was hired to drive team owner Roger Penske's #22 car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. After 17 races in the Penske ride, his career was in shambles, as Allmendinger fell victim to a singular lapse in judgment and to a random drug test, administered at Kentucky Speedway, that discovered amphetamine in his system. Penske had no choice but to dismiss the 31-year-old driver after a "B" sample confirmed the results of the initial test. But Penske did so reluctantly, and since then the car owner, convinced that Allmendinger's mistake was a one-time occurrence, has been working to help his former driver repair a shattered dream.
After completing NASCAR's Road to Recovery program last year, Allmendinger earned reinstatement to NASCAR competition and competed in four Cup races in James Finch's #51 Chevy. In that same car, Allmendinger will make his 2013 Cup debut Sunday at Phoenix. Allmendinger also is schedule to drive Finch's car on Mar. 17 at Bristol and Mar. 24 at Auto Club Speedway [Allmendinger was scheduled to run Martinsville, but Ryan Truex will run the #51 there as Allmendinger will be in Alabama]. But the five-time Champ Car winner has other options, thanks to Penske. When details are finalized, Allmendinger will drive for Penske in IndyCar races at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Ala., at Long Beach, Calif., and in the Indianapolis 500.
While Cup drivers were practicing for the Daytona 500, Allmendinger was two hours away in Sebring, Fla., testing an IndyCar with Penske drivers Will Power and Helio Castroneves. In a matter of hours, he was running competitive lap times. Though Penske recognizes Allmendinger's talent behind the wheel, the car owner feels a fondness for the driver that goes far beyond lap times and race wins. For his part, Allmendinger has difficulty believing his good fortune. "It means the world to me," Allmendinger said. "It still kind of blows me away that he cares about me that much. I feel like I'm one of the luckiest people in the world, because that's a guy that you want on your side."(in paer fromt the NASCAR Wire Service)(3-2-2013)

Sponsorship Opportunities Available at Phoenix Racing: On the heels of a top-10 finish in the Daytona 500, Phoenix Racing is announcing sponsorship opportunities for its #51 Sprint Cup Series entry. Opportunities are available for select races throughout the remainder of the 2013 season, including the upcoming Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway, Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. Phoenix Racing has started its season off with a bang. Regan Smith powered the #51 Chevy to a seventh-place finish in the season's biggest race, the Daytona 500, last week at Daytona International Speedway. The team has a talent-stacked roster of drivers to fill in the balance of the Sprint Cup season. A.J. Allmendinger, Austin Dillon and Ryan Truex will share the remaining races of the schedule with Smith in their campaign for the 2013 Sprint Cup Owner Championship. The team is optimistic about the season ahead. "Phoenix Racing is a tremendous value and we hope to find an organization that can use our help in meeting its marketing objectives," said Steve Barkdoll, general manager of Phoenix Racing. "We have several races available for sponsorship on the #51 Chevrolet. We've proven that we are contenders and have what it takes to run up front week in and week out. I'm really excited about our potential and hope that someone joins with us to capture the exposure and branding that we can offer."(Phoenix Racing)(3-2-2013)

Allmendinger to drive #51 at Phoenix: A.J. Allmendinger is returning to Phoenix Racing to compete in the Subway Fresh Fit 500k at Phoenix International Raceway. He'll be piloting the #51 Guy Roofing Chevy in his fifth Sprint Cup Series start with team. Allmendinger has eight previous Cup Series starts at the one-mile oval and has driven to four top-15s and two top-10s. He has started on the front row three times, including one pole, which he captured in 2010. Phoenix Racing has made 16 Cup Series starts at Phoenix. Their best finish came in 2005, with Johnny Sauter taking the checkered flag in ninth place.
Allmendinger comments on his return at Phoenix International Raceway: "This will be good. It's been a few months since I've been in a stock car. I haven't been in one of the Gen 6 cars yet, so I think it will take a little time to get acclimated to it. Phoenix International Raceway is a great place for me to get back behind the wheel. I've always enjoyed the race track. It will definitely feel different, but I'll be ready to go. It definitely helps to go to a track that I enjoy already. It's a tough race track, especially with the repave. It starts off so slick when we make our first few laps, then it gains grip. It picks up a ton of grip pretty quickly, then it goes back to being slick for the race. It's definitely a challenging race track. I know the guys will have a good race car ready for the weekend. I was really impressed with their run last week at Daytona. It showed that they're putting together solid equipment and have a good feel for the new car. I think for the first 30 to 45 minutes I'll have to ease into it and get used to the new car, but after that, I'll be up to speed and ready to go. Of all the tracks we go to, this is one of the most technical and challenging. It takes finesse and you have to hit your marks nearly perfect every time. There's barely any banking, which means it's easy to slip and slide if you come into the corners too hot. You also have to be mindful of your brakes. It's easy to use them up in the early stages of the race and not have any left for the end. I think that's what I enjoy so much about the track. You have to be on top of your game to have a good day there. I'm really looking forward to hopping in the Guy Roofing Chevy this weekend."(Phoenix Racing/Breaking Limits)(2-26-2013)

Another Truex to make Sprint Cup debut UPDATE: Ryan Truex, Martin Truex Jr's younger brother, announced on his twitter that he will make his NASCAR SPrint Cup debut at Richmond [in April], driving the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy and could drive in some additional races.(2-18-2013)
UPDATE: Ryan Truex revealed on his Twitter today that he would also drive the #51 Chevy at Dover in June.(2-20-2013)

Allmendinger to test IndyCar for Penske: AJ Allmendinger's career is coming full circle  albeit making left and right turns. Allmendinger, 31, will test an IndyCar for Penske Racing at Sebring International Raceway on Feb. 18 and 19. If the test is successful, Allmendinger will make his open-wheel debut for Penske Racing at Barber Motorsports Park on April 7. If everything goes according to plan and sponsorship can be acquired, Allmendinger will also run at Long Beach in preparation for the Indianapolis 500. "The first test is just to see how things go at Sebring," Allmendinger said late Wednesday by phone. "It's been seven years since I've been in one of those cars  and they've changed quite a bit. I know it won't be easy. But I know I'll be in the best possible equipment and I'll have Will Power there  one of the fastest guys in the sport  to help me get up to speed. I'm really looking forward to it. At least Sebring is a track I know. There are so many great things about getting back in a car for Roger. I can't begin to explain what it means that he believes in me enough to give me another chance. There's no pressure with this test, but I'll put the pressure on myself." Allmendinger has learned to cope with pressure over the past year. After working his way into the ride of a lifetime with Penske Racing's Sprint Cup team, Allmendinger failed a drug test administered at Kentucky Speedway on June 29 and was suspended from competition at Daytona International Speedway on July 7. Upon completing NASCAR's Road to Recovery, Allmendinger was reinstated Sept. 18, but Penske Racing released him from the No. 22 team Aug. 1. Still, Penske never gave up on his driver. Not only did Allmendinger remain on the payroll for the remainder of the year, but Penske also called him on a weekly basis.(Fox Sports)(2-7-2013)

2013 silly season notes for #51 Phoenix Racing: The team will run a few different drivers in 2013 with Regan Smith in the #51 Guy Roofing Chevy for the Daytona 500, A.J. Allmendinger in the four out of the next five races and Austin Dillon in the #51 Tag Heuer Eyewear Chevy at Las Vegas. After Martinsville a driver schedule has not been announced. Smith is expected to run 7-10 races in 2013 and Allmendinger is expected to run the car in some others. Team general manager Steve Barkdoll said that the team plans to field a Sprint Cup car for the entire season. See an image of the #51 Guy Roofing scheme on my #51 Team Schemes page. See more about other teams on my 2013 Team / Driver Silly Season Chart.(2-1-2013)

