Contract Status: Driver: 2010; Sponsor: 2009+; Manufacturer: 2012
#2 Team Past News and Rumors
(NOTE: some older links may not work)
Kurt Busch names winning car ”Patriot”: #2-Kurt Busch has decided to name his Texas winning car, the “PRS-702” Miller Lite Dodge…”Patriot”…”We’ve been kicking around potential names for the car since the other night and it just kept on coming back to ‘Patriot,’” Kurt said from Phoenix on Tuesday morning. “With what all occurred last week in Texas, we wanted to name the car with a tribute to all of our brave military men and women who are serving our country. The fact that we had our special Operation Homefront color scheme on the car and all their representatives and the soldiers there helping us celebrate the big win sealed the deal. Like Eva said, and I quote, ‘It’s the patriotic thing to do in naming the car ‘Patriot.’
Busch picked up another $10,000 bonus for Operation Homefront with his win last Sunday at Texas, bringing the total of Miller Lite’s donation to $220,000. Kurt is asking for fans to participate by texting T-R-O-O-P-S to 90999 or visit MillerLite.com/vets to make a $5 donation, which will be added to your phone bill. “That was really cool to have our Operation Homefront friends with us at Texas to celebrate the big win,” Kurt said. “The program working with those guys has been very enjoyable and gratifying. We’re so proud to have carried their colors and to have been able to add some money to the cause. We hope the fans will continue to text in those donations.”(Tom Roberts PR)(11-11-2009)
Kurt Busch wins at Texas: #2-Kurt Busch won the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway for his 2nd win of the season and 20th of his career. #18-Kyle Busch led 232 laps and was in position to win the race and set history by winning the Cup, Nationwide and Truck race same weekend/ same track, then ran out of fuel with two laps to go and finished 11th. #11-Hamlin finished 2nd, followed by #17-Kenseth, #5-Martin, #29-Harvick [who was 2nd but ran out of fuel and got passed by three cars], #14-Stewart, #33-Bowyer, #16-Biffle, #31-Burton and #44-Allmendinger. On lap 3, points leader #48-Johnson was involved in a wreck and hit the inside wall, the crew took just over an hour to repair the car and get Johnson out so he could make laps and finished 38th. Johnson's points lead went from 184 to 73 over #5-Mark Martin. There were 5 cautions for 26 yellow flag laps and there were 13 lead changes among 4 drivers.
Scheduled Race Re-Airs:
ESPN2: Monday, November 9 at 3:30am/et
ESPN Classic: Monday, November 9 at 1:00pm/et
SPEED, Wednesday, November 11 at 12:00pm/et
For race results, awards and more, see my Texas Race Results Page
For the drivers points standings, see my Drivers Points Standings.(11-8-2009)
No news on a crew chief for Kurt Busch: from an Open Interview with #2-Kurt Busch:
ANY UPDATE ON THE CREW CHIEF SITUATION FOR THE 2 CAR NEXT YEAR?
Busch: “No news. We still have good candidates outside and inside. We’ve come this far, we might as well just finish it off is what the mentality is right now. We don’t know what next week will bring us. There could be some changes, but it could just be the same thing. We don’t’ know.”(Dodge Motorsports PR)(11-7-2009)
Special Operation Homefront scheme for Kurt Busch: #2-Kurt Busch continues racing to support fundraising efforts for Operation Homefront this weekend at Texas. Miller Lite is donating $200,000 to the organization dedicated to serving our military families in need. This amount will grow by an additional $10,000 if Kurt and the #2 Miller Lite Dodge can achieve another top-10 finish in this weekend’s race at Texas. He already scored one such bonus when he finished 10th in the Oct. 17 NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Kurt is also asking for fans to help in this worthy cause. You can do so in several manners. To make a $5 donation, just text the word T-R-O-O-P-S to 90999. The charge will appear on your wireless bill. Alternatively, visit millerlite.com/vets to make a donation and learn more about the great work of Operation Homefront. Fans attending this weekend’s race can contribute to Operation Homefront by purchasing a “postcard” from the Kurt Busch (or Penske Racing) souvenir trailer. Fans will be able to inscribe the card with a personalized message to a serviceman or woman overseas. Penske Racing will submit the cards and 100% of the proceeds collected to OHF and the cards will be included in care packages sent directly overseas. The “Blue Deuce” will carry another cool paint scheme this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.(Tom Roberts PR), see images of the scheme on my #2 Team schemes page.(11-5-2009)
Tryson could leave Penske early...if UPDATE: If #2-Kurt Busch isn’t a factor in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship entering the season finale in Homestead next month, don’t be surprised to see crew chief Pat Tryson make an early exit from the #2 Dodge team. “If we find ourselves out of championship contention, that’s when we’ll make a big change and maybe get the new (crew chief) in there and get a couple races under our belt before we show up back in Daytona,” said Busch, who is currently sixth and 121 points behind Johnson in the Chase standings. Tryson announced last month that he’ll leave the Penske organization at season’s end and become Martin Truex Jr.’s crew chief at Michael Waltrip Racing in 2010.(Racin' Today)(10-16-2009)
UPDATE: Tryson said there are no plans for him to step aside and begin his new job even thou Busch is 312 points behind Johnson.(ESPN.com)(11-2-2009)
Kurt Busch talks about progress on new crew chief: from a Dodge Motorsports Notes & Quotes - Kurt Busch [#2 Miller Lite Dodge] Open Interview - Talladega:
WHERE DOES YOUR TEAM STAND WITH GETTING A NEW CREW CHIEF FOR NEXT YEAR? IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN STEVE ADDINGTON?
