#5 Team Past News and Rumors
Past 2007 News

  • Fishing logo on the #5 at MIS: The #5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevy of Kyle Busch will have a special decal on the rear bumper this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Sponsor Kellogg's has an affiliation with the FLW Outdoors Bass Pro Fishing Series. The bumper will feature the FLW Outdoors logo in anticipation of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Chevy Open event scheduled to take place July 12-15 in Detroit. Busch will also drive the #51 Chevy Silverado for Billy Ballew Motorsports in Saturday's running of the Michigan 200 Truck Series race.(HMS PR)(6-14-2007)

  • Kyle Busch forms charitable foundation: #5-Kyle Busch, president of Kyle Busch Motorsports, announced his newly formed charitable effort called the Kyle Busch Foundation. "I have been very blessed in my life,” Busch said. “I’m fortunate enough to be able to race and do what I love. Not everyone is as fortunate. So I wanted to give something back and I decided I wanted to help kids." The Kyle Busch Foundation is dedicated to providing essential tools and supplies for institutionalized children across the country. The foundation will provide support to organizations that create and foster a safe, protective environment for children. “There are a lot of children in need out there,” Busch continued. “Times are tough enough for young people these days, and if there is anything I can do, I’m more than willing.” KBF is in the process of collecting items crucial to these respective homes. For designated drop off points and wish lists please visit please visit www.kylebuschfoundation.org.(Kyle Busch Motorsports PR)(5-21-2007)

  • Dale Jr. leans toward Hendrick? UPDATE denied: The efforts to sign #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a NASCAR driving contract for 2008 and beyond has reached a critical point, and the top two teams on Earnhardt’s list are the Chevrolet teams owned by Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick, according to men familiar with the negotiations. Earnhardt today is leaning toward a deal with Hendrick [NOTE: where would Earnhardt go? HMS has four Cup teams and all three drivers signed for a couple more years, unless some sort of deal with Haas CNC Racing or Ginn Racing would be worked out], largely because of Hendrick’s very strong engine program, sources here said yesterday. Earnhardt and veteran crew chief Tony Eury Jr., his cousin and close confidante as well as the man who has led him to many of his 17 Cup victories, have talked with both the Hendrick and Childress camps in recent weeks about the positives and negatives each team owner would have to offer, sources said yesterday. And Eury will have a major voice in the decision, because Earnhardt’s primary goal now, at age 32, is to win a championship.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-9-2007)
    UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports General Manager Marshall Carlson told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway Tuesday that his team is fully stocked with drivers for 2008 and beyond, and that he has not spoken with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., about the possibility of joining the Hendrick stable.(Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway)(5-9-2007)

  • Kyle Busch's HANs Device breaks in Busch crash: UPDATE: NASCAR on Monday tried to figure out why Kyle Busch's HANS device cracked during a spectacular crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Busch wrecked in Saturday's Busch Series event, when he was hit from behind and his car ended up on its roof before rolling several times through the grass. His HANS device, a NASCAR-mandated head-and-neck restraint system, cracked in the accident. "It performed the way it was supposed to, but it had a slight stress crack in it after the accident," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said. NASCAR sent the device back to manufacturer Hubbard Downing in Georgia for examination.(Associated Press)(5-1-2007)
    UPDATE: Officials from HANS Performance Products downplayed the crack found in Kyle Busch's HANS Device after a spectacular crash in the Busch race last weekend at Talladega. After the crash, a crack was found in the head-and-neck restraint that is worn on a driver's shoulders and has a carbon fiber piece that sits behind the helmet. "We were pleased to see Kyle shrug off such a dramatic wreck," HANS Performance Products CEO Mark Stiles said in a statement. "It takes a lot to even produce a slight stress crack in a HANS Device. It worked as designed, and was ready for more action - like its driver." The device is made primarily of carbon fiber, a high-strength, lightweight material. It was not revealed how large the crack was. General Motors Director of Safety Tom Gideon said he did not know where the HANS Device cracked, but with Busch walking away, he wasn't alarmed.(SceneDaily.com)(5-1-2007)

  • Kyle Busch Walks Away From Scary Crash in Busch race: #5-Kyle Busch walked away from a spectacular crash early in Saturday's Busch Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Busch was running second as the field drove off turn four on the 2.66-mile oval to complete lap 27 of the 117-lap Aaron's 312. Busch suddenly darted up the banking as he prepared to pass #9-Kasey Kahne for the lead. #33-Tony Stewart, in third, followed and appeared to hit Busch's car. Busch then bounced off the car driven by #24-Casey Mears and turned across the track and into the wall. Busch's car was on its side as it struck the outside barrier, then skidded on its roof down the banking and onto the grass infield, where it began barrel-rolling as flames erupted from under the hood. The #5 Chevy finally stopped on its wheels and Busch quickly scrambled from the cockpit. He walked straight to a waiting ambulance for the mandatory ride to the infield medical center.(Associated Press)(4-28-2007)

  • Why did Dale Jr. get in the #5 car after he was out of the race? For much of the day, it looked like the first two-time Texas titlist would be Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the #8 Budweiser team, as they led 96 laps, and repeatedly opened leads of three seconds or more before a strange incident ended any chance of victory. On lap 252, while running second, Dale Jr. was behind the lapped car of Tony Stewart rounding turn four when the aptly-nicknamed "Smoke" spun out, creating a giant wall of thick tire smoke. As Dale Jr. slowed down in the midst of the murky mess, #5-Kyle Busch, who was running third, slammed hard into the Bud car from behind. Despite the damage, the Bud crew went to work on the red #8 machine, making repairs and keeping Dale Jr. on the lead lap despite multiple pit stops under the caution flag. The race ended for the Bud car on lap 288 when the engine imploded, resulting in a 36th-place finish.
    However, Dale Jr's day was not done, as a crewmember from Kyle Busch's crew interrupted Dale Jr's media session to ask if Driver #8 would step into the #5 car (the car that had smashed into his ownonly 30 minutes before) to finish the race after Busch had left the premises. Soon, Dale Jr. was being strapped into the Hendrick Motorsports car, and he completed the final 10 laps of the race, improving Busch's finishing position one spot ahead of Hendrick teammate #48-Jimmie Johnson. At the conclusion of the afternoon, Dale Jr. found his own car in 36th, and - for the first time ever - had driven a car other than the #8 Budweiser machine in a Nextel Cup event. Dale Jr. dropped to 18th place in the Nextel Cup standings, but is only 43 points out of the top-12.
    Dale Jr. was soon pulled from the media swarm to climb into the #5 car. After the race, the media throng again clamored for comments. What did the car drive like?: "Like it was wrecked." Why would you get in another car? "Because they asked me. I have some friends on that team - and I'll always jump at a chance to climb into someone else's car to see what it's like. They used to do that all the time back in the day. You'd have relief drivers getting into someone's car almost every week, so it was kinda like a step back into NASCAR history or something. Old school! It was cool."(fingerprintinc/Budweiser PR)(4-16-2007)