Allmendinger has four race deal with #51 team: AJ Allmendinger has an opportunity to initially run four NASCAR Sprint Cup races for #51 Phoenix Racing as its driver roster starts to take shape. While Regan Smith will kick off the season in the #51 Guy Roofing Chevy at Daytona, Allmendinger has been offered the chance to drive [early season races] at Phoenix, Bristol, Auto Club and Martinsville [looks like Ryan Truex will drive the car at Martinsville]. TAG Heuer will sponsor Austin Dillon in the car at Las Vegas. Both parties have agreed to keep their options open should an opportunity arise. Right now, they are working on a race-to-race basis.(FoxSports)(1-18-2013)

Dillon to run some race for Phoenix Racing? UPDATE: A.J. Allmendinger's 2013 NASCAR plans are less certain. He ran a pair of races for #51 Phoenix Racing late last year after being reinstated by NASCAR, and while team owner James Finch has said Allmendinger will drive for the team again this season, it will apparently not be a full-time effort. Regan Smith is slated to steer the car in the season opener at Daytona, and reliable sources say that third-generation driver Austin Dillon will also run a handful of Sprint Cup Series races for Phoenix Racing.(Godfather Motorsports)(1-11-2013)
UPDATE: Austin Dillon, the grandson of Richard Childress Racing's owner, will drive a Sprint Cup car with a Hendrick Motorsports engine at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Phoenix Racing owner James Finch said during Friday's Cup test at Daytona International Speedway that Dillon will pilot his #51 Chevy sponsored by TAG Heuer Eyewear at the March 10 race. Finch's cars are powered by HMS engines. Dillon is running a full-time Nationwide Series schedule and about six Cup races for his grandfather, Richard Childress, as he plans to move full-time into Cup in 2014 at RCR. He is at the three-day Daytona test driving RCR's #33 in preparation for his debut in the Daytona 500 next month. Asked how the deal came about, Finch jokingly said, "Richard is too old to mess with. Austin says they don't have no fun." In reality, Finch said, Tag Heuer's existing relationship with Dillon helped put the deal together.(ESPN)(1-11-2013)

Kurt Busch to run three NNS race for Finch: Kurt Busch and team owner James Finch are rejoining forces for the three Nationwide Series restrictor-plate races in 2013. Busch competed for Finch in 30 Sprint Cup races in 2012. Their first win together, however, came at the Daytona Nationwide Series race in July. "He did a really good job for us on the plate races, said team owner James Finch. "We have a shot at winning all three." The team announced on Tuesday that Guy Roofing will sponsor the first NNS race on Feb. 23 at Daytona. Finch is optimistic that the relationship could blossom with additional support. Busch currently competes full-time in the Sprint Cup Series for #78-Furniture Row Racing.(FoxSports)(1-11-2013)

Phoenix Racing gets Daytona sponsor: Phoenix Racing announced that Guy Roofing Inc. will sponsor its #1 Chevy in the DRIVE4COPD 300 on Saturday, February 23 and its #51 Chevy in the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 24. The events at the historic, high-banked 2.5-mile oval will mark the organization's first NASCAR sponsorship endeavors. Guy Roofing is a national full service residential, commercial, and industrial roofing contractor headquartered in Spartanburg, SC. They provide services in the 48 contiguous states. It is a family-owned corporation celebrating over 40 years in business.(Breaking Limits/Phoenix Racing)(1-9-2013)

Finch working on driver lineup for #51 UPDATE 3: Phoenix Racing team owner James Finch is close to settling on his lineup for 2013. Finch said Thursday that Regan Smith will run the Daytona 500 in the #51 Chevy. But with Smith concentrating on his new gig with JR Motorsports, there will be an opportunity for AJ Allmendinger as well. "Regan will go to Daytona for us, but I want to help AJ run some races, too," Finch said. "We're still working on the final schedule, but AJ will probably run Phoenix (International Raceway on March 3) for us." Allmendinger made his comeback with Phoenix Racing in October at Charlotte after completing NASCAR's "Road to Recovery" program for violating the sport's substance-abuse policy. His top result with the team was 24th in that race.(Fox Sports)(12-21-2012)
UPDATE: James (Finch) telling Newschannel 7 Sports he's committed to run at least 18 Cup races in 2013, starting with the Daytona 500. He says he's secured a sponsor for both Daytona races in February, but won't announce that sponsor until after the first. James says Regan Smith will drive for Phoenix in the Daytona 500. Finch will use Smith for some other Cup races, though he'll have to share Smith, since he will drive the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports. Allmendinger is another driver Finch would like to use on the Cup Series. AJ ran the final four races of 2012 for Phoenix and James says he liked how AJ handled the car. Allmendinger though apparently considering some offers to race Indy cars. As for running the whole cup circuit, Finch says he's hoping for some early success and that more sponsorship will come along, making running a full slate more possible.(News Channel 7, Panama City Beach, FL)(12-28-2012)
UPDATE 2: As the clock winds down on 2012, Phoenix Racing, based in Spartanburg, is looking ahead to the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, and it's going to be a season full of changes. "One of the biggest changes is the change in the Chevy body styles," Hendersonville's Steve Barkdoll, general manager of Phoenix Racing, said. "Sprint Cup is going to the Chevy SS and Nationwide to the Chevy Camaro. For a small team like us, that creates a lot more work, and our guys in the shop are doing an incredible job. They've been working non-stop to get ready for the season, and we've already got a couple of new cars in the shop that look really sharp." Just like last year, Phoenix Racing will be using multiple drivers. "For Daytona, we'll be going with Regan Smith, who also drives for Dale Jr.'s Nationwide team. Since Regan is committed to the Nationwide Series, he won't be able to run a full Cup schedule with us. We'll be looking to other drivers throughout the year, including A.J. Allmendinger again."(Spartanburg Herald Journal)(12-30-2012)
UPDATE 3: Phoenix Racing will put Regan Smith in its car for the Daytona 500 and plans to have Smith and AJ Allmendinger share driving duties for its Sprint Cup team in 2013. It also hopes to reunite with Kurt Busch for Nationwide Series races. Team general manager Steve Barkdoll said Tuesday that the team plans to field a Cup car for the entire season and a Nationwide car for restrictor-plate events plus other select races. Smith will drive the Cup car at Daytona and possibly in seven to 10 races throughout the season. Barkdoll said he expects Allmendinger's first race to be at Phoenix. The team plans to announce sponsorship for the Cup events at Daytona and Las Vegas as well as the Nationwide race at Daytona soon. Barkdoll said the current plan is to run a full season in Cup but if no sponsorship materializes during the season, the schedule could be cut back. The team will use Hendrick engines all season, Barkdoll said.(Sporting News)(1-8-2013)

Some rides for 2013 still up in the air: A year ago at this time, dominoes seemed to be tumbling all over the NASCAR world. Kurt Busch's departure from Penske Racing led to AJ Allmendinger's move from Richard Petty Motorsports to Penske, followed by Aric Almirola's move to replace Allmendinger at RPM. It seemed like there was a move or two every day, and the news was endless. This year? Not so much. Aside from a couple lower-series moves there haven't been many post-Homestead driver changes. [But there are some] possible open seats at full-time teams
BK Racing: There's no reason Landon Cassill and Travis Kvapil wouldn't return to BK Racing in 2013, but the team hasn't finalized its drivers for the #83 and 93 cars yet.
Tommy Baldwin Racing: It seems likely #36-Dave Blaney will return next season, but it hasn't been announced.
Phil Parsons Racing: Will Michael McDowell return to the #98 car? It hasn't been made official yet if so.
FAS Lane Racing: Ken Schrader will be in the #32 car for select races, and the remaining schedule will be filled by yet-to-be-named drivers.
Joe Falk Motorsports: Stephen Leicht won rookie of the year honors for the #33 car. The team's 2013 lineup has not been announced.
Phoenix Racing: Will Phoenix Racing even come back in 2013? It's not certain team owner James Finch will return, and what driver will be behind the wheel if he does.(SBNation) See information on all Sprint Cup teams on the 2013 Team / Driver chart page.(12-18-2012)