Kurt Busch: “I feel like what we’ve done internally at Penske Racing has been smart; we’ve been patient. We still find ourselves with an outside shot at the championship and that’s what we’re going to base our decision off of when we do make a change or move somebody in. A guy like Steve Addington, to hear the news, you have to talk to a guy like J.D. Gibbs before you move on and find out what the story is and if he’s available. Those are the types of guys we’d love to talk to and see if we can match up.”(Dodge Motorsports)(10-31-2009)
Kurt Busch will run the older Dodge engine at Talladega: from a Dodge Motorsports Notes & Quotes - Kurt Busch [#2 Miller Lite Dodge] Open Interview - Talladega:
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH WORKING WITH JASPER ENGINES? “That’s our engine shop and that’s where we build the horsepower that we need for the open motors and the restrictor-plate motors. We’ve phased in our R6 for this race. The 12 [Stremme] and 77 [Hornish Jr.] cars for Penske Racing will be racing the new engine (R6). I’ll still have the R5 package because of the durability questions. The power still shows the same. For us being in the Chase, you can’t afford to have an engine failure.
We needed to go with the given. With those guys running the new R6 engine, it helps us get ready for Daytona in 2010.”(Dodge Motorsports)(10-31-2009)
Steve Addington looking at options: Steve Addington said he was "surprised" by the change that will put replace him as Kyle Busch's crew chief and plans to explore all options inside and outside of Joe Gibbs Racing. On Tuesday, JGR announced that Dave Rogers, who has worked in JGR's Nationwide Series program will take over as crew chief of the #18 following Sunday's race at Tallaadega Superspeedway. Is it possible that Addington will leave JGR for another Sprint Cup Series team? "That would be ironic," Addington said Friday morning at Talladega. "Yes, I'm going to look at everything." One of those options could be the #2 Penske Racing car of Kurt Busch, which is losing Pat Tryson to Michael Waltrip Racing after this season. #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. also could be in the market for a new crew chief, but Addington said he has yet to be contacted by anyone high up at Hendrick Motorsports.(ESPN.com)(10-30-2009)
Kurt Busch's wife wins: #2-Kurt Busch's wife, Eva Busch, was the star of the show in her foray into the horse show arena. Eva, riding her Arabian show horse, “C.J.,” claimed two blue ribbons, winning both her classes and taking the highest overall score in Saturday’s “Lighten Up Dressage” at the Latta Plantation Equestrian Center in Huntersville, N.C. “I’m so proud of Eva,” said Kurt. “She came home the big winner in her first-ever competition. That’s really impressive.” “Yeah, and it really helps to have the great equipment when you’re competing out there,” Eva said with a chuckle.(Tom Roberts PR)(10-22-2009)
Penske Racing Hauler driver wins: Congratulations goes out to Bill “Stump” Lewis for claiming the first-place prize in the 2009 Freightliner Run Smart Hauler Challenge. The final segment of the annual contest for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team transport drivers was held over the weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and “Stump” was presented his trophy and $35,000 first-place check on the stage prior to Saturday night’s NASCAR Banking 500. “This one’s especially sweet,” said the popular veteran driver, who shares the over-the-road duties with wife, Cindy. “It’s my third big trophy and I was up against a bunch of young bucks this time around.” “I guess you could call Stump the Brett Favre of what we do out here,” Cindy offered. “I’m so proud of him. He just keeps on getting better…in everything he does…” The last time Stump was a winner in the contest, he bought Cindy a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle. “This time around, we’re going to spend the money on getting things done around the house, like putting in an irrigation system for the yard.” “But first, we’ll have a big party to celebrate and have all the team over,” said Cindy.(Tom Roberts PR)(10-21-2009)
Tryson could leave Penske early...if: If #2-Kurt Busch isn’t a factor in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship entering the season finale in Homestead next month, don’t be surprised to see crew chief Pat Tryson make an early exit from the #2 Dodge team. “If we find ourselves out of championship contention, that’s when we’ll make a big change and maybe get the new (crew chief) in there and get a couple races under our belt before we show up back in Daytona,” said Busch, who is currently sixth and 121 points behind Johnson in the Chase standings. Tryson announced last month that he’ll leave the Penske organization at season’s end and become Martin Truex Jr.’s crew chief at Michael Waltrip Racing in 2010.(Racin' Today)(10-16-2009)
Are NASCAR Drivers smarter than a 5th grader?: Comedian Jeff Foxworthy hosts the all-new half-hour version of "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?" The fast-paced game show, where knowledge of grade-school level questions is tested, welcomes NASCAR drivers #55-Michael Waltrip, #6-David Ragan, #99-Carl Edwards, #2-Kurt Busch and #11-Denny Hamlin. On October 6, Michael Waltrip will be in the classroom to play the game to raise money for the Victory Junction Gang Camp. He’ll also be joined by Roush Racing’s David Ragan. The special back-to-back episodes will premiere on MyNetworkTV (8:00pm/et/pt). On October 26, NASCAR week kicks off on the new nationally-syndicated edition of "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?" Michael Waltrip, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, and Denny Hamlin are among the contestants playing the game for their charities. Check your local listings for exact air time.(10-5-2009)
Penske deal for Saturn from GM is off: General Motors Co. said Wednesday it would shut down its Saturn brand after an agreement with Penske Automotive Group Inc. to acquire it fell apart. Penske, citing concerns of whether it could continue to supply vehicles after a manufacturing contract with GM ran out, ended talks with GM Wednesday to acquire the brand. GM CEO Fritz Henderson said in statement that Saturn and its dealership network will be phased out. In a statement, the Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based auto retailer says an agreement with another manufacturer to continue producing Saturn vehicles after GM stopped making them fell through, leading Penske to terminate talks with GM. Penske said it negotiated terms and conditions to make Saturn cars with another manufacturer, but that company's board of directors rejected the agreement. Penske spokesman Anthony Pordon would not identify the other manufacturer. In June, GM and Penske agreed to take over the Saturn brand and related dealerships, although GM would produce the vehicles for a limited period of time. GM said Saturn vehicle owners can still go to their Saturn dealer for service and would be able to go to a certified GM dealer for service once Saturn dealerships are closed. It was expected that GM would announce the completion of Saturn's sale to Penske in the coming days.(ABC/AP)(9-30-2009)