  • Cheez-It colors on the #5 at Texas: Kellogg Company's tasty baked snack cracker Cheez-It will adorn the hood of Kyle Busch's #5 Chevy Monte Carlo SS for Sunday's Nextel Cup Series event at Texas Motor Speedway. The Cheez-It logo will make another appearance at the California Speedway event later this season.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(4-12-2007)

  • Congrats: Kellogg's/CARQUEST crew member Kevin Hulstein took advantage of the off-weekend to marry his fiancée Nicole. Hulstein, a mechanic on the #5 team, is a native of Willmar, Minn., and has worked at Hendrick Motorsports since 2002.(Hendrick PR)(4-10-2007)

  • Gustafson Wins Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at Bristol: In a down-to-the-wire finish, Alan Gustafson led #5-Kyle Busch to a defining victory in the 15th annual Food City 500. Persevering through 500 laps of unpredictable racing on "the world's fastest half-mile," the young duo held off a late charge from Jeff Burton in a three-lap overtime sprint to the checkered flag. By the end of the green-white-checkered finish, the #5 Hendrick Motorsports team was rejoicing in its 21-year-old driver's 4th career NEXTEL Cup win and celebrating Chevrolet's 600th career NASCAR victory. Leading the way, Gustafson used every one of the race's 15 cautions to move the Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet to the front of the pack. His strategic decisions gave his team the competitive advantage and earned him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. A panel of voters, which included a member of the local media, Tony Eury Jr., Robbie Reiser, Kenny Francis and a Wypall Wipers representative, agreed that Alan Gustafson made the best calls and adjustments during the race. As the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race, Gustafson received $1,000. With the victory, he has moved into a tie for first place with Chip Bolin, Chad Knaus, Ryan Pemberton and Donnie Wingo, each with one win. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. For more information on Wypall Wipers or the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief Challenge, visit www.wypall.com.(Wypall PR)(3-28-2007)

  • Kyle Busch wins 1st COT race at Bristol: #5-Kyle Busch won the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway for his 1st win of the 2007 season, 4th career win and 200th NASCAR [Cup, Busch, Trucks] win. There was a green-white-checker finish after a late caution, with #5-Busch holding off a hard charging #31-Jeff Burton, who held on to 2nd, followed by #24-Gordon, #29-Harvick, #16-Biffle, #66-Green, #8-Earnhardt Jr, #07-Bowyer, #26-McMurray and #25-Mears. #20-Stewart led the most laps, but had a fuel system problem religated Stewart to a finish of 35th. #24-Gordon takes over the points lead from idle #01-Martin. There were 15 cautions for 90 laps and 10 drivers lead the race with 14 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Bristol Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Bristol page
    Race Rundown: see my Bristol Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(3-25-2007)

  • Hendrick going for 200th NASCAR win: Car owner Rick Hendrick now has 199 combined NASCAR victories: 151 at the NEXTEL Cup level, 23 in the Busch Series and 25 in the Craftsman Truck Series. The total includes a 1983 Busch Series win by the late Dale Earnhardt at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a car co-owned by Hendrick and Robert Gee.(HMS PR)(3-22-2007)

  • Kyle Busch visits school as part of Animal Ambassadors Program: Virginia Busch, president of the Sea World and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund teamed up today with Nextel Cup driver #5-Kyle Busch to present several unique and exotic animals to students at Luella Middle School in Locust Grove, Ga. Eighth-grade students got an up-close and personal look at a bald eagle, alligators, penguins, otters and more, all while learning about their ecosystems and how they can help protect them. Kyle Busch, who's #5 Busch Series Chevy will be sponsored by the Sea World and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, talked to the students about his racing career as well.(AMS PR/Hendrick Motorsports)(3-16-2007)

  • Kyle Busch helping raise money for Conservation Fund: The makers of Garden Safe brand products, which include a natural and organic lawn and garden care line, are planning a pair of promotions to benefit the non-profit SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. On March 15, Garden Safe brand products, the official lawn and garden partner of Busch Gardens, will kick off an in-store promotion at Lowe's locations nationwide. For each Garden Safe brand product purchased at Lowe's between March 15 and April 30, 2007, the makers of Garden Safe brand products will donate 50 cents to the Conservation Fund. The promotion coincides with the debut of a section at Lowe's stores dedicated to organic and alternative products, demonstrating the retailer's commitment to the environment. While consumers can affect the donation level in Lowe's stores, Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 Garden Safe/SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund Chevy, will have the opportunity to raise the charitable contribution on the race track. For every lap Busch completes on the lead lap in Saturday's Busch Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the makers of Garden Safe brand products will donate $100 to the Conservation Fund. If he and the #5 team win, they will double the $19,500 donation to $39,000. The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund will be showcased on the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy throughout Busch Series competition this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Featuring various endangered wildlife, the car demonstrates the fund's commitment to species research, animal rescue and rehabilitation, and conservation education. Garden Safe products are not sponsored or endorsed by the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. As with all consumer products, it is important to follow all product guidelines and usage instructions.
    ABOUT THE SEAWORLD & BUSCH GARDENS CONSERVATION FUND: The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, created in 2003 by the Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks, is a registered non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to supporting environmental and wildlife conservation initiatives around the world. Its primary areas of focus are habitat and species conservation, animal rescue and rehabilitation, and environmental education. Of donations made to the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, 100 percent benefit individuals and groups active in conservation or education. Administrative costs, including fund development, staff salaries, equipment and facilities, are borne by Busch Entertainment Corp. (BEC), the theme park division of Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. For additional information on the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, go to www.SWBG-ConservationFund.org.(3-15-2007)

  • Kyle Busch looks at ownership: #5-Kyle Busch started Kyle Busch Motorsports about three years ago near his home in Mooresville, N.C. The Las Vegas native says with a grin that the operation was started to help provide tax deductions. But it has turned into a growing business, and the beneficiary is Alex Haase, a 17-year-old junior at Centennial High School. Busch will sponsor Haase in the regional NASCAR Grand National West Division this year for a Southern California-based team that has a car formerly driven by current Cup driver David Gilliland. "This could translate into something bigger down the road," Busch said of race-team ownership status. He drives part time in the Craftsman Truck Series for owner Billy Bellew [#15-Bill Lester], and he might begin taking a bigger role with that team. "He's looking to step back and let me take over that deal," said Busch. Haase will run in all the Grand National West races and compete in the Super Late Models divisions at the LVMS Bullring and short track in Irwindale, Calif., when his West schedule allows. Busch said he plans to return to his hometown to compete in three Super Late Models races at the Bullring this year, two in the summer and one in the fall.(Las Vegas Review Journal)(3-10-2007)