Regan Smith without a ride at Martinsvile: UPDATE: Regan Smith experienced two weeks that most racecar drivers would love to experience, and he will follow that with a weekend few would enjoy. After a two-week stint as the substitute driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Smith is without a ride for the Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. Smith said Tuesday he plans to go to the track but does not have a ride as Earnhardt has been approved to race after having to miss the last two weeks because of a concussion. On Tuesday afternoon, Smith found out that, as expected, Earnhardt was cleared to race this weekend at Martinsville. Phoenix Racing already had decided to keep AJ Allmendinger in the car after a promising two weeks with him as its last-minute replacement. Smith said he held no hard feelings toward Phoenix for not giving him an opportunity in the car this weekend and there is a chance he could race that car later this year. He couldn't commit to the team before Tuesday and the team had to make plans for Martinsville.(Sporting News)(10-24-2012)
UPDATE: Regan Smith and AJ Allmendinger will share the driving duties for the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy for the remainder of the 2012 season. Team owner James Finch confirmed his driver lineup on Tuesday. Allmendinger will continue behind the wheel this weekend in Martinsville and the following week at Texas Motor Speedway. Smith will finish the season for Phoenix Racing at Phoenix International Raceway and Miami-Homestead Speedway.(Fox Sports)(10-24-2012)

Regan Smith expected in the #51 if Earnhardt, Jr. cleared to race: UPDATE: Don't expect Phoenix Racing to jump the gun in announcing its driver lineup for this weekend. However, should Earnhardt Jr. be cleared, Regan Smith will drive the # 51 Chevy. Smith posted his fourth top-10 finish of the season on Sunday subbing in the #88 Hendrick Motorsports car. General manager Steve Barkdoll said Monday morning that the commitment had been made to Smith before AJ Allmendinger filled in. Still Barkdoll, who spotted for Allmendinger during throughout Smith's absence, described the experience as fun. "The way AJ performed the last two weeks, he deserves to be in a full-time ride," Barkdoll said.(Fox Sports)(10-23-2012)
UPDATE: AJ Allmendinger will drive the #51 Phoenix Racing Sprint Cup car Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. Allmendinger, who was suspended earlier this season for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy, has driven the past two races at Charlotte and Kansas, where he finished 24th and 35th, respectively. General manager Steve Barkdoll said the decision to go with Allmendinger was based on how he has performed over the past two weeks. Barkdoll said it remains a race-by-race decision. He said Regan Smith would have been in the car for the rest of the year had he not been called on to replace Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the #88 the past two weeks. Barkdoll did not rule out the possibility that Smith could be in the car in two weeks at Texas. Earnhardt is awaiting word later Tuesday on whether he will be cleared to return from a concussion to race at Martinsville this weekend.(ESPN) (10-23-2012)

Allmendinger taking it race-by-race: AJ Allmendinger came back from a workout at his gym early last Thursday morning to find four missed calls and five text messages on his cell phone. He quickly returned the calls and by 9 a.m. had a job -- his first since being reinstated by NASCAR following a three-month suspension for failing a drug test. And after a 24th-place finish at Charlotte last Saturday driving the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy, Allmendinger got another call this Monday morning. And another job in the #51 this weekend at Kansas Speedway. It's the new week-to-week, race-to-race reality for Allmendinger, who couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity -- a chance made possible because of the domino-effect of Kurt Busch leaving the team and Busch's initial replacement, Regan Smith, getting a seat filling in for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is recovering from a concussion.
It's the small victories and feel-good moments that count most these days. Allmendinger insists the greatest lesson he learned while serving his suspension was that he needed to re-prioritize his life, to find perspective. He completed NASCAR's Road to Recovery program and maintains that his positive test came after he mistakenly took an Adderall pill -- which is often prescribed for attention deficit disorder. In his case, Allmendinger insists there wasn't a substance-abuse issue. He needed to address his decision-making. "This schedule is so insane, you don't ever have time to fix anything away from the race track,'' Allmendinger explained. "And if you do, all you're thinking about is fixing the stuff at the race track. I'm by no means a perfect person, but I know I need to work on it. Over the three months, it made me realize how much I really do enjoy being here and how much I missed it. When it's going bad, I put so much pressure on myself. And driving for Roger Penske was a dream come true and then everything just wasn't happening right."
Allmendinger knows that his future is tenuous -- both short-term and long-term. He said he is talking with teams about a ride in 2013, but there simply aren't many vacant seats; certainly not many quality vacant seats. He recognizes that his behavior has probably frightened some sponsors but is hopeful his candor and repentance will attract a company ready to capitalize on his second chance. In the near-term, he doesn't even know where he will be next week. Phoenix Racing general manager Steve Barkdoll was non-committal.(NASCAR.com)(10-22-2012)

Allmendinger Moves Forward in Charlotte UPDATE and Kansas: A.J. Allmendinger was back in NASCAR Sprint Cup action this weekend, making his first Cup start since June. Returning to work after completing the NASCAR Road To Recovery program, Allmendinger joined Phoenix Racing in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night. After the team rallied to make last minute adjustments and outfit the #51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet to fit the new driver, Allmendinger was back in the swing of things as he showed encouraging pace in the opening practice sessions. While his enthusiasm for entry speed cost him on his Thursday night qualifying run and he had to settle for 38th on the grid, Allmendinger knew he had a solid car underneath him. With 500 miles to run and a clear focus on just getting the most out of the weekend, Allmendinger approached the Bank of America 500 as a chance to get back into the grove over the course of a long race on his adopted home track.
After starting 38th, Allmendinger quickly worked his way up to the mid-twenties, staying on the lead lap with his Smiley-Faced Phoenix Construction Chevrolet deep into the night. A late-race pit road procedural penalty saw him losing time to the leaders as he had to make the long, slow way down pit lane at a crawling penalty pace before returning to the pack at full speed. But despite all the variables that come with working with a new car, a new crew chief, and a whole lot of new faces, Allmendinger focused on his job to bring the Phoenix Construction car home in 24th place.
"It was great to get back into a Cup car, and I just want to thank James Finch and everyone at Phoenix Racing for giving me this opportunity--I'm really grateful," said Allmendinger. "I was hoping I could have repaid that favor with a little bit stronger finish. But it was great to get back in the car and compete again. It was a solid weekend all around despite everything coming together so quickly. I want to also thank everyone who has been so supportive through this entire process. It meant a lot, and now we are all focused on building on this and looking forward to whatever comes next."(Sunday Group Management), per his twitter, Allmendinger thinks he will be back in the #61 Chevy at Kansas.(10-14-2012)
UPDATE: After Allmendinger successfully completed NASCAR's "Road to Recovery" program and proved himself behind the wheel of the #51 Chevy in Saturday night's Sprint Cup Series race, Phoenix Racing team owner James Finch will give him another opportunity next weekend at Kansas Speedway. "He'll be back in," Finch said from his boat Sunday. "He did a real fine job before he received the penalty. And he was outrunning Kurt (Busch, Phoenix Racing's driver for 30 of the first 31 races)."(FoxSports)(10-15-2012)