Kurt Busch testing at Rockingham: #2-Kurt Busch and crew will be testing for two days after Dover on both tracks located near Rockingham, N.C. The Miller Lite Dodge Team plans on testing at "Little Rock," the short track on Tuesday and on the 1.017-mile speedway on Wednesday.(Tom Roberts PR)(9-28-2009)
New chassis for Kurt Busch: #2-Kurt Busch doesn't believe the new chassis he'll use in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway is a risk. The 2004 Cup champion said the chassis has been ready since the Atlanta race on Labor Day weekend, "but we didn't want to change our program... because of how the car raced there in March when we won." The Penske Racing team picked Dover because it has similar characteristics to Atlanta. "The aerodynamic numbers of chassis 700 showed up to be the same for what we ran in June, and June was a great finish for us at the Monster Mile where we finished fifth," said Busch, recalling the first Dover race. "We ran competitively all day and so the body being a given... we can really understand what this new chassis is going to bring to us. If you rely on your engineering department, everybody behind the scenes at Penske Racing, they'll tell you that it's better," he said. "It's lighter, it's faster, so we can't be wrong in bringing it."(ESPN Insider)(9-24-2009)
Tryson shut out at Penske Shop: #2-Penske Racing crew chief Pat Tryson says he's only welcome at the race shop for the once-weekly debrief meeting. Because Tryson is moving to Michael Waltrip Racing at the end of this season, the team does not want him present during any preparations for 2010. "They want me to focus on this year's stuff and they've got stuff going on at the shop for next year, so they're going to work on that," Tryson said before Sunday's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "I'll be communicating by e-mail and phones, and I'll be in there for driver debrief on Tuesdays. Tuesday is the only day I'm welcome." It could make things difficult as Tryson and driver Kurt Busch attempt to win the championship this season. But Tryson says he's still committed to the #2 team, and can do a lot of his planning from home. But Penske vice president of operations Mike Nelson said the team is striking the right balance by involving Tryson in this year's planning and keeping him from the shop during preparations for 2010. "It really breaks down to 2009 vs. 2010. He's not there for the discussions that we have about 2010. That's a lot of what we're doing at the shop right now," Nelson said. "The 2009 stuff - that's something that he needs to be involved with and there's no change in his involvement with Kurt. That's the meeting that Kurt comes in for on Tuesdays. We're trying to leave that part of it seamless. We're trying not to affect anything for 2009, it's just that it doesn't make any sense for him or for us to sit down and discuss what we're doing in 2010." Tryson said he does not have permission to be at MWR the other days of the week so he can prepare for being Martin Truex Jr.'s crew chief next year. "I'm still working for Penske, and that's all I'm worried about," Tryson said. "I'm just worried about winning the championship. You can do a lot of it via e-mail, so it's not that big a deal. The biggest thing is the lack of communication with the guys, seeing the guys."(Associated Press)(9-20-2009)
Tryson leaving #2 team due to 'personal reasons': Pat Tryson, crew chief for Kurt Busch and the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, spoke to reporters in the NHMS media center on Friday: “One of the reason that I came in here (media center)…there’s been a lot of stuff, read a lot of stuff, heard a lot of stuff (regarding why he is leaving Penske Racing at the end of the year)…I wanted to make it perfectly clear to everybody that the reason that I came to Penske Racing was because of Kurt Busch. The No. 1 reason to stay here at Penske Racing is because of Kurt Busch. My decision (to leave) had nothing to do with Kurt Busch. I just wanted to clear that up. I had to do things for personal reasons and the things that I want to do in my career that doesn’t have anything to do with who’s driving the race car. We’re in this together until the end. We’re gonna try to win the (NASCAR) championship because it means a lot to me. The best thing that could happen to me is to win the championship this year.”(Dodge Motorsports PR)(9-19-2009)
Miller Lite issues challenge to Budweiser: MillerCoors issued a “Beer Car Challenge for Charity” to Anheuser-Busch Inbev, in which the #2 Miller Lite Dodge of Kurt Busch and the #9 Budweiser Dodge of Kasey Kahne would race for their respective charity during the 10-week NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup. Both cars secured their spots in the Chase last weekend at Richmond. In MillerCoors’ proposed challenge, the higher finishing beer car in each race will win $2,500 for its charity, and the higher finisher in the final Chase standings will win $25,000 for the same charity. The #2 Miller Lite Dodge has already announced that, should AB InBev accept the challenge, they will be running for Operation Homefront, an organization that helps military families in need.(Tom Roberts PR)(9-18-2009)
Discount Tires moves to Penske: Just days after announcing his move from JR Motorsports in 2010, Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing have signed Discount Tire as their sponsor for 26 Nationwide Series races next year. Keselowski will drive the #22 Dodge full time in the Nationwide Series next year along with a full-time Sprint Cup schedule. Discount Tire will also be an associate sponsor on #12-Keselowski and teammate #2-Kurt Busch's Sprint Cup Series cars. Additionally, the company will have a presence on all three Penske Racing cars at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A full announcement is expected later this week. Discount Tire currently sponsors David Ragan's #6 Roush Fenway Racing Nationwide Series ride. The partnership has been in place since the start of the 2007 season.(FoxSports)(9-16-200)
Tryson named #56 Crew Chief for 2010: Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced that veteran crew chief Pat Tryson will lead Martin Truex Jr. and the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry beginning in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.Tryson successfully earned his fifth Chase berth as crew chief on Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway and will join MWR upon the conclusion of the season. “Pat is a passionate competitor, a winner and a championship contender,” said Waltrip. “Those were the traits we were looking for in a crew chief that would help Martin deliver on the track for NAPA for years to come. We couldn’t be more proud to add a person of Pat’s caliber to our organization.”