  • Kyle Busch to fly with the Thunderbirds: #5-Kyle Busch will take a ride in an F-16 fighter jet on Wednesday with the Air Force Thunderbirds at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas Motor Speedway.(HMS PR)(3-6-2007)

  • Delphi to announce NASCAR plans at open house in Vegas UPDATE: Delphi Corp. will host a media open house on Monday, Jan. 8 from 3 - 5 p.m. at its exhibit at the Las Vegas Convention Center (#Exhibit 5206). Jeff Owens, president of Delphi Electronics & Safety and Francisco (Frank) A. Ordonez, president, Delphi Products & Service Solutions, will host the reception. Also hosting is: NASCAR driver Kyle Busch. Kyle will be on hand to sign autographs and meet fans. Along with Kellogg's, Delphi was a major associate sponsor of the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy driven by Busch during the past NASCAR season. Delphi will announce its 2007 sponsorship at the open house. During the event, a host of Delphi subject matter experts will be available for interviews and to demonstrate the new technologies.(Yahoo Biz)(12-21-2006)
    UPDATE: Delphi Product & Service Solutions announced today at a media reception held at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nev., that it will continue its major associate sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports during the 2007 NASCAR season. Nextel Cup Series driver Kyle Busch personally attended the reception to help kick-off yet another year with Delphi. An associate sponsor of all 2007 Hendrick Motorsports entries, Delphi will also be the primary sponsor of Busch's #5 Chevy in the Busch Series for five races. Delphi sponsored events in the Busch Series will include Las Vegas (March 10), Talladega (April 28), Daytona (July 6), Chicago (July 14), and Texas (Nov. 3). In addition, Delphi will receive preferred logo placement on both the #5 Chevy driven by Busch and the #25 Chevy of Casey Mears in select 2007 Nextel Cup Series races.(Yahoo Biz)(1-8-2007)

  • #5 looking for new car chief: been told that the #5 Hendrick Motorsports team that Kyle Busch drive for, is looking for a new car chief after Craig Smokstad left to go to the #83 Red Bull Racing team that Brian Vickers drive for.(1-3-2007)

  • New Driver for Hendrick Motorsports? Landon Cassill UPDATE: The Gazette [of Cedar Rapids Iowa] is reporting: Landon Cassill, a 17-year-old senior at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School, has signed a contract to drive for NASCAR's Hendrick Motorsports, he told The Gazette today [1/2/2007]. Cassill joins a powerhouse race team that includes Nextel Cup champions #48-Jimmie Johnson and #24-Jeff Gordon, as well as #5-Kyle Busch [and #25-Casey Mears]. "I feel really, really honored to be part of this organization," Cassill said. "I'm honored to be in such an elite group." it says to "See more of this story in Wednesday's Gazette."(The Gazette)
    AND Landon will move to North Carolina in March to begin working full time for Hendrick Motorsports.(kcrg.com), of note: Cassill can't drive in the NASCAR Cup, Busch or Truck series until he is 18 [July 7th] and since Hendrick Motorsports has four team in Nextel Cup [the limit], it won't be a full-time Nextel Cup ride, look for this to be a development program of some sort [ARCA, Trucks, Busch], also Cassill was part of the GM Racing Development Driver Evaluation program and made it to the final stages.(1-3-2007)
    MORE: Landon Cassill — most recently an ASA racer who surged from 30th to fourth in the October race at Iowa Speedway — will graduate high school in February and journey to Hendrick headquarters March 1, his father said. Roger Cassill said Landon has already tested cars for Hendrick, and his future role with the team will include more of that while he’s groomed as a developmental driver. Cassill said his son may test Gordon’s “Car of Tomorrow” next week. “Hendrick was really good about coming in and saying they think he’s got the talent and they are more interested in developing him rather than making a bunch of promises,” Cassill said. “If he’s not ready he’s not going to race. As soon as he’s ready, he’s going to race.”(Des Moines Register)(1-3-2007)
    UPDATE: Cassill will take part in two tests - one this month - while continuing to build a base of knowledge and experience. Hendrick Motorsports spokesman Jesse Essex said Cassill is the only driver with the organization other than defending Cup champion Johnson, four-time series champ Gordon, Busch and Mears. Cassill's progress toward a possible behind-the-wheel NASCAR career will be measured in baby steps. "Right now we're solely focused on seat time," Essex said.(Des Moines Register)(1-5-2007)

    Past 2006 News

  • Kyle Busch and #5 team featured in Dub: Kyle Busch and his #5 Kellogg's Chevrolet team are featured in the October 2006 issue of DUB magazine, on newsstands now. DUB is a leading automotive lifestyle publication.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(10-18-2006)

  • Kyle Busch inducted into Walk of Fame: #5-Kyle Busch, the defending champion of the Sony HD 500, took his place on the California Speedway Walk of Fame on Saturday, and he did it in his own unique way. The walkway includes the footprints of previous race winners. Busch went barefoot. "Pretty cool," he said. Busch, 21, became the Nextel Cup's youngest winner when he took the checkered flag at Fontana a year ago. At the time, he said he didn't realize he set the milestone when he won at the age of 20 years, 4 months and 2 days. "We made it by three days," he said."I've got taken out of races here, but I've won races here, for me it's something cool to come out here. I like racing on the West Coast anyway. It's a fun place to race."(Press Enterprise)(9-3-2006)

  • Walk of Fame for Kyle Busch: #5-Kyle Busch will be inducted into the Walk of Fame at California Speedway for his record-breaking win in the September 2005 NEXTEL Cup race there. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 12 p.m. local time at Gate 12.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(9-1-2006)

  • Foamy mess at Hendrick hanger: Maintenance workers at Hendrick Motorsports have a foamy mess to clean up at the company’s airline hanger after the building's fire extinguishing system activated. The foam covered Hendrick aircraft inside the hanger at Concord Regional Airport and workers used fans, shovels and cardboard boxes to push the foam out. The building holds about 1,200 gallons of the foam and firefighters estimated that 500 to 700 gallons of the foam discharged. The foam does not pose any environmental impact and can be dissipated with water, firefighters said. Firefighters have not determined how the system was tripped. The aircrafts were not damaged.(WCNC.com)(8-31-2006)