Allmendinger to run the #51 at Charlotte: AJ Allmendinger will drive the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, replacing Regan Smith, who will drive the #88 AMP/National Guard Chevy for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Earnhardt announced today that he will be sidelined for the next two races after suffering a concussion in a final-lap crash at Talladega Superspeedway.
"I hadn't even planned on going to the track this weekend," said Allmendinger today. "I went to the gym this morning, without my phone. When I got back at 9:00, it was blown up with calls and text messages. I got a voice mail from (Phoenix Racing general manager) Steve Barkdoll saying, `Can you get to the track as soon as possible? We kinda need a driver.'" For Allmendinger, Saturday night's race will mark his first Sprint Cup Series start since being suspended by NASCAR on July 7 after failing a random substance abuse test. "This is obviously not the way I wanted this to happen," said Allmendinger. "I don't ever want to see anyone get hurt, much less a guy like Dale who's in the running for the championship. I don't have details on what will happen going forward, I'm just driving to the track to get fitted into a race car. I'm sure it's going to be a little hectic today, trying to get comfortable in the car after not driving anything for so long, but I'm appreciative for the opportunity. I'm happy to have a ride for the weekend, and I'm going to do my best to get a good finish Saturday night for James Finch and Phoenix Racing."(Godfather Motorsports)(10-11-2012)

Earnhardt Jr. will not race at Charlotte or Kansas: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not compete in the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway after being diagnosed with a concussion following the Oct. 7 race at Talladega. Earnhardt, driver of the #88 Chevrolets for Hendrick Motorsports, was diagnosed Wednesday afternoon in Charlotte. Regan Smith will be the team's substitute driver at Charlotte and Kansas.(Hendrick Motorsports), Earnhardt's streak of consecutive starts in the Cup series will end at 461. Reports have A.J, Allmendinger in the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy at Charlotte, Smith was scheduled to drive.(10-11-2012)

Kurt Busch parked by NASCAR during race UPDATE2: While most of the race was monotonously boring, there were moments of emotion, yes. And Kurt Busch provided some of those. He was leading midway when he suddenly ran out of gas. And Busch wound up bouncing into the infield wall. During the yellow Busch got out to look at his car and decided it could be repaired. So he cranked it up and started to drive it back to the garage, though without his helmet. NASCAR ordered him to stop on the track, to stop scattering debris. But without his helmet Busch didn't get the radio message. So Busch roared off while the emergency crews were still at his car, one even with his arm inside, and other with an emergency medical kit on the roof, which fell off. NASCAR angrily order Busch's car parked for the rest of the race....which is his last with team owner James Finch. Busch said, "This is the way my life works. Today is a perfect example: I am leading, I wreck, I run out of gas. I tried to get back in the race, and now NASCAR is yelling at me because I don't have my helmet on, and I'm trying to get it to the garage so the guys can work on it. Now I'm in trouble, this little storm right here. This is my life. I'm not complaining; I put myself in a lot of these situations."(MikeMulhern.net)(10-8-2012)
UPDATE: NASCAR is reviewing whether Kurt Busch will face further penalty for ignoring official requests to stop his car after a lap 98 wreck on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR parked Busch for the remainder of the Sprint Cup race because he drove away from the wreck with emergency workers still in the process of providing him and the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy assistance, and because there was emergency medical equipment on the track. NASCAR officials told ESPN.com the incident is under review. Penalties typically are announced on Tuesday. Busch is on probation through the end of the year for verbally abusing a reporter in June. He also was suspended from the Sprint Cup race at Pocono.(ESPN)(10-8-2012)
UPDATE 2 - No Penalty: Kurt Busch won't face further penalties for ignoring official requests to stop his car after a Lap 98 wreck at Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR officials said Tuesday. NASCAR parked Busch for the remainder of Sunday's Sprint Cup race because he drove away from the wreck with emergency workers still in the process of providing him and the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy assistance, and because there was emergency medical equipment on the track. Busch said he never heard NASCAR's repeated requests to stop because he'd taken off his helmet that contains radio communication equipment. "I got out of the car and surveyed the damage, saw that it could still roll so I jumped back in," Busch told reporters at Talladega. "That is the competitor in me, which is the desire that I have and that is what gets misconstrued all the time." Busch was leading at the time of the wreck that was caused when his car ran out of gas. The 2004 Cup champion finished 39th in his final race for Phoenix Racing before moving over to the #78 at Furniture Row Racing to get a head start on the 2013 season. "This is the way my life works," Busch said. "I am leading, I wreck, I run out of gas. I'm still that competitive guy that tried to get back in the race and now NASCAR is yelling at me because I don't have my helmet on and I'm trying to get it to the garage so the guys can work on it. Now I'm in trouble, now I have this little storm right here. This is my life. I'm not complaining. I put myself in a lot of these situations, but it's on to good things now moving forward. I got all the bad luck out of the way. This year has been a great year to test me in every way." Busch is on probation through the end of the year for verbally abusing a reporter in June. He also was suspended from the Sprint Cup race at Pocono.(ESPN)(10-9-2012)

Regan Smtih to the #51 at Charlotte: Regan Smith and Kurt Busch are trading places - at least for now. Smith, 29, will drive the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy at Charlotte Motor Speedway while Busch takes over the seat in the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet for the remainder of the season and on to next year. "We're looking forward to having Regan in our car," Phoenix Racing general manager Steve Barkdoll said. "Regan performed the tire test at Kansas, and that should be helpful at intermediate tracks. We believe he can help get our program back on track and help attract sponsorship going forward." For Phoenix Racing, this is a tryout of sorts to see how Smith acclimates with the team. Team owner James Finch is not committing to one driver as the company continues its sponsor search. Barkdoll added that there has been recent interest from potential sponsors and hopes to find the right match between a benefactor and driver.(Fox Sports)(10-7-2012)

Busch brothers have win streaks in jeopardy: The Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, both have significant streaks in danger of ending this year. From 2002 through 2011, Kurt won at least one race per year in the Sprint Cup Series. So far this year, in the #51 Chevy owned by James Finch, Busch has a best finish of third at Sonoma. He'll race for Finch Sunday at Talladega before starting his tenure at Furniture Row Racing Oct. 13 at Charlotte.
Kyle's eight-year winning streak in the Nationwide Series likewise is in jeopardy. Driving for his own team for the first time this year, and sharing Nationwide duties with Kurt, Kyle is winless in 17 starts. Kurt has the only Nationwide victory for Kyle Busch Motorsports, having triumphed at Richmond in April.(NASCAR Wire Service)(10-7-2012)

Finch says start-and-park teams make too much: Team owner James Finch hopes his #51-Phoenix Racing car remains on the track in 2013, but he'd like a little help from NASCAR to do it. Finch, who is losing driver Kurt Busch to Furniture Row Racing, wants to race for more money, and he isn't asking NASCAR and the tracks to spend more-just pay less to teams that start a race and park early. With typically five to seven Sprint Cup teams parking their cars early each week, Finch believes teams that finish in the top 35 should earn significantly more money than those that park early and finish in the back of pack. "I'm trying to get NASCAR to move some of the money up that the start-and-park guys are getting so we can race (for it) from 35th to 25th," Finch said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. "I'm getting (as little as) $2,000 more to run 500 miles than they do to play. Move it up and if they want it, let them race or it. & That's not racing." Finch, whose team is 27th in the owner standings, so far doesn't have sponsorship for 2013. Because NASCAR is switching to a new body style for 2013, Finch said he will finish out 2012 to best use his inventory of cars. "What am I going to do with these cars?" Finch said. "When I get through (this year), I throw them away."(Sporting News)(10-6-2012)