“Michael Waltrip Racing has really come onto the scene this year and the progress they have made over a very short time is impressive,” Tryson said. “I believe that I can contribute. MWR is doing everything they can to get the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota back into victory lane and that’s what my focus will be. Martin is a talented driver and we’ll be doing everything we can to make that happen.” Tryson joins MWR after a successful run with #2-Kurt Busch, where Tryson guided the former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion to two Chase appearances, four victories and 35 top-10 finishes since 2007 with Penske Racing. A native of Malvern, Pa., Tryson got his start in NASCAR working for Kenny Bernstein’s NASCAR Cup operation. In 1997, he launched his crew chief career by calling the shots for driver Geoff Bodine. Two seasons later, he joined Roush Racing and worked with drivers Kevin Lepage and Johnny Benson. With Kevin Lepage at the wheel, Tryson helped steer him to one pole, two top-five and five top-10 finishes. In 2000, Wood Brothers Racing hired Tryson and for nearly three seasons, he worked with drivers Elliott Sadler and Ricky Rudd. The crew chief guided Sadler to his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway in March 2001. Roush Racing came calling midway through the 2003 season. This time, Tryson teamed up with driver Mark Martin to help the veteran make NASCAR’s new playoff system -- The Chase. They repeated with berths in 2005 and 2006. Tryson is only one of three crew chiefs (Robbie Reiser and Chad Knaus) who qualified for The Chase during its first three years.(MWR)(9-14-2009)
#2 Crew Chief Tryson to leave Penske UPDATE: Bob Dilner reported during SPEED's coverage of the Sprint Cup first practice at Richmond that Pat Tryson, current crew chief for #2-Kurt Busch, will leave Penske Racing and head over to crew chief Martin Truex Jr. for MIcheal Waltrip Racing #56 NAPA Toyota team (SPEED)
hearing that Gene Nead, current crew chief for #55-Michael Waltrip [team and points will go to the #56 in 2010], will stay with MWR and crew chief for Waltrip's part-time effort in 2010.(9-11-2009)
UPDATE: a partial transcript from Dodge, #2-Kurt Busch dicussing crew chief Pat Tryson:
THERE ARE REPORTS THAT YOUR CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON IS LEAVING AT THE END OF THE YEAR. IS THERE ANY TRUTH TO THAT RUMOR? “Yeah, it’s a change that’s going to happen. It’s unfortunate that Pat (Tryson) made that type of decision. It seems like our focus should be on the Chase and making it in the Chase, so it’s a tough week for that type of news. That’s really where my focus is. No matter who I’m working with or communicating with, we have to get the Miller Lite Dodge in the Chase and get off to a great start once we do that.”
ARE YOU MAD AT PAT FOR THE TIMING OF HIS DECISION? “The timing isn’t all that good, but it never is any good when you want to change directions in life. I did that in 2005 at Roush Racing. There’s never a really a good time to bring things up, but I can’t be disappointed in Pat or upset at Pat. The way that we’ve had a great run together and the way that he turned our program around in 2007, it helped put him back on the map too so to speak. You never want to hold anybody back from their ambitions and their dreams. We have a guy in Brad Keselowski that’s coming to our program and Dale Jr. had a tough decision to make on what to do with him. And when your phrase it the way that Pat did and I’m sure the way that Keselowski did, that there are opportunities ahead and that you want to go and conquer other things, you can’t tie them down. You have to let them go and make those decisions. Pat and I had a great run together. We still have more work to do though. We want to get locked in (the Chase) tomorrow night. That’s the focus. If we go out and do business as usual, we should. He’ll be with us throughout the Chase. It’s going to be a changing target throughout the Chase, but right now Pat and I are a great combination and have a task at hand.”
DID PAT GIVE YOU ANY IDEA WHY HE WANTS A DIFFERNET OPPORTUNITY? “That’s something that I think Pat can answer or Mike Nelson from Penske Racing who can give better insight. My job is to focus on the Chase and not get into those details.”(Dodge Motorsports PR)(9-12-2009)
Busch - Johnson make up: #2-Kurt Busch has an excuse for why it took so long for he and #48-Jimmie Johnson to patch things up after a dustup at Chicago two weeks ago: bad cell service. Busch said Friday he hadn't had a chance before Friday to respond to a text message from Johnson offering to talk after a late-race clash between the two drivers sent Busch to a 17th-place finish at Chicago and left him fuming. The two finally chatted Friday before practice for Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Busch said the two would've talked sooner but blamed the lack of communication on a busy schedule.(Associated Press)(7-26-2009)
Testing at Road Atlanta: Hearing that drivers testing at Road Atlanta today include #99-Carl Edwards, #6-David Ragan, #16-Colin Braun (subbing for Greg Biffle), #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #47-Marcos Ambrose, #2-Kurt Busch, #77-Sam Hornish Jr., #12-David Stremme, #13-Max Papis and Boris Said (in John Wes Townley's #09 Nationwide Series Ford which he will run at Watkins Glen).(7-21-2009)
AND: told #7-Robby Gordon was also at the track.(7-21-2009)
- Kurt Busch throwing out first pitch: #2-Kurt Busch is set to throw the first pitch and lead the singing during the seventh-inning stretch in the Chicago Cubs' Sunday's afternoon game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. The game is a makeup contest from one postponed on April 19. It will start at 12:05 p.m. CDT and will be shown live on WGN-TV.(Tom Roberts PR)(7-11-2009)
- Tire Test at Atlanta: In preparation for Atlanta Motor Speedway's first NASCAR Sprint Cup night race, the Pep Boys Auto 500, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company is conducting a two-day tire test [July 14-15, Tue-Wed] to ensure the preeminent tire is ready for night racing in Atlanta. Drivers scheduled to take part in the test: #14-Tony Stewart (Chevy), #2-Kurt Busch (Dodge), #11-Denny Hamlin (Toyota) and #26-Jamie McMurray (Ford). This session is closed to the public.(AMS)(7-10-2009)
- Penske drivers in fuel economy challenge event: #2-Kurt Busch, along with Penske Racing drivers #77-Sam Hornish Jr. and #12-David Stremme, will be participating in Friday's Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy Challenge in the South Parking Lot of Soldier Field. They will be joined by ESPN's Dan Patrick and NFL Hall-of-Famer Dan Hampton in driving fuel-efficient "smart fortwo" cars through a number of "challenges" on a miniature road course. The "contest" is being held in an effort to raise awareness for ways consumers can save fuel during the busy summer driving season.(Tom Roberts PR)(7-8-2009)
- New Assoc. sponsor for Kurt Busch: Penske Racing announced the addition of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Family Sports Pubs as an associate sponsor on the #2 Miller Lite Dodge driven by 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Kurt Busch. Beef ‘O’ Brady’s will be featured on the #2 Cup Series car, beginning with the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway this Fourth of July weekend.