  • Kyle Busch's Team Claims Pit Crew Win at Indy: Kyle Busch's #5 Kellogg's pit crew earned its fourth win of the season in the weekly Checkers / Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, moving them into a tie with Jimmie Johnson's pit crew for first-place in the season-long contest. "My crew worked on my car all day long making major adjustments," offered Busch. "We missed it in qualifying and had a terrible pit stall selection for the guys to work with. They dealt with it, gave me awesome stops and got me positions on the track with each stop." Busch's over-the-wall team spent just 230.550 seconds on pit lane during Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. This is the crew's second win in the last three NEXTEL Cup events-they also took top honors in the July 16 race at New Hampshire International Raceway. "I think Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) told the team at the start of the race over the radios, 'heroes don't make a team, a team makes heroes,' and that's what we have been rolling with," said Busch. Checkers/Rally's will present the team with the weekly $10,500 check awarded to the crew that spends the least amount of time on pit road each week. In addition, a $105,000 bonus will be rewarded to the season champion at the completion of the 36-race NEXTEL Cup schedule. Busch's over-the-wall team includes: Rick Pigeon (jackman), Jeremy "JD" Holcomb (front-tire carrier), DJ Richardson (front-tire changer), Jason Jones (rear-tire carrier), Josh Kirk (rear-tire changer), Brad Pickens (gasman), Jason Dalrymple (catch can), and Whit Satterwhite (eighth-man). The pit crew coach is Mark Mauldin.
    The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(8-9-2006)

  • Kyle Busch's Crew Takes Top Honors in New Hampshire : Kyle Busch's over-the-wall crew had two reasons to celebrate when they left New Hampshire International Speedway Sunday. Not only did Busch win the NEXTEL Cup event, but his #5 Kellogg's pit crew also took top honors in the weekly Checkers®/Rally's® Double Drive-Thru Challenge. "The Kellogg's guys worked their tails off in New Hampshire," said Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the #5 team. "They had flawless pit stops and never lost focus all day long. It was one of the hottest days we've had on pit road and they just went out there and did their job. The #5 team deserves respect because they are a great pit crew. I'm proud of how hard they work and they deserve this reward." This is the third Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season for Busch's team, which is now tied with Tony Stewart's crew for second place in the season-long competition. Jimmie Johnson's crew leads with four victories. "My guys did it for me in New Hampshire," said Busch. "They were on the money every stop. Alan (Gustafson) made great calls and I just can't say enough because it was a total team effort, right down to the guys who build the cars and motors back at Hendrick Motorsports." Busch's over-the-wall team, out of the Hendrick Motorsports stable, spent 133.356 seconds on pit road to claim the win. The group includes: Rick Pigeon (jackman), Jeremy "JD" Holcomb (front-tire carrier), DJ Richardson (front-tire changer), Jason Jones (rear-tire carrier), Josh Kirk (rear-tire changer), Brad Pickens (gasman), Jason Dalrymple (catch can), and Whit Satterwhite (eighth-man). The pit crew coach is Mark Mauldin. Busch's crew collected $10,500 for the win. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season of rewarding pit crews, the unsung heroes in the Nextel Cup Series. The competition awards $10,500 per week to the top pit crew. In addition, the pit crew with the most wins will be awarded a $105,000 bonus at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(7-18-2006)

  • Kyle Busch wins at Loudon: #5-Kyle Busch dominated late and won the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway, for his 1st win of the year and 3rd of his career. A late race caution caused the race to go into "overtime", for eight additional laps, causing three drivers who were running in the top-5 with 3 laps to go to run out of gas [#11-Hamlin, #41-Sorenson and #38-Sadler], #99-Edwards finished 2nd, followed by #16-Biffle, #6-Martin & #29-Harvick. Rounding out the top-10 were #11-Hamlin, #31-Burton, #9-Kahne, #48-Johnson & #10-Riggs. #20-Stewart was leading early in the race and got tangled up with #12-Newman who was 2 laps down at the point, sending Stewart into the wall and out of contention, Stewart's team got the car fixed and he finished 37th, but is now out of the Chase and 11th in points. Newman, who won the pole, had another incident on the track and ended up 39th after the team made repairs. #48-Johnson's points lead increases a tad to 68 over #17-Kenseth. #8-Earnahrdt Jr. lost an engine just after midway and finished dead last 43rd after running in the top-10 up to that point. There were 21 lead changes among 11 drivers and 11 cautions for 49 laps.
    Race Results on my Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points page.
    Race Rundown: see my Loudon Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race penalties, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(7-16-2006)

  • Cheez-It on the #5 at Daytona: Kyle Busch's #5 Chevy will carry a Cheez-It design in Saturday night's Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway. The familiar "Tony the Tiger" paint scheme will be replaced with red, blue and yellow flames surrounding the well-known Cheez-It logo.(Hendrick Motor Sports PR), have not found an image of the scheme yet.(6-30-2006)

  • Carquest scheme on #5 at Pocono:: Kyle Busch's # Chevy will carry the colors of Carquest Auto Parts this weekend at Pocono Raceway. It will mark the second outing of 2006 for the Carquest paint scheme, which will appear later this season at Chicagoland Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.(Hendrick Motorsports), see image on my #5 Team Schemes page,(6-9-2006)

  • Kyle Busch Fined, Placed on Probation by NASCAR; Mayfield Penalized: NASCAR announced that Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 Kellogg's Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports, has been fined, penalized points and placed on probation because of a rule infraction this past Sunday during the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Busch was in violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the NASCAR Rule Book. He disobeyed a directive from a NASCAR official, entered the racing surface without authorization and threw an object at another competitor’s car during the event. He has been fined $50,000, penalized 25 Driver Championship points and placed on probation until Dec. 31. The infraction also resulted in car owner Rick Hendrick being penalized 25 Owner Championship points.
    In addition, the #19 Dodge team was found to be in violation of Section 12-4-A, 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and Section 20-12.8.1A (roof height too low in post-race inspection). That infraction resulted in crew chief Chris Andrews being fined $35,000, driver Jeremy Mayfield losing 25 driver points and car owner Ray Evernham losing 25 owner points.
    Also, Don Richardson, crew member on the #5 Chevrolet team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. He violated 12-4-A, because of improper use of a NASCAR credential.(NASCAR PR)(5-31-2006)

  • Busch/Mayfield Penalties to be announced Wed? NASCAR typically issues penalties on Tuesday, but today they delayed action on possible sanctions for both Kyle Busch and the Evernham Motorsports #19 Dodge driven by Jeremy Mayfield. #5-Busch, who drew NASCAR’s ire earlier this year at Phoenix for ramming #42-Casey Mears’ car during a red flag, threw his HANS device at Mears after the two collided Sunday night in the Coca-Cola 600. Mayfield’s car failed the postrace inspection in the same race when it came up one-eighth of an inch too low in the roof height measurement test.(Speed Channel)(5-31-2006)