Phoenix Racing will finish season: Kurt Busch's impending departure leaves James Finch's #51 Phoenix Racing team with a high degree of uncertainty. Despite speculation to the contrary, crew chief Nick Harrison said the team was committed to running the remainder of this season's Sprint Cup schedule. "We're business as usual, moving forward," Harrison said. "We still have Dover and Talladega with Kurt and really think we can end with a win. We're running the full season. It's just a [matter of] who is going to drive." Harrison says Phoenix Racing has spoken to Regan Smith, the driver Busch will replace for the final six weeks this season in Furniture Row Racing's #78 car. Finch also is said to have interest in recently reinstated driver AJ Allmendinger as well as David Reutimann, who filled in at Pocono when Busch was suspended for a week this season.(NASCAR.com)(10-1-2012)

Smith out of the #78 after Talladega? UPDATES - Confirmed: SPEED's Race Hub reported Wednesday evening that Regan Smith's final race of the season in the Furniture Row Racing #78 would be at Talladega. Kurt Busch is expected to drive the car the remainder of the season.(9-26-2012)
UPDATE: Kurt Busch hopes to get a head start on the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season by jumping in the #78 Furniture Row Chevy early. The next chapter of the Busch saga could begin as early as in two weeks at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Aligning with the team before the end of the season would offer Busch an opportunity to acclimate to the group and its systems for the final six races of the season. "He's going to be out after Talladega," said Phoenix Racing team owner James Finch, for whom Busch currently drives. "We're going to go down there and try to win that race. We were up front for most of the spring race, and Brad (Keselowski) dumped us with three or four to go. We'll be fine at Talladega." So who would fill the Phoenix Racing seat currently occupied by Busch? Since Finch has operated for most of 2012 sans sponsorship, he's looking at candidates "who have the potential" to bring financial support to the team for the final six race and possibly next year. Finch has spoken to representation for AJ Allmendinger, who has been sidelined since July 7, when he was suspended for testing positive for amphetamine the week before at Kentucky Speedway. Regan Smith, who will be displaced in the #78 Chevy by Busch, could be part of an easy swap with the #51 Phoenix team. Finch isn't limited to considering Sprint Cup candidates. He also has been approached by the camps of Nationwide Series drivers James Buescher and Justin Allgaier.(Fox Sports)(9-27-2012)
UPDATE 2: Regan Smith was interviewed on SPEED's Race Hub Thursday night and said he knew about two weeks ago that he would be out of the #78 for 2013, although he did not know what the team's plans were. Since that time he has been talking to several owners, but is just starting to decide what to do next. He said his priority is to be in good equipment next year, either Sprint Cup or Nationwide, and that the Nationwide Series might be a good option for him at this point in his career. There was no discussion of him being out of the car before the end of the season.(9-28-2012)
UPDATE 2: In a move to accelerate Furniture Row Racing's preparations for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Kurt Busch will take over the team's driving duties beginning with the Oct. 13th Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Busch, who was announced earlier in the week as Furniture Row Racing's new driver for 2013, will replace Regan Smith in the #78 Chevy. Joe Garone, Furniture Row Racing's general manager, stated that Smith's Furniture Row Racing contract, which expires at the end of the season, will be fully honored.(Furniture Row Racing)(9-28-2012)

Kurt Busch is a zombie...for blood donation: Ever wonder where Kurt Busch gets his strange looks? Maybe it's because he's a zombie. OK, not for real, but he would make a pretty creepy looking zombie, as the American Red Cross and AMC recently found out. Busch is one of nine celebrities participating in a partnership between the American Red Cross and AMC's hit zombie apocalypse show "The Walking Dead" to urge people to donate blood. Busch joins such celebrities as Whitney Port, Elisabeth Rohm, Jimmy Smits and The Black Keys in the "Use Your Brains. Give Blood" campaign. Busch and the others were "zombie-fied" by the show's makeup team and is shown in his Nationwide Series uniform and a hat bearing the logos of sponsor Monster Energy Drink.(Sporting News), see the image of Busch, on the AMC site.(9-27-2012)

Smith expects to be out of the #78 UPDATE: . Regan Smith, who piloted Furniture Row Racing to its breakthrough first victory on the Sprint Cup tour last season, has been told he won't be back in the organization's #78 car next year. Smith confirmed the news to NASCAR.com after qualifying Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "I've been told it appears I won't be back here next year," Smith said. Furniture Row's general manager, Joe Garone, could not immediately be located for comment. Smith didn't want to speculate on the reasons behind the impending change and he said he's unsure if he will finish the season in the #78 Chevy (NASCAR.com).
AND Regan Smith does not believe he will return to Furniture Row Racing in 2013, possibly opening the door for much-maligned driver Kurt Busch. Furniture Row general manager Joe Garone has expressed interest in hiring Busch since January and the team has been seeking sponsorship to field a second car for him. Busch confirmed Friday that he has talked with Garone as well as other teams. "They've shown good interest and so have others," Busch said. "There's a handful of contracts sitting on my desk and it's just a matter of going through some detail with each of the teams." Furniture Row general manager Joe Garone said in an email Friday that his team is interested in Busch but that Busch has talked with other teams as well. Richard Petty Motorsports is among the organizations that has not signed its drivers for next season and also could be a candidate for Busch. When asked Friday if he would be back with Furniture Row next season, Smith said, "I don't believe so."
"There's a lot to it, is the best way I can put it," said Smith, who moved to Denver last year to be closer to the Colorado-based team. "It's a place where I've been for a while. I'm happy here. I like it here. But sometimes change isn't bad, either." Smith said he has been talking to other teams about 2013.(Sporting News)(9-21-2012)
UPDATE: That someone could be Kurt Busch or Brian Vickers. Both drivers are on the short list for Furniture Row  which recently re-signed its technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing. Busch met with Furniture Row principals back in early July.(FoxSports)(9-22-2012)

Phoenix Racing could close shop at end of 2012 season: James Finch, a 20-year-plus veteran NASCAR team owner, who this year has been fielding #51 Chevrolets for Kurt Busch, says unless there is a big change in economics in this sport "I'll have to hang it up at the end of this season." Finch says the new 2013 NASCAR stockers will obsolete his entire fleet of race cars. "I'll have to throw everything away," Finch says. Finch has no major sponsor this season, and his hauler here is painted stark black. He used Hendrick engineering, at a price of course, and he leased Hendrick engines, at a price too of course.(MikeMulhern.net)(9-8-2012)

RCR considering Kurt Busch: The owner of Richard Childress Racing has discussed putting 2004 Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch in a fourth car next season if sponsorship can be found. "I have talked to Kurt about running a full season with a fourth team if we had sponsorship,'' Childress told ESPN.com on Friday at Richmond International Raceway. "He's a very, very talented driver. I like Kurt. Kurt and I would get along. There's just not a sponsor out there today that can fill a complete car.'' Busch through a team public relations representative said he had nothing to add to Childress' comments. Childress said he should know his entire driver lineup by mid-October. He plans to field three Sprint Cup teams with drivers Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard and Jeff Burton, as well as three Nationwide teams. Childress' grandson Austin Dillon will drive one of the full-time Nationwide cars with grandson Ty Dillon driving 8-10 Nationwide races while running a full-time Truck Series schedule. "He and I would get along, and he would listen to me,'' Childress said of Busch. "One thing he needs is somebody, when he does do wrong, to discuss how to handle it.'' Busch has spent this season driving for underfunded and primarily unsponsored #51 Phoenix Racing. Phoenix Racing general manager Steve Barkdoll told ESPN.com recently that owner James Finch would welcome Busch back in 2013 if sponsorship was found.(ESPN)(9-8-2012)