Sponsorship activation plans include a register-to-win VIP experience with Busch and the Miller Lite Dodge team this November in Miami, Florida. In addition, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in-store menus will showcase two of Busch’s personally-selected menu favorites – the Wild West Chicken Sandwich and the Queso Dip and Chips. Founded by Jim Mellody in 1985, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s is a neighborhood pub-style restaurant chain where families and friends can enjoy good food and sports in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. With locations in 23 states across the Southeast and Midwest regions of the country, good food and great service go hand-in-hand at every Beef 'O' Brady's. Visit www.beefobradys.com for more information.(Penske Racing)(7-1-2009)
- Kurt Busch goes hunting: #2-Kurt Busch is on a hunting expedition in Montana this week. “We fly in to Missoula, then take a 90-minute truck ride, followed by a three-hour ride on a donkey to get where we’ll be hunting,” Kurt said of his trip that started on Monday of this week. “I’d been hoping to get to go big black bear hunting, when Darius (Songaila, center/forward for Washington Wizards and a neighbor of Kurt’s) invited me to go on this hunt he had scheduled. We’re doing it the hard way, that’s for sure. We’ll be using bow and arrow and I’ll have my video camera along to document everything. I hope to have some great video to show the guys when we get to New Hampshire.” Kurt’s schedule will see him do the reverse route in order to get to New Hampshire for Friday’s opening practice session. “Yep, we’ll be riding the donkeys back for three hours, hopping back in the truck and heading for the Missoula Airport. Then we fly through Denver and hopefully land in Boston at about 10:00 p.m. on Thursday night.”(Tom Roberts PR)(6-24-2009)
- Kurt Busch testing news: #2-Kurt Busch tested on Tuesday at Virginia International Raceway in preparation for the June 21 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. “We have a brand new car for the road courses (“PRS-617”) and we wanted to get in some test time before we head out to Sonoma (Infineon),” Pat explained. “We’ll likely return to VIR or maybe head down to Road Atlanta between now and Watkins Glen in August.” Busch and team also plans to use “PRS-600” Miller Lite Dodge in tire testing for Goodyear at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on June 15-16. “It looks like a continuous work in progress in coming up with the tire we’ll be racing there next month,” Kurt said. “We’re glad to chip in with their effort there and are happy to get the track time before heading there for the race weekend.”(Tom Roberts PR)(6-10-2009)
- 4th team for Penske? UPDATE denied: hearing Penske Racing could run a 4th team car this season, running the #22 Dodge with Justin Allgaier as the possible driver. Allgaier is currently 10th in the Nationwide Series Points for Penske Racing and won the ARCA championship in 2008.(5-25-2009)
UPDATE: [Roger Penske] added that there are no plans to expand Penske Racing's three-car organization of #2-Kurt Busch, #77-Sam Hornish Jr. and #12-David Stremme. There have been reports he would move to a fourth team with Justin Allgaier, a rookie in the Nationwide Series. "We've made some good progress this year and we've got to maintain that," Penske said. "We're not in the silly season at all. ... We've got plenty of time."(ESPN)(6-7-2009)
- Penske may make bid for Saturn UPDATE 2 no move to NASCAR: Roger Penske says he is contemplating a bid for the Saturn automotive brand that General Motors Corp. plans to sell or shut down. While Penske has not yet made an offer, he said Friday a decision would have to come soon and that a number of unidentified details need to be worked out. Penske has a vested interest in the automotive industry. He owns the second-largest U.S. automobile retail chain in terms of sales, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based Penske Automotive Group Inc. He also owns heavy-duty engine manufacturer Detroit Diesel and has race teams in the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am series. But Penske denied that he has made a deal and said published reports are ahead of the process.(ESPN.com/AP)(5-8-2009)
UPDATE: General Motors Corp. has struck a tentative deal to sell its Saturn brand to former race car driver and auto dealer Roger Penske. Penske, who owns the Penske Automotive Group dealership chain, told reporters on Friday that he plans to offer all 350 Saturn dealerships new franchise agreements. He says Saturn's 13,000 employees will stay on with the company for at least the immediate future. He declined to name the price for the deal. Penske says GM will continue to produce Saturn vehicles, though he is in discussions with manufacturers worldwide about building the vehicles going forward.(AP/ESPN)(6-5-2009)
UPDATE 2: Team owner Roger Penske has no plans to move Saturn into the Sprint Cup series, saying Sunday he plans to stick with Dodge for at least the remaining three years of his contract with the manufacturer. General Motors Corp. announced on Friday an agreement for Penske to purchase the Saturn brand. Penske said he would like to get Saturn involved in motorsports, perhaps at the Grand-Am level, but not NASCAR's top series. "We have three more years with Dodge, they have not let us down," the owner of Penske Motorsports said before the Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. "We see that continuing. They are current with all the obligations they have. I don't expect anything different." Richard Petty, the co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports, said last weekend at Dover that RMP's cash flow from Dodge has ceased since Chrysler filed for bankruptcy. "I don't know what he means by cash [flow]," Penske said. "They paid the bills we submitted to them and they're on time. I don't know what he's talking about." As for Saturn, Penske said the key was saving 13,000 jobs and keeping 350 retailers in business. He said the plan is to provide them with products that will make them stronger going forward. "We'll be sourcing products from General Motors for at least two years," he said. "We will not be a manufacturer. We'll be a distributor." Penske did say the Saturn Aura is "tailor-made for NASCAR," but that any such plans would be 200 miles down the road.(ESPN)(6-7-2009)