  • Kellogg's, Carquest Extend with Hendrick as Co-Primary sponsors MORE: Kellogg Co. and CARQUEST Auto Parts today announced a unique three-year agreement with Hendrick Motorsports that secures the two companies as co-primary sponsors of the #5 Chevys driven by Kyle Busch in the Nextel Cup Series. Financial terms were not disclosed. Kicking off in 2007, the co-primary platform is a unique approach to NASCAR team branding. Aside from rotating Kellogg and CARQUEST logo placements on the vehicle's hood and quarter-panels, the base blue, yellow and red paint scheme of the #5 Chevys will remain unchanged throughout the racing season, allowing sponsor-partners to build broader equity in the team itself. Different from a "paint-out," where teams circulate various brand-specific car designs on a limited-event basis, the co-primary strategy allots premium logo locations to a pair of brands while providing the NASCAR audience a consistent visual identity. "This 'co-primary' approach delivers extra value to each sponsor because both are represented in a significant way at each race," said Patrick Perkins, Hendrick Motorsports' director of marketing. "By maintaining a standard design throughout the entire season, fans can more easily follow and connect with the team." For more information, visit Kellogg's web site at kelloggcompany.com and for CARQUEST Auto Parts, visit www.CARQUEST.com.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(5-26-2006)
    UPDATE/IMAGE: In announcing sponsorship for the #5 Nextel Cup car by Carquest and Kellogg's through 2009, Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said he also is hoping to lock up driver Kyle Busch for even longer. Busch is under contract through 2008 after the team acted on a two-year option.(SceneDaily.com), and see an image of the schemes on my #5 Team Schemes page.(5-29-2006)

  • Kyle Busch fined for traffic infraction: #5-Kyle Busch was fined $150 plus court costs after being found guilty of improper driving this morning in Henrico General District Traffic Court. Busch was originally ticketed for reckless driving after an incident near the corner of South Laburnum Avenue and Williamsburg Road on April 12. He appeared in court this morning with attorney Toby Vick and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(5-23-2006)

  • #5 Team Takes PIt Crew Honors at Darlington: Kyle Busch's over-the-wall crew won its second Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Saturday's Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway. Busch's crew, which spent 350.021 seconds on pit road during the NEXTEL Cup event, is now in a four-way tie for first place in the season-long competition. The crews of Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler and Jimmie Johnson also have two wins each. Busch's #5 Kellogg's Chevrolet team consists of: Rick Pigeon (jackman), Jeremy "JD" Holcomb (front-tire carrier), DJ Richardson (front-tire changer), Jason Jones (rear-tire carrier), Josh Kirk (rear-tire changer), Brad Pickens (gasman), Jason Dalrymple (catch can), and Whit Satterwhite (eighth-man). The team's crew chief is Alan Gustafson and the pit crew coach is Mark Mauldin. Busch's over-the-wall crew, part of the Hendrick Motorsports stable, will be awarded the weekly $10,500 prize. A bonus of $105,000 will be presented by Checkers/Rally's to the team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(5-17-2006)

  • NASCAR Looking at Kyle Busch - Mears incident UPDATE no penalties: #5-Kyle Busch didn't have much to say and #42-Casey Mears probably didn't feel there was much to say about Busch's running into Mears under the red flag following their accident on lap 100 of the Nextel Cup race Saturday. Busch was mad at Mears over the accident in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and showed his displeasure with the light tap. Busch was about 45 laps down when he returned to the race and NASCAR held him five laps for rough driving, but Busch would have finished in the same position with or without the five-lap penalty. NASCAR will revisit the issue this week to determine whether any additional penalties are warranted. After meeting with NASCAR officials in the hauler following the race, Busch left the track without commenting to reporters, and Mears, frustrated with his car even before the Busch tap, was atypically terse. "I'm not really worried about Kyle," Mears said. When asked if he was surprised Busch hit him during the red flag, Mears replied: "I'm not surprised with anything he does."(SceneDaily.com)(4-24-2006)
    UPDATE: NASCAR has decided it will neither fine nor take points away from #5-Kyle Busch for running into the back of #42-Casey Mears during the red flag period of last Saturday's Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, according to NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp. NASCAR officials met with Busch following the race and Tharp indicated on Tuesday that NASCAR now considers the issue closed. After leaving the hauler, Alan Gustafson, Busch's crew chief, said he hoped the team would not get a penalty. "[NASCAR said] just that we need to respect the red flag, and I agree with them," Busch's crew chief, Alan Gustafson, said after leaving the hauler. "he #1 priority in that situation is the safety of other people and that's what we've got to worry about."(SceneDaily.com)(4-25-2006)

  • Special Look for the pole winning car at Phoenix: To commemorate Kyle Busch's 50th Nextel Cup start, the #5 Hensdrick Motorsports Chevy will sport a new color combination at Phoenix. The car, a joint venture between Hendrick Motorsports sponsors Kellogg's, CARQUEST Auto Parts and Delphi, will feature primary colors of blue, yellow and red. The CARQUEST shield will adorn the hood, with the Kellogg's logo on the quarter panels and Delphi oval on the deck-lid. The familiar Kellogg's paint scheme will return next week at Talladega.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(4-21-2006)

  • Kyle Busch gets a ticket UPDATE 3: CBS 6 [Richmond VA] has learned NASCAR driver Kyle Busch was pulled over Wednesday night in Henrico County [Richmond VA] for reckless driving. The incident happened around 10 o'clock at Laburnum and Route 60 in the East End. Ironically, Busch just talked to the media Tuesday at RIR about NASCAR's new "Focus on Driving Campaign," which is aimed at limiting distractions for teens behind the wheel. Busch was in Richmond taking part in a nextel cup testing session this week. Busch is just 20 years old himself [turns 21 on May 2nd] and the defending Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year. Police won't go into specifics about the incident bu say that alcohol was not involved and there was no property damage. Busch is scheduled to appear in court on May 23rd.(wtvr.com)(4-13-2006)
    UPDATE: The misdemeanor charge carries up to a year in jail, a $2,500 fine and a driver's license suspension, said Sgt. Don Lambert, with Henrico County police. The charge also calls for a mandatory court appearance; Busch will appear in Henrico County General District Court on May 23. Lambert said the incident happened at 10 p.m. near Richmond International Airport, a few minutes outside the city. Neither speed nor alcohol was a factor, though Lambert would not provide further details. Henrico County authorities said Busch, who lives in Mooresville, N.C., was cooperative.(ESPN.com/AP)
    UPDATE 2: Busch and two other crew members were in a rental car on their way to the airport. They were near the airport when Kyle squealed the tires. They then pulled into a KFC to get something to eat when a cop pulled them over and told him squealing the tires wasn't a good thing to do and Busch agreed. He was very cooperative. There is no police report. He received a citation. There was no burnout and no donuts in a parking lot. Busch is scheduled to address the situation in the media center at Nashville at 4:30pm central time.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(4-14-2006)
    UPDATE 3 - Busch's comment's: #5-Kyle Busch said Friday that he was charged with reckless driving Wednesday in Richmond, Va., after he "chirped" the tires of his rental car while leaving a gas station. He said he then went about 20 feet and turned into a fast-food restaurant to order food to go. He was in the drive-through lane when he first noticed the blue lights in his mirror. "It could happen to anybody," he said, adding that he's unsure whether he'll appeal his case in court. Busch, 20, said he held no ill will toward the officer who stopped him. "I have the utmost respect for law enforcement in general," he said. "They're just trying to do their job."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution and see more at the Richmond Times-Dispatch)(4-15-2006)