What will Kurt Busch do in 2013? There is not another free agent as talented as Kurt Busch. The former Cup champion has bided his time with Phoenix Racing this season, as patiently as he could. However, since Busch has driven nothing but top-of-the-line equipment in his career, the tendency this season has been to overdrive the equipment in order to compensate. Yes, there's been plenty of twisted sheet metal to contend with and if team owner James Finch had an extensive fabrication shop, that wouldn't be a problem. But he doesn't. And the answer won't be bringing in a buy-ride next year with Brian Scott. As for Busch, he has met with several owners  two of whom were potential Dodge teams before the manufacturer elected not to return next year. Certainly, Furniture Row would still welcome Busch. He also has spoken to principals at Richard Petty Motorsports. However, Busch's best option to get his career back on track would be with Richard Childress Racing, if sponsorship can be secured.(FoxSports)(8-30-2012)

Kurt Busch teams up with Finch-Ballew to run Atlanta truck race: Kurt Busch will drive a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevy in next Friday night's Jeff Foxworthy's Grit Chips 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as part of a joint venture involving Billy Ballew Motorsports and Phoenix Racing. The truck is an 11-time winner in recent seasons with drivers Kyle Busch, Shane Hmiel and Aric Almirola at the wheel. It was most recently campaigned by Vision Aviation Racing in 2011, before that team closed its doors. Reskinned as a Chevy and outfitted with a Hendrick engine, the truck will be entered by Ballew, but prepared and crewed by Phoenix Racing. "I'm helping Billy out a little," confirmed Finch today. "He's going to field the truck, and I'm helping him out by loaning him a pit crew and a driver." "We haven't announced anything yet," said Ballew, "but I'm about 99% sure it's going to happen. I'll know for sure by Monday, but I'm confident enough that we already sent the entry in to NASCAR."(Godfather Motorsports)(8-26-2012)

Furniture Row to buy Penske engine program? Kurt Busch in second FRR car? UPDATE2 No Dodge: Nobody is talking on the record, still, but unofficial word from the NASCAR engine building world Sunday morning is that Barney Visser [#78 Furniture Row Racing], the Denver, Col., businessman is considering buying the Dodge engine department from Roger Penske. With Penske moving to Fords for 2013, and with Penske -- according to Jack Roush -- agreeing to run Roush-Yates Ford FR9s next season, the future of Penske's huge engine department has been the subject of much debate. Now word is that some of Penske's top engine men will be moving to the Roush-Yates engine department, and that Visser will be taking many of the rest, along with Penske's engine building equipment, and Visser will thus be switching from Chevy to Dodge. And -- though again no one is talking on the record -- it appears that Visser is very interested in hiring Kurt Busch to team with Smith next season.(MikeMulhern.net)(8-5-2012)
UPDATE: Furniture Row Racing is prepared to switch from Chevy to Dodge in 2013 if the manufacturer chooses to go in that direction. Furniture Row general manager Joe Garone said Sunday at Pocono Raceway that there have been initial talks with Dodge about making a switch and adding a second team, potentially with 2004 Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch. "If Dodge comes to us and says here's the right deal, we would do it," Garone said. "They're trying to figure out who they're going to do it with and how they're going to do it." Furniture Row currently gets its chassis from Richard Childress Racing and engines from Earnhardt Childress Racing. Everything else is built in the organization's Denver shop. Garone said the organization intends to keep driver Regan Smith, who won at Darlington Raceway last year, beyond this season. He said there have been talks with Busch about expanding, but that would depend on finding a sponsor or a manufacturer willing to give financial help. Garone said he has not given Dodge a deadline for making a decision, but he'd like to know sooner than later. Garone said they are waiting on a decision from Dodge before completing a deal with Smith. "It's our intention to bring him back," Garone said. "With all this other stuff pending, you don't make a commitment and find there is another avenue we should have taken."(ESPN.com)(8-5-2012)
UPDATE2: Dodge put out feelers to potential new teams in February, and one of the teams negotiating with Dodge was Furniture Row Racing, the Colorado-based team that currently fields the #78 Chevy for driver Regan Smith. Furniture Row General Manager Joe Garone said as recently as Saturday at Pocono Raceway that his team was waiting to hear from Dodge on their plans for 2013. "We made a proposal to Dodge, telling them what we would need and what we had to offer," said Garone. "We expected that they would evaluate the proposals they received from various teams and get back to us, but it simply didn't happen. Weeks turned into months with no response, and eventually, it became the old joke about, `Free Beer Tomorrow' "Tomorrow never came." Garone said there were at least three teams interested in joining the Dodge camp next season. He declined to name them, but numerous reports had Richard Petty Motorsports and Phoenix Racing involved in talks with the automaker.(Godfather Motorsports)(8-7-2012)

Kurt Busch facing career crossroads with newfound inspiration: (a nice inspiring story about #51-Kurt Busch)......With practiced briskness, Kurt Busch pulls on a pair of rubber surgical gloves and slips into a disposable hospital smock -- both non-negotiable requirements for a visit to a third-floor room in the Critical Care Unit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. There is anger in the eyes of the wounded soldier lying on the hospital bed, connected to a wall of IV drips and vital-sign monitors. That's not quite accurate. The bed sheets drawn up to the stomach fail to hide a stark reality -- that the soldier propped up at a 30-degree angle is really half a soldier. An improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan, on his third tour of combat duty, removed his legs and everything else up to the lower torso. The remains of his organs are held in by mesh. But the anger is real, and so is the sense of bewilderment, as the 24-year-old soldier named Joseph contemplates a life without walking, without unaided motion, without sex. On July 9, Joseph is not quite six weeks removed from the explosion that blew away the lower half of his body. "It's rare that you see someone who's that angry this early," Patricia Driscoll would say later. Driscoll is Kurt Busch's girlfriend, a powerful counterweight to a mercurial former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion trying to find balance in his life. Driscoll also is president and CEO of the Armed Forces Foundation, and in that capacity, she has moved mountains for Joseph and his family. When labor union red tape threatened to prevent Joseph's father from sharing what might have been the last days of his son's life, Driscoll used a combination of persuasion and clout to bring the father to Walter Reed without fear of losing his job. Busch tries to break the ice with Joseph, who has had little exposure to NASCAR racing. The meeting is halting at first, but during a visit that lasts nearly an hour, the driver and the soldier achieve a rapport. Joseph revisits the day his life changed forever. n you get hit with an IED, it's supposed to knock you unconscious," Joseph said. "That didn't happen to me. I remember everything. I felt everything. . . ." Despite his ordeal, Joseph is surprisingly strong. He exercises his arms using tethers suspended from a bar above his bed. Busch discovers just how strong Joseph is when he challenges the solider to a good-natured bout of arm wrestling. At the end of the visit, Busch signs NASCAR hero cards for Joseph and his family. Joseph promises to tune in to the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire, and there is every sense he will keep that promise. As they leave the room, Driscoll slips a check for $3,000 to Joseph's father to help with bills at home while he stays with his son at the hospital.(see much more at NASCAR Wire Service)(7-29-2012)

Hendrickcars.com returns to the #51 at Indy: HendrickCars.com is partnering with Phoenix Racing for this Sundayˇ¦s Brickyard 400. HendrickCars.com will be the primary sponsor for both the #51 Phoenix Racing Sprint Cup Series entry as well as the #1 Phoenix Racing Nationwide Series car. Kurt Busch will drive both cars. Phoenix Racing, in conjunction with the Armed Forces Foundation, continues its military dedication program this weekend in Indianapolis. Riding with Busch this weekend will be Army Specialist Andy Rubenstein. Rubenstein served in Desert Storm and has received multiple honors, including the Army Service Ribbon and National Defense Service Ribbon. Currently a disabled veteran dealing with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, Rubenstein and his wife will be guests of the #51 Phoenix Racing team this weekend in Indianapolis.(Phoenix Racing), see images of the scheme on the #51 Team Schemes page.(7-25-2012)