- Dodge support "on hold" Team owner Richard Petty says the Chrysler bankruptcy has put cash flow from the manufacturer to the Richard Petty Motorsports organization he co-owns with George Gillett "in a holding pattern." From the point of view of the Dodge Motorsports program, however, the commitment to racing is undiminished. "They've stopped everything," Petty said in the garage at Dover International Speedway this past weekend. "They went into bankruptcy, and they're sort of in a floating stage right now. They're trying to see where they come out of this at. If they've got new people running the show, are they still going to continue to back everything exactly like they are, or whatever? They're in a holding pattern right now. I think GM's that way -- I don't know about Ford -- and I know Chrysler's that way. The rest of them I don't know. I don't deal with them." Walter Czarnecki, vice chairman of Penske Racing, which has three Dodge teams, said the legal proceedings also have held up payments to his organization. "In the legal procedure, you have to file what's called a 'Cure Letter' that lists all the things that you are owed. And when it's submitted and approved, they'll pay. We have money that was due April 30 that has not been received yet and probably won't be received for several weeks." Mike Accavitti, director of brand marketing and strategy for Chrysler, acknowledged the reorganization has affected the flow of cash from Chrysler but affirmed the company remains committed to Cup racing and that at-track services provided to the teams continue to be available.(NASCAR.com/Sporting News)(6-2-2009)
- Kurt Busch Foundation Takes Inaugural King’s Cup: The inaugural King’s Cup Karting for a Cause provided a great way to kickoff the racing action in the Charlotte area. In the end the Kurt Busch Foundation team held off the Denny Hamlin Foundation team by 18 seconds in an event that lasted three hours and 40 minutes. The event, which benefited the Paralyzed Veterans of America, raised over $60,000 for the organization through sponsorships, general admission ticket sales and a silent auction that featured 75 pieces from all across the NASCAR world. The Finishing Order:
1. Kurt Busch Foundation
2. Denny Hamlin Foundation
3. Stanley Tools Racing
4. Kasey Kahne Foundation
5. Dale Jr. Foundation
6. Sun Trust Racing
7. Martin Truex, Jr. Motorsports
8. Hunt Brothers Racing
9. Sprint
10. Richard Petty Motorsports
11. Penske Racing
12. Jimmie Johnson Foundation
13. NASCAR
14. Brad Keselowski Racing
15. Budweiser
16. Best Buy Racing
(MCG Sports)(5-21-2009)
- Special “Taste Protector” Paint Scheme for #2 Miller Lite Dodge: #2-Kurt Busch and his Pat Tryson-led Penske Racing Team plan on going all out in their bid to win Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. They are even rolling out a special color scheme along the way. “It will be all-out serious fun for our Miller Lite Dodge Team in this weekend’s All-Star battle,” said Busch, who will be making his eighth career All-Star race start on Saturday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “That may sound like an oxymoron to some, but the fact is that we’re taking this race very serious, but because there are no points involved, we know we’re going to have a lot of fun this weekend. First of all, we’re coming in there with an absolutely knock-out paint scheme on our Miller Lite Dodge,” said Busch, whose runner-up finish in the 2003 edition rates as his best to date in All-Star race competition. “We’re calling it our ‘taste protector’ ride and once you see it, you’ll immediately know why. If there has ever been a rolling billboard, this one is it. “Our friends at Miller Lite have gone the extra mile in the detail work that went into this unique color scheme,” Busch added. “Our goal was to promote the new ‘taste protector’ feature found on Miller Lite cans and bottles that locks in Miller Lite’s great pilsner taste. This car does a real phenomenal job of doing that.(Tom Roberts PR), see images of the scheme on my #2 Team Schemes page.(5-14-2009)
- Drivers on CMT Cribs: Martin Truex Jr. will join Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch as the featured celebrities on CMT Cribs when the latest episode airs this Saturday, April 25th. Packed with the latest in luxury living, top of the line toys and the wildest whips on the road, this season takes us to new levels of country living. Martin’s segment will focus on his new garage. Be sure to tune into to CMT (Country Music Television) this Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 4:30pm/et/pt and re-air at 7:30pm/et/pt on that same day.(EGR PR)(4-23-2009)
- 300th start for Kurt Busch: Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch will be making his 300th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start in Saturday's Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. In his 299-race Cup career that began on Sept. 24, 2000 (at Dover, Del.) he has had 299 starts, 19 wins (6.4%), 63 top-fives (21.1%), 119 top-10s (39.8%), and 10 Coors Light Pole Awards.(Tom Roberts PR)(4-15-2009)
- NASCAR no plans on keeping radio chatter from fans: Radio transmissions between drivers, owners, spotters and crew chiefs will continue to be available to NASCAR, media and fans. Flak over a torrid exchange between #2-Kurt Busch and car owner Roger Penske last Sunday at Martinsville -- in which Busch called his owner "dude" -- evoked a familiar refrain on Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. "The radio, I always thought, has been a team tool that should be utilized just by the teams," Busch said. "We don't get to hear what the coach says to his offensive and defensive coordinators in the NFL. I don't think that we get to hear what they do in baseball when they call to the bullpen. You don't get to hear what they say in the huddle, and what they say in the huddle is pretty animated. Roger and I are on the same page. Martinsville is behind us." That may be, but NASCAR isn't about to budge when it comes to keeping the airwaves open.