  • #5 tested at Caraway: #5 Crew chief Alan Gustafson has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis #263 for Sunday's race at Martinsville. The Kellogg's team tested the car, which saw action in both Martinsville events in 2005, on March 22 at Caraway Speedway, a .455-mile oval in Asheboro, N.C.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(3-29-2006)

  • Kyle Busch considering cutting back Busch Series starts? #5-Kyle Busch says he may reconsider his plans to run both the Nextel Cup and Busch Series. Busch has run well in the Cup series, currently sitting eighth in points, but his other effort has been less stellar. He's 18th in the standings in the Busch Series entering today's race [he ended up winning the Busch Series race at Bristol]. Asked if there had been any discussion of cutting back his Busch schedule, the driver said it hasn't been talked about yet - but that such a change would not surprise him.(SceneDaily.com)(3-26-2006)

  • Kyle and Stewart talk..again: Behind the Hauler Talk with Kyle Busch, #5 Kellogg's Chevy: Atlanta Motor Speedway:
    WHAT'S THE SITUATION BETWEEN YOU AND TONY STEWART RIGHT NOW?
    "I called him this week. We talked a little bit on the phone. It was a good conversation. A civil one. We just both talked about what I aggravated him with last week at Las Vegas and we both decided to elect on moving along and coming here to Atlanta and seeing how we can race out the rest of the year."
    WELL, WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM?
    "It's like he said. It wasn't quite 80 laps to go. It was more like 65. But I was holding him up a little bit. I was trying to preserve my race car and my position on the race track for the last pit stop. A lot of these guys say you don't race until after the last pit stop, but you'd rather come into the pits third for the last pit stop and have a chance to get out leading than come in eighth and only be able to get out third. So I was trying to preserve my position a little bit and try to get a better spot for my guys to have an easier job on pit road."
    DID TONY STEWART GIVE YOU ANY ADVICE THAT WAS HELPFUL?
    "Oh, just trying to discuss how to race and how you race the race track. You'll see this weekend that this place definitely won't be anywhere near what Las Vegas was. At this place, you've got so many different grooves. You can run all over this place. The race track is old and aged. You have to race the race track here. It's worse than Darlington almost. It's a pretty bad place where you're not going to see a whole lot of side-by-side and bumper-tagging."
    DOES TONY STEWART UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM?
    "He did and he didn't. He had a sense of yeah, okay that makes sense. But still, I don't care. He's in his race car trying to run his race and I'm in my race car trying to run my race. Sometimes, conflicts connect and you have that."
    DID YOU COME AROUND TO HIS WAY OF THINKING OR DO YOU STILL BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE IN THE RIGHT?
    "There are a bunch of different scenerios. If you look at a 400 lap say at Dover, you're going to let people go for probably 300 laps or so and then in the last 100, you're not because you've got to plan yourself for your last pit stop. And then you've got to get out of the last pit stop and race to the end. It's different situations everywhere you go. I saw his point, but I also saw my point as well."
    DO YOU THINK YOU DID ANYTHING WRONG?
    "To answer your question in the fullest extent, I didn't do anything wrong. I was just racing my own race; racing my own race car."
    WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH TONY STEWART RIGHT NOW..ON THE TRACK?
    "On the track? Probably not very good. But as far as off the race track, once he takes his helmet off, he's a completely different person. You're able to talk to him and be receptive of him. It's good to be able to have that relationship off the race track, I guess."(in part from the GM Racing PR)(3-17-2006)

  • Kyle Busch speaks about Mexico: #5-Kyle Busch admitted he lost patience last weekend in Mexico City when he and #15-Michel Jourdain Jr. got together while racing for the lead on lap 54. "I lost a little bit of that (patience) last weekend in trying to get back to the lead. I was worried too much about what was going on behind me. I knew Denny (Hamlin) was fast. I knew Boris Said was fast. I tried to get to the lead so I could try to pull away. But knowing there would be more cautions at the end of the race, I should have known better." Busch says he and big brother Kurt talked about it this week while running four-wheelers on the Nevada sand dunes.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(3-10-2006)

  • Ice Age II on the #5 at Vegas: Kyle Busch's #5 Chevy will sport an "Ice Age: The Meltdown" paint scheme in this weekend's NEXTEL Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The film will premiere March 31 in theaters across the country.(Hendrick Motorsports PR), see an image of the car on my #5 Team Schemes page.(3-9-2006)

  • Stewart and Kyle Busch settle: - Kyle Busch said he and Tony Stewart hashed out their differences last weekend prior to the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. Stewart had criticized Busch's driving ability after the Daytona 500. Busch said Saturday prior to qualifying for the Telcel-Motorola Mexico 200 that he and Stewart have cleared the air. "I was able to talk with him and get it over with and get it behind both of us," Busch said. "We were able to race against each other a little bit on Sunday and gave each other plenty of room, which was cool. We waved and said, 'Thank you' as we were passing each other. ... There's plenty more times throughout the year where I know we'll be racing and hopefully we can just keep it the way we did Sunday."(SceneDaily.com)(3-5-2006)

  • #5 Team featured on Frosted Flakes box: In commemoration of the #5 Kellogg's team bringing home two wins and Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in 2005, Kellogg Company has packaged more than six million boxes of Frosted Flakes featuring driver Kyle Busch on the front. The special edition box also highlights "A Triumph of Teamwork," with members of the #5 Kellogg's crew showcased on the back. The packaging will hit stores throughout the United States, Canada and United Kingdom in the coming weeks.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(2-24-2006)

  • Hendrick offer bonus for The Chase: Hendrick Motorsports Team owner Rick Hendrick said he will split a $1,248,525 bonus between his four full-time teams if they qualify, figuring to increase his odds of winning the title. Last season Roush Racing placed its five Fords in the 10-race playoff among the top 10 drivers. Hendrick's lone qualifier, Jimmie Johnson, finished fifth. "We're thankful for what we've done, but that doesn't count," Hendrick said Wednesday during the media tour of Nextel Cup garages. "We're hungry for another championship here. We want to win Busch and Cup titles, we want to all be in the Chase, we have bonuses, we have coins that say all four are in the Chase ..." The bonus amount is comprised of the car numbers of four-time champ Jeff Gordon (24), Johnson (48), '05 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch (5) and Brian Vickers (25).(USA Today)(1-26-2006)

  • #5 Paint Scheme plans: hearing that Kyle Busch will run a few paint schemes in 2006 besides the normal Kellogg's scheme. At Las Vegas, Busch will run the Ice Age 2 [movie] scheme. Will run a movie scheme from "Car" at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. Cheez-It at Daytona in July. Carquest Auto Parts schemes at Darlington, both Pocono races, Chicago and Texas in November. Delphi at Texas in April, Indy, Michigan in August and Lowe's Motor Speedway in October.(1-17-2006)