Kurt Busch to Andretti ride? hearing that Kurt Busch could be headed to the Andretti Sprint Cup Series Team in 2013 with Dodge as the manufacturer. See past news about Michael Andretti possibly starting a Sprint Cup Series team on my New Teams News page.(7-17-2012)

Kurt Busch riding with a Hero: #51 Phoenix Racing, in conjunction with the Armed Forces Foundation (AFF), continues its military dedication program this weekend in New Hampshire. Riding with Kurt Busch this weekend will be the memory of Army SSG Joseph J. Altmann. While serving the United States in Operation Enduring Freedom, Altmann was killed in action on Christmas Day 2011, when insurgents attacked his unit in Kunar Province, a mountainous region in northeastern Afghanistan.(Phoenix Racing)(7-12-2012)

Select military members to be featured on #51: Beginning with this weekend's race at Kentucky, Phoenix Racing will feature select members of our nation's military on the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy as part of a dedication program through the Armed Forces Foundation. Riding with Busch this weekend will be 1st Lt. Ashley White Stumpf, a member of the Army Rangers who was killed Oct. 22, 2011, in Khandahar, Afghanistan, while serving with Special Operations Forces (SOF) as a member of a Cultural Support Team. Stumpf was one of a select group of female soldiers who volunteered to undergo intensive training to work with SOF and establish relationships with Afghan women and children while deployed.(Phoenix Racing)(6-27-2012)

Kurt Busch emotional about 3rd place finish at Sonoma: #51-Kurt Busch finished 3rd in the Toyota / Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Sonoma. Late in the race, Busch clipped a tire barrier in Turn 11 with his #51 Phoenix Construction Services Chevy, which ultimately allowed #14-Tony Stewart to pass him and capture the runner-up finish. Remarkably, with a broken suspension and real panel bar due to the tire incident, Busch still managed to bring his Chevy home in third place. Some comments by Kurt Busch during the post-race press conference about the race at Sonoma and finishing third.
KURT BUSCH: It was just a full weekend of road racing. It was a solid day yesterday and even better day today. You know, to have a nice, steady pace, and to have a smooth pit strategy for my Phoenix Racing guys, I thought I could deliver for them. We were in contention. We made it all the way to the final restart, and today with all of those long green flag runs, I thought the race would play into our favor. Our car is a little better on longer runs than Bowyer, but he did a great job. I just kept thinking, "He's a dirt late model racer from the Midwest; there's no way he's going to be able to run the road course." And he did. He did great. That car and our car, I think we separated ourselves from the pack today. Thanks to Kyle and KPM yesterday; to get me back and forth on a nice, private jet that allowed me to rest up and be prepared for today. Yesterday was not quite the day we needed. We needed one more car with the Monster Energy car to get up there with the nix and get that Top 5 finish or even battle with Nelson Piquet, who is a friend of mine. It's amazing to see a Formula 1 guy come in and win right away in a Nationwide car. The Nationwide race was stacked yesterday. And of course, everybody wants to be in Cup, because this is where the best racers race.
Today we came home third. Chevrolet and Monster Energy and tag his or her, our three big brands with us this year I'm a bit choked up. I just made a little mistake there in turn 11. Those tires have never been bolted down, ever and I clipped a set of tires and it broke the front suspension and the rear panel bar and I couldn't compete for the win after that; so a mistake there. Our guys, but if we pulled it into victory lane with all red car and no sponsor, here in California, I thought it was Team Tiger Blood with Charlie Sheen around (laughter).
Q. Why are you so emotional about this effort?
KURT BUSCH: When you show up and you're on a third of the budget and you almost bring it to victory lane, you can't say that one guy does it out here. It takes a full team effort. But I really want to deliver for my guys today, and being that close, and make one mistake, it's a tough game. That's why it's Sprint Cup.
Q. Considering you won last year and how well you've done this year, it looks like it's got to be the driver.
KURT BUSCH: It's definitely not the driver. You know, a lot of thanks has to go to Penske Racing and the commitment that they gave to me to help me on road courses and all of the testing we did to arrive at this point; I can't pat myself on the back too much. But there was a car on the front row with my setup from last year, and there was a 48 car out there with my setup. Hendrick Motorsports is a great organization. They give us engines and chassis. This weekend we wanted to help them with a bit of set up notes.
Q. Two weeks ago you were almost not in the car; what does this mean to run like you did today?
KURT BUSCH: If I can get my head on straight here and after the race, then I'm able to race every weekend and go for victories.(in part from Team Chevy PR)(6-25-2012)

'Springer' opts not to sponsor Busch: Sponsorship between "The Jerry Springer Show" and Phoenix Racing was shot down on Thursday night. "Although the 'Springer' folks told us they are huge NASCAR and Kurt Busch fans, at this time they're going to pass on the sponsorship opportunity," said Phoenix Racing general manager Steve Barkdoll. "But they wished us good luck." Barkdoll said the popular talk show host was looking for a way to boost ratings and thought NASCAR could be the perfect avenue. Certainly, the colorful Phoenix Racing could have offered the perfect alliance.(FoxSports)(6-23-2012)

#51 Team votes to keep Busch:
When NASCAR team owner James Finch announced he would retain Kurt Busch as driver of his #51 Chevy, he noted that the reason was quite simple: The team's crew members voted to keep Busch. Intrigued as to exactly why they voted that way, [ESPN's Marty Smith] sought those Phoenix Racing crewmen out for answers. What heI got was an eye-opening explanation of the value of elite talent in NASCAR racing, from a group of gritty, no-nonsense racers who aren't apt to care about being cussed or chided -- and are oddly inspired by it. The #51 crew painted a completely different picture of Busch than that which we see during the tirades and the meltdowns and the tantrums. They discussed a guy who is willing to get his hands dirty right alongside them, who rides with them to testing sessions, and who buys them beers at the bar. And who can drive better than anyone else.(see quotes by crew chief, GM and others at ESPN.com)(6-17-2012)

Kurt Busch has heated exchange with reporter: #51-Kurt Busch's troubles with the media continued on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway. Busch had a brief, heated exchange with ESPN reporter Marty Smith after Saturday's Nationwide Series race at MIS, a week after serving a one-week suspension for making threatening comments to Sporting News reporter Bob Pockrass after the Dover Nationwide Series race. Busch, on orders from Sprint Cup team owner James Finch, avoided talking to reporters upon arriving at MIS on Thursday. But when he finished third in the race won by Joey Logano on Saturday, he had to make a mandatory appearance in the media center. As he waited to be interviewed, an MRN Radio pit reporter said on the live broadcast that Busch left the top-five area without interviewing. Busch was told of the comment and replied, "That's what everybody says, don't they." Busch then left the room to cool off. Several reporters, including Smith, with a camera crew, followed. Busch then told Smith to come over with his camera. When Smith got there, Busch said he wasn't doing interviews there, adding, "You ever hear of sarcasm?" That led to a brief exchange during which Busch said, "You don't know how long I've been working on this."(see full post at ESPN.com)(6-17-2012)

Statement From Phoenix Racing regarding Kurt Busch and the #51 Chevy: Below is a statement from James Finch, owner of Phoenix Racing, regarding Kurt Busch and the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet. "We have met with Kurt. At the end of the day, we are racers so we're going racing together with Kurt and the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet. We know adjustments have to be made but how we fix that is between Kurt and myself. We're going to go to the track, work hard, race hard and work on trying to attract a sponsor  and we're going to do that together."(Phoenix Racing)(6-12-2012)