"The more access we can give the fans, that's a part of what made NASCAR what it is, the accessibility of the drivers," said Jim Hunter, NASCAR's vice president of corporate communications. "In my opinion, drivers -- even in the heat of battle -- need to be able to control their emotions. They're driving a racecar around at 200 miles an hour with a bunch of other people. NASCAR needs to be able to hear what's going on with the teams during a race, and we've extended that to the fans."(Sporting News)(4-5-2009)
- Penske to Toyota? doubtful: Speculation mounts that some Dodge teams may be looking to bolt, depending on how the Washington-Detroit-Chrysler-Fiat talks go. Most prominent in the speculation is that Roger Penske, who is one of the nation's biggest Toyota dealers, may move Kurt Busch's Dodge team, which just won at Atlanta, into the Toyota camp. A Penske-Toyota-NASCAR scenario has been bandied about for several years. There was no immediate comment from officials at Chrysler, but Toyota racing boss Lee White said "Unless RP [Roger Penske] has resorted to secretly stealing our parts, there is not chance he's running anything remotely resembling a Toyota in the foreseeable future. It's just another of many false rumors."(mikemulhern.net)(4-5-2009)
- Kurt Busch victory lap gets name: #2-Kurt Busch had a contest to name the victory lap he ran at Atlanta in reverse. Winning entry, The Unwind Lap.(Virginian-Pilot)(3-21-2009)
- Kurt Busch to be on Cribs: “Cribs,” the reality television program on MTV (and now CMT) that features tours of the houses of celebrities, spent more than 15 hours last Tuesday and Wednesday (March 10-11) shooting with Kurt & Eva Busch at their home and their office complex. “It was really cool and we can’t wait to see what they are able to produce with all the footage they shot,” Kurt said. “I think the crew was a little bit surprised to see that we have a pretty elaborate wine cellar downstairs. It didn’t come as any surprise to them that we had some Miller Lite taps to enjoy in our ‘mans-land’ (party/recreation room) in our basement. I’m pretty sure they’ll end the piece with some footage that’ll certainly make our friends at Dodge very happy. It was a lot of fun doing the shoot and we’re anxiously waiting to hear back from them as to when the episode will be shown.”(Tom Roberts PR)(3-20-2009)
- Kurt Busch looking for help to name his celebration lap: #2-Kurt Busch says he has been “just blown away” by the attention he has received from his special celebratory “Victory Lap” after winning last Sunday’s Kobalt 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. After dominating the race and picking up his first victory of the 2009 NASCAR season, Busch celebrated the win by stopping at the finish line, grabbing the checkered flag, throwing his Miller Lite Dodge Charger in reverse and backing around the entire track to show his appreciation to all the fans. “It has been unbelievable – I’ve been just blown away by it all,” Busch said of the response from his post-race antics after recording his 19th career NASCAR Sprint Cup victory. “It’s amazing to see the attention it (the celebration lap) has gotten. We’ve done hundreds of media interviews since Sunday and every time it’s inevitable that they’ll get around to wanting to discuss our unusual victory lap. We were doing Eli’s radio show on Tuesday night when we decided we were going to ask the fans to help us put an official name on our lap,” Busch said of his appearance on “NASCAR LIVE,” the MRN Radio program hosted by Eli Gold. “Doug Rice and I were already talking about doing something special with it when I called in to ‘Fast Talk’ on PRN on Monday night. So we’ve decided to ask the fans to log on to our site (www.kurtbusch.com), follow the story to the link, click on it and give us your suggestions,” said Busch. “After discussing the situation with my staff, we’ve actually decided to make a nice little contest out of it. We’re urging the fans to participate and I can’t wait to review their suggested names for the lap. We’ll send the winner a nice gift basket and that one lucky fan will always have the bragging rights for naming the lap,” said Busch. “We’ll announce the winning entry on Friday at Bristol (March 20).”(Tom Roberts PR)(3-12-2009)
- Pat Tryson Named Crew Chief of the Race in Atlanta: Pat Tryson, crew chief for the #2 Miller Lite Dodge driven by Kurt Busch has been named the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. After a dominant day, Tryson made the perfect call on lap 323 of the scheduled 325-lap event when a caution came out, setting up a two-lap dash for victory with a green-white-checkered finish. Summoning his driver to pit road, Tryson instructed his crew to replace all four tires. In addition to the $1,000 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly wins will be honored as the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at the season finale in Homestead(Wypall PR)(3-11-2009)
- Loop Data: Busch Perfect at Atlanta: #2-Kurt Busch dominated the Kobalt Tools Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, scoring a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0. This is Busch’s fourth perfect Driver Rating since the inception of the Loop Data statistic in 2005. He is the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver to post more than one perfect Driver Rating. During Sunday’s Atlanta race, Busch had race-best stats in Laps Led (234), Average Running Position (1.5) and Fastest Laps Run (81). He was also one of two drivers who ran all 330 Laps in the Top 15 (Kasey Kahne was the other). Busch also scored perfect Driver Ratings in his Pocono Raceway wins in 2005 and 2007 and at Phoenix International Raceway in 2005. This is the eighth perfect Driver Rating in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since 2005:
Perfect Driver Ratings
Driver, Date, Track
Kurt Busch, 4/23/2005, Phoenix
Kurt Busch (2), 7/24/2005, Pocono
Tony Stewart, 8/14/2005, Watkins Glen
Kevin Harvick, 11/12/2006, Phoenix
Kurt Busch (3), 8/5/2007, Pocono
Clint Bowyer, 9/16/2007, New Hampshire
Jimmie Johnson, 8/31/2008, Auto Club
Kurt Busch (4), 3/8/2009, Atlanta
Driver Rating is a Loop Data statistic which is based on several statistical components.(NASCAR PR)(3-9-2009)
- Kurt Busch wins at Atlanta: #2-Kurt Busch won the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway for his 1st win of 2009 and 19th career win. Busch dominated the race leading 234 of 330 laps and passing #99-Edwards on during the green-white-checkered finish. Busch has now won at least one race every year for eight consecutive seasons and Penske has won at least a race a year for 19 consecutive seasons. #24-Jeff Gordon finished 2nd followed by #99-Edwards, #29-Harvick, #83-Vickers, #33-Bowyer, #9-Kahne, #14-Stewart, #48-Johnson and #1-Truex Jr. Pole sitter #5-Martin wrecked midway thru the race and finished 31st. There were 13 lead changes among 8 drivers and 11 caution flags for 54 laps.