    Past 2005 News

  • Busch wins 2005 ROTY: Kyle Busch in the #5 Kelloggs Chevy clinched the 2005 Raybesto Rookie of Year at Homestead, beating out #77-Travis Kvapil, who was the only other full-time rookie driver. Busch racked up two wins, one pole, nine top-fives and 13 top 10 finishes this season. He claimed Raybestos Rookie of the Race 23 times in 36 races and was the only Raybestos Rookie to post a top-five finish this season. Busch joins Jeff Gordon (1993) as the only Hendrick Motorsports drivers to win Raybestos Rookie of the Year. He is the first Raybestos Rookie to post two or more wins since Jimmie Johnson won three races in 2002. Busch became the youngest pole winner in NASCAR's premier series (19 yrs., 9 mos. and 24 days) when he grabbed the #1 qualifying spot for the February 27 Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. He is also the most recent Raybestos Rookie to win a pole and is the only first-year driver to win a pole in 2005. Where the Raybestos Rookies finished at Homestead: T. Kvapil 32nd; K. Busch 41st.(Raybestos/Camp and Assoc PR), also, Busch became the youngest race winner in NASCAR's premier series when he won at California in Sept. beating out Donald Thomas who was 20 yrs, 4 months, 6 days old when he won at Lakeland in 1952, Busch was 20 yr, 4 months, 2 days old.(11-21-2005)

  • Kyle Busch admits mistake: #5-Kyle Busch attempted to mend fences with the media on Saturday, six days after abruptly walking out of the post-race winner's news conference at Phoenix. Last Sunday when a reporter challenged Busch's comment that the media had spread misinformation surrounding his brother Kurt Busch's reckless driving charge, the #5 Chevrolet driver stormed out of the question-and-answer session, only to return 25 minutes later. "I made a mistake, and I realize that," Kyle Busch said on Saturday. "Everything that was said was [during] a high emotion time. All the speculation and everything else, it was just a bad time for me."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(11-20-2005)

  • Kyle Busch wins at Phoenix: #5-Kyle Busch won the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway for his 2nd win of 2005 and his career. Busch is the 4th 'Lucky Dog' driver to win a race, he was a lap doen when he had a tire go down early in the race and got the Lucky Dog pass on the next caution. So even with Kurt Busch suspendced and not in the race, he Busch brothers swept the races at Phoenix in 2005, Kurt winning the spring event. #16-Greg Biffle dominated early in the race and led 189 of the 312 laps but came up short and finished 2nd. #24-Jeff Gordon finished 3rd and is still winless at Phoenix. #20-Tony Stewart finished 4th and increased his points lead to 52 over #48-Jimmie Johnson, who finished 7th. #18-Bobby Labonte rounded out the top-5. #7-Robby Gordon put his DEI to good use and finished 8th for his 2nd top-10 of the season and #77-Travis Kvapil finished 10th for his 2nd top 10. #97-Kenny Wallace [that looks weird] subbed for suspended Kurt Busch and finished 16th. #11-Denny Hamlin, the pole sitter, led 23 laps and finished 13th. Four drivers are still eligible for the 2005 Nextel Cup Champion [as long as Stewart runs the race]: #20-Stewart (leader), #48-Johnson (-52), #99-Edwards (-87), #16-Biffle (-102). If Stewart finished 9th of better, nothing any other driver can do to stop Stewart from winning it at Homestead. There were only 9 cautions for 44 laps and 5 drivers led laps with 10 lead changes.
    For my race rundown, laps led, DNF's, caution info, Lucky Dogs and some notes, see my Phoenix Race Info/Rundown Page.
    For race results and awards, and other site links, see my
  • Jayski's Phoenix Race Results/Awards page.(11-13-2005)

  • Brothers Sweep, first since 1976: Kyle Busch won Sunday’s race at PIR, while brother Kurt took the spring race here. That makes them the first brothers to sweep both Cup races at one track in a single season since Donnie and Bobby Allison turned the trick in 1978 at Atlanta.(Speed Channel)(11-14-2005)

  • Kyle Busch walks out on press conference: There were two post-race press conferences for the winner at Phoenix. #5-Kyle Busch ended the first one abruptly when he found questions about dealing with his older brother’s problems tiresome. After a lapse of about a half hour, the race winner returned and clarified his position. “The only thing out there for us to do is acknowledge the contents of the police report and whatever Kurt Busch will say or release at a later time,” he said.(Gaston Gazette)
    AND In the PIR infield media center for the traditional winner’s interview, Kyle was queried about his emotions on the day when his brother was suspended following an encounter with local police Friday night. “The only thing I’m going to say is I’m behind my brother 100 percent and usually things in the media are false and that’s what it comes down to sometimes,” Kyle said. Soon after, USA Today reporter Chris Jenkins asked, “Kyle, what specifically has the media written this weekend that’s been false about your brother?”
    “I’m not going there, bud,” Kyle replied. “That was a really, really inappropriate question.” He then got up and stormed out of the media center, only to return some 15 minutes later.(Speed Channel)(11-14-2005)

  • Why no burnout at Phoenix? #5-Kyle Busch wasn't pleased with the second victory celebration of his Nextel Cup career. "I just want to apologize to all the fans for not doing my normal smoky burnouts," he told an estimated crowd of 105,000 from victory lane. "NASCAR wanted me to come directly to victory lane."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(11-14-2005)

  • Hendrick unsure about attending Martinsville: Car owner Rick Hendrick won't decide until Sunday whether he’ll travel to Martinsville for the Subway 500 cup race. It was one year ago this weekend when a Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed into Bull mountain near Martinsville while attempting to land in foggy conditions.10 people lost their lives, including his son Ricky, brother John and head engine builder Randy Dorton. Hendrick told PRN'S Garagepass; “I’ve learned since the accident that I have to take things day by day. I can have three or four days great and then I’ll get really down and thinking about things. It could be somebody’s birthday or Ricky’s daughter comes over to the house or whatever and it just unleashes a lot of emotions so I just try not to make too many plans. I want to go back to support the guys and I also feel like you just can’t run from it. But, if that morning if it doesn’t feel right then I won’t go.”(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(10-20-2005)

  • Kyle Busch testing at Homestead/Texas: Busch and his #5 Kellogg's Racing team will test at Homestead, Fla., on Wednesday [Oct 19th] in preparation for the Nov. 20 NEXTEL Cup season finale. The team will also hold a two-day test Oct. 25-26 at the Texas Motor Speedway to warm up for the Nov. 6 event there.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(10-19-2005)