Jerry Springer could sponsor Kurt Busch? OK, it's only in the proposal stages, but a NASCAR team might soon sport a car bearing a likeness of salacious TV talk-show host Jerry Springer. And fittingly, given recent events, the team involved is Phoenix Racing's #51, which typically is driven by NASCAR bad boy Kurt Busch. Phoenix Racing general manager Steve Barkdoll on Saturday showed FOXSports.com mock-ups of the #51 Chevy sponsored by "The Jerry Springer Show." Before Darlington Raceway weekend, Springer representatives asked Phoenix Racing to submit a proposal for a possible sponsorship, and the team delivered an image of the green and white car bearing Springer's likeness and the show's logo on the hood. The Springer request came after Busch drove the #51 with a "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" paint scheme the previous week in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.(Fox Sports)(6-10-2012)

Reutiman in the #51 at Pocono; Blaney to the #10: In an effort to help a fellow small team, Tommy Baldwin and James Finch worked out a deal for David Reutimann to drive the #51 Chevy for Phoenix Racing following Kurt Busch's suspension for this weekend's race at Pocono Raceway. Dave Blaney will pilot the #10 Chevrolet, and Tony Raines will return to the #36 Chevy for the Pocono 400 presented by #NASCAR. "I understand the position James was put in this week," explained Tommy Baldwin. "As an owner of a small team, I wanted to help him out. We talked and thought that this lineup would be best for both of our teams."(Tommy Baldwin Racing)(6-5-2012)

NASCAR will look at Kurt Busch's actions after Dover Nationwide race: UPDATE - Suspended from Pocono; will meet with Finch next week: #51-Kurt Busch wouldn't speak with USA TODAY Sports at Dover International Speedway on Sunday, the morning after a video of him berating a reporter went viral. "Why would I want to speak with anyone today?" Busch said as he and girlfriend Patricia Driscoll exited a short chapel service at the track, about 90 minutes before the scheduled start of the FedEx 400. "No comment." Shortly thereafter, he spent about five minutes meeting with NASCAR President Mike Helton and vice president of competition Robin Pemberton in the Sprint Cup hauler. NASCAR confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that the meeting was called to speak with Busch about his Saturday tirade. Upon exiting, Busch continued to decline comment, and NASCAR wouldn't offer further details about the meeting but was considering discipline. NASCAR typically doles out punishment on Tuesdays after a race. At issue was Busch's tirade that was caught on Speed TV cameras with Sporting News reporter Bob Pockrass. Busch had been asked about his in-race actions with Justin Allgaier (the two bumped early in the race but there was no retaliation) because of Busch's recent placement on probation. Busch responded, "It (the probation) refrains me from beating the (expletive) out of your right now, because you ask me stupid questions. But since I'm on probation, I suppose that that's improper to say as well." Busch was placed on probation and fined $50,000 following the May 12 Cup race at Darlington Raceway after he did a burnout in rival Ryan Newman's pit box and then had a confrontation with Newman crewmembers after the race.(USA Today)(6-3-2012)
UPDATE: NASCAR has suspended driver Kurt Busch until June 13 of this year and extended his NASCAR probation until Dec. 31 for his actions following the NASCAR Nationwide Series race June 2 at Dover International Speedway. Kurt Busch violated Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing; violation of probation; verbal abuse to a media member) of the 2012 NASCAR Rule Book. Kurt Busch had previously been placed on NASCAR probation May 15 for his actions during the May 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Darlington Raceway. That probation was originally scheduled to end July 25 but has now been extended through the end of this year.(NASCAR)(6-4-2012)
Statement from Busch: "I accept NASCAR's decision. I put them in a box, they had to take action and it's my fault for putting them in this position. I apologize for the comments I made to Bob Pockrass."(True Speed Communications)(6-4-2012)
UPDATE 2: [#51 car owner James] Finch told ESPN.com he would meet with Busch over the next couple of days to discuss whether they would keep the handshake agreement they made before the season. He didn't sound like a man convinced the arrangement could or would work. "If he's going to kill himself, I'm not going to be in the airplane with him," Finch said by phone. "If that's what he's planning on doing, I am going to get out." Finch made it clear after Busch was released by Penske Racing following a profanity-laced tirade against ESPN's Dr. Jerry Punch at Homestead-Miami Speedway last November that if Busch embarrassed him like he did Roger Penske "he would have gotten his ass beat on pit road. He needs to simmer down a while," Finch told ESPN.com in December. "There are a lot of people that don't like Kurt. He's never done anything to me personally. He just needs to look in the mirror and see what the problem is." Now Busch has done something to Finch personally, even though the incident came while Busch was driving a Kyle Busch Motorsports Nationwide car for his little brother. Finch made it clear there are several qualified drivers to take over Phoenix Racing's #51 Chevy.(ESPN)(6-4-2012)
UPDATE 3: Phoenix Racing team owner James Finch said he will meet with Kurt Busch next Tuesday to discuss the embattled driver's future with the team. "We're going to meet the next week and have a come-to-Jesus meeting," Finch said Tuesday morning in an interview with SIRIUS/XM NASCAR Radio. At the time [Busch was hired by Finch], Finch said of the deal, "He (Busch) can't quit and I can't fire him." But that may be changing. "(Kurt) needs to either get his mind right or he's going to be working somewhere else," Finch told SIRIUS/XM. "... Quit wrecking cars. Be nice to people. That's not hard to do."(SPEED)(6-5-2012)

Could Kurt Busch join brother Kyle at Joe Gibbs Racing? #51-Kurt Busch is a free agent, and his brother, #18-Kyle, already drives a Cup car for Joe Gibbs Racing. While it might sound like a stretch for JGR to employ two brothers as drivers, it's not out of the question. JGR has room to add a fourth team, and if sponsorship is found, team owner Joe Gibbs wouldn't rule out the possibility. But he also said it has to be the right sponsor. "We love Kurt, mainly because of Kyle and Kyle has got a strong feeling for him," Gibbs said following the unveiling of Toyota's 2013 Sprint Cup car. "Kurt's kind of going through a process with everything he has got going right now. Everybody throws everything out there. We do have a fourth car possibility at some point. But we haven't seen that yet (come to fruition)." The older of the two Busch brothers, Kurt is driving for Phoenix Racing in Cup this year and for his brother's Kyle Busch Motorsports in an 18-race Nationwide schedule. "He could really helps us and lead us in the right direction," Kyle Busch said. "I'd love to have him over here. It would be great for Joe Gibbs Racing and for us to work together and to be able to make better racecars, faster racecars." JGR wouldn't necessarily need a fourth Cup team to add Busch. #20-Joey Logano's contract is up for renewal after this season in a car co-sponsored by The Home Depot and Dollar General. "He's 21 years old," Gibbs said. "He's one of the youngest guys out there. He's stepped up this year to 15th in points. That's been an improvement but he's still not where our other two cars are. That's the goalget him to where our other two cars are. & We have a lot invested in Joey. We really like him."(Sporting News)(5-25-2012)

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)

Kurt Busch to RCR? replace Burton? denied but: While the latest rumor has #51-Kurt Busch headed to Richard Childress Racing, possibly replacing #31-Jeff Burton, RCR officials have indicated that the team and sponsor Caterpillar are happy with Burton and anticipate no changes. Burton and Caterpillar signed contract extensions last year, and Burton is 17th in the standingsnot where he wants to be but better than 20th, where he finished a year ago. Caterpillar also has not had a history of hiring controversial drivers or spokesmen. But RCR shouldn't be counted out of the Busch sweepstakes, as many consider him among the most talented drivers in the sport and Busch met with Childress during the offseason to talk about opportunities (Sporting News)(5-17-2012).

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)