See race results, awards, laps led, cautions, attendence and more on my Atlanta Race Results page
See drivers and owners points standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Atlanta page.(3-8-2009)
- Greener Paint for Penske: PPG Automotive Refinish announced they are assisting Penske Racing in converting their state-of-the-art, racecar painting facility in Mooresville, NC to the environmentally-friendly PPG Envirobase High Performance waterborne coatings system. The conversion began with the painting of the #2 Miller Lite and #77 Mobil 1 Penske Racing Dodge, which made their debut this weekend at the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The #2 Miller Lite Dodge features the PPG Automotive Refinish logo on the deck lid for today's race. To address the environment, NASCAR, the sport's sanctioning body, is developing an industry-wide green initiative led by Dr. Mike Lynch. The initiative will address environmental issues including reducing air emissions, lubricants recycling, building efficiencies and land preservation. It will include the sport's various stakeholders and will seek to mobilize the NASCAR fan base in this important issue.(Penske Racing PR)(3-8-2009)
- Tryson wins award: #2-Miller Lite Dodge crew chief Pat Tryson won the “Moog Chassis Parts Problem Solver of the Race Award” in Sunday’s Daytona 500. “It was a great team effort in being able to get a top-10 finish out of Sunday’s race,” Pat said. “We got caught up in the big one, but Kurt and all of our Miller Lite Dodge team refused to give up. We pitted every time we could (under the caution) to make repairs and got it fixed as well as we could without going a lap down. Kurt put on a helluva’ show out there in coming up from 29th to finish 10th.(Tom Roberts PR)(2-19-2009)
- Kurt Busch is ecology-conscious: #2-Kurt Busch is always ecology-conscious and one way he is showing that this season is in his mode of travel while at the race tracks. “We ditched the old gas-powered golf cart for our new state-of-the-art Ruff & Tuff Hunter 4X4,” Kurt said. “It’s the first-ever single motor electric 4-wheel drive cart. Most important is that it’s powered by a ‘clean and green’ dry cell battery system.” “It’ll go at least 50 miles on a single charge,” boasted Kurt’s transportation specialist, Paul Bostic, who became acquainted with the Ruff & Tuff brand through friends at Mossy Oak Camouflage. “It’s a lot of fun to drive. It has great maneuverability and you can shift from 2-wheel to 4-wheel drive in an instant just by pushing a button.”(Tom Roberts PR)(2-12-2009)
- Kyle Busch joins Gillette Young Guns: With the NASCAR season ready to roll, Gillette announced that Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota will be the newest member to its star-studded Gillette Young Guns lineup, which includes Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman [Kyle replaces his brother Kurt]. During the off-season, Busch was welcomed to the Gillette Young Guns team when he participated in a two-day ad shoot to support the launch of the gaming-inspired Gillette Fusion Power Gamer, which features Fusion’s 5-bladed shaving surface for unsurpassed comfort and a sleek new look. The spot, titled “Jumbotron,” was created by BBDO NY, features all six Gillette Young Guns. Airing for the first time during the FOX telecast of the Daytona 500, “Jumbotron” follows the Gillette Young Guns as they attempt to sneak into the race track and play video games from atop a motorcoach.(Gillette Young Guns PR)(2-7-2009)
- New name for Penske's team: Bill Davis has become a minority owner of the team now known as Penske Championship Racing, a move giving Sam Hornish Jr. points that will guarantee him a spot in the season's first five races. With the addition of Davis, the team changed its name to Penske Championship Racing from Penske Racing. Bud Denker, the senior vice president of Penske Corporation, confirmed the move on Wednesday.(ESPN)(2-4-2009)
- New car chief for Kurt Busch: Jeff Thousand returns to being a “road warrior” as he will serve as #2-Kurt Busch’s car chief for the 2009 season. Thousand’s racing career dates back to the short tracks of the Midwest as he was a member of Rusty Wallace’s successful operation during the late 70s and early 80s. Thousand followed Wallace to the Cup ranks after Penske Racing’s NASCAR team started in 1991, moving from St. Louis to reunite with Wallace for the 1993 season. Thousand was a fixture on the circuit during much of Wallace’s legendary career and last served as car chief for Wallace during his final year behind the wheel back in 2005. “Jeff brings so much knowledge and experience to our team and we’re glad to get him out of our shop and back on the road with us,” Pat [Tryson, crew chief] said. “We have a great group of guys on our team and we all get along really well and communicate very effectively.”(Tom Roberts PR)(2-4-2009)
- Dodge: smaller budget, less team, high hopes: Although it will have fewer cars on the track and fewer promotional displays in cutting 30 percent of its NASCAR budget, Dodge has not cut back its Sprint Cup research and development for the 2009 season. The automaker hopes that even with fewer cars, it will have better results after a season where it failed to put a car in the Chase For The Sprint Cup. With Chip Ganassi Racing’s merger with Dale Earnhardt Inc. eliminating three Cup teams from where Dodge started in 2008, Dodge has at least one fewer organization to support in 2009. Dodge could end up with only six cars next season if the pending Gillett Evernham Motorsports-Petty Enterprises merger eliminates two more from the manufacturer’s stable, which also included Robby Gordon in 2008. That leaves three cars at Penske Racing [#2,#12,#77] and three or four at the GEM-Petty consolidation [#9,#10?,#19,#43]. “You want to have a portfolio of drivers that can at any given time deliver a top-five or a victory,” said Mike Accavitti, director of the Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep brands. “We feel with the lineup that we have remaining that we can do that. … The seven cars that we have – or eight cars or six cars or whatever it ends up to be – will be sufficient. We can give Dodge customers a good show. We can give NASCAR fans a good show and we can represent the brand well.” Accavitti said that his budget was set and would not get increased by the authorization of the bridge loan for Chrysler. He said it will remain at 30% below 2008, just as it was planned prior to President George W. Bush’s approval of the loan last month. “The entire operation was contingent upon the bridge loans being passed,” he said. “It was a critical element for the viability of our company and we’re very appreciative to have that behind us and be able to move forward."(SceneDaily)(1-8-2009)