  • Get Well: Chris "Sunshine" Heroy, a race engineer with the #5 Hendrick Motorsports team, recovering from an emergency appendectomy a couple of days ago.(10-15-2005)

  • Delphi in trouble: Last Saturday’s bankruptcy filing by Delphi Corp., the nation’s largest auto supplier, may well have ripple effects in the Nextel Cup garage. Delphi, a major associate sponsor for Hendrick Motorsports, is seeking wage and pension reductions from its union employees. In large bankruptcy filings such as Delphi’s, a committee of creditors works with a federal judge to decide how assets are distributed during the reorganization. Non-essential expenses — such as race-team sponsorships — typically don’t survive the bankruptcy process. A Hendrick representative said Thursday she did not know how the Delphi bankruptcy might affect the team.(Speed Channel)(10-14-2005)

  • OT to be paid: Hendrick Motorsports will pay more than $350,000 in back overtime wages to employees after an investigation found the racing company violated federal labor laws. The company, which designs, builds and races cars in NASCAR, acknowledged it failed to pay 214 salaried production workers $351,783 in overtime between July 2003 and July 2005. The U.S. Labor Department said it determined Hendrick violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. "We certainly wanted to make sure our employees received any compensation to which they were entitled, so we were glad to make the appropriate payments," Hendrick spokesman Jesse Essex told The Associated Press on Saturday in an e-mail. "We've updated our internal policies and do not anticipate any ongoing issues."(ESPN.com/AP)(10-2-2005)

  • #48/#5 too high in post race inspection at Dover? UPDATE: been told that the winning #48 Chevy that Jimmie Johnson drove to victory at Dover didn't meet the height reqiurements in post-race inspection and supposedly the #5 Chevy was too high also. #5-Busch finished a very close 2nd. Hearing the height was over 3/4" off in the rear of the cars. It was mentioned during the race broadcast that the two cars sat higher then other cars on the track. Was told that it was reported to the media that all cars passed inspection, not sure if their is a shock issue or if fines will be handed out, Tuesday is usually the day NASCAR announces such things [except for after New Hampshire last week]. The #5 team was fined back in March for having the quarter panels too high at Las Vegas and the #48 was fined after Vegas for being too low with Johnson winning and Busch finishing 2nd.(9-27-2005)
    UPDATE: For the second time this season, a cloud hovers over a 1-2 finish by Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. The shock absorbers from six cars, including those of Johnson and Busch, were confiscated after Sunday's race at Dover. They were taken for testing to see if they are in compliance with NASCAR rules. Johnson won the event and took the lead in the chase for the Cup championship as Busch finished a close second. Their shocks were taken after their cars had trouble passing post-race inspection. Johnson and Busch had a 1-2 finish tainted at Las Vegas when the rear of Johnson's car was too low and the right-rear of Busch's car was too high during post-race checks. Shocks were also confiscated at Dover from the cars of Penske Racing teammates Ryan Newman and Rusty Wallace; and the Roush Racing cars of Mark Martin and Greg Biffle. Of the six, only Busch is not among drivers in the championship chase.(High Point Enterprise)(9-28-2005)

  • Hendrick was nervous: Car owner Rick Hendrick watched nervously from his home the final laps of the race at Dover recovering from a touch of the flu; however that didn’t stop him from getting word to his rookie driver #5-Kyle Busch prior to racing teammate #48-Jimmie Johnson for the win. “I called Doug Duchardt (V.P. of Development) and I said give Alan Gustafson (Busch’s crew chief) a message…tell him to tell Kyle not to do anything stupid…(laughs) Then when the flag dropped on the green, white, checkered I said evidently he didn’t get the message. So, Monday morning I said, you didn’t get my message? Kyle said…I got it….I wasn’t on him…I didn’t touch him! I said, well it was too close for me. But it was good race and a good result.”(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(9-28-2005)

  • Kyle Busch on Oprah [..Uma?] Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 Kellogg's Chevrolets, is scheduled to be a guest on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" Friday, Sept. 23. Check local listings for stations and times.(9-17-2005)

  • Last time Brothers won, back-to-back? Kyle Busch won last week at California Speedway and brother Kurt Busch won the race at Richmond this week, becoming hte first brothers to win races back-to-back since August 1995 when Bobby Labonte won at Michigan and the following week Terry Labonte won at Bristol.(9-11-2005)

  • Gustafson Wins Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at California: Alan Gustafson helped #5-Kyle Busch set a new standard in NASCAR racing. At only 20 years of age, Busch became the youngest driver to win a Nextel Cup event, after taking the checkered flag in the Sony HD TV 500. The duo's record breaking weekend earned Gustafson the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. The pivotal moment of the race came on lap 242 when the drivers came in for their final round of pit stops. Only 12 laps remained in the event, still Gustafson called Busch into the pits for fresh tires. Nearly everyone followed suit. Although he was planning to take four Goodyears, Gustafson made the last second call for only two tires and sent Busch on his way after the crew changed his right-sides. That put Busch out front for the final restart.
    The panel of voters; including Gregg Patton of the Press-Enterprise, a Wypall Wipers representative and Robbie Reiser.; all agreed that Gustafson deserved crew chief of the race honors.
    Doug Richert leads the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year standings with five wins. Alan Gustafson is in second place with three wins. Bob Osborne, Greg Zipadelli and Robbie Loomis are tied for third place with two wins. Tommy Baldwin, Scott Miller, Fatback McSwain, Steve Hmiel, Jimmy Fennig, Greg Erwin, Slugger Labbe, Robbie Reiser and Pete Rondeau are in a tie for fourth place, each with one win. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000. Fans can also vote for their choice at wypall.com.(SMC 500)(8-29-2005)

  • Kyle Busch as 1st time winner: #5-Kyle Busch won the Sony HD 500 at California Speedway, for his first ever Nextel Cup win and becoming the youngest driver ever to win a race in the Cup Series, Donald Thomas was 20 yrs, 4 months, 6 days old when he won at Lakeland in 1952, Busch is 20 yr, 4 months, 2 days old. Busch led 95 of the 250 laps. Busch is also the 14th driver to win a race in Cup, Busch and Truck Series and eighth to win a race and a pole in each series. #16-Greg Biffle was 2nd, followed by #25-Brian Vickers, #99-Carl Edwards and #20-Tony Stewart. #21-Ricky Rudd, starting last after missing practice and qualifying, finished 9th. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost an engine late in the race finishing 38th and is now official out of the chase. #17-Matt Kenseth finished 7th and is now in the top-10 in points and currently in the chase as is #42-Jamie McMurray who finished 8th. #12-Ryan Newman and #24-Jeff Gordon fell out of the top-10 and out of the chase.
    For race results and links, see Jayski's California Race Results Page.(9-4-2005)

  • #5 Team 'testing' 2006 scheme at MIS: With paint schemes sometimes looking much different on paper than they do on the race track, Kellogg's has elected to field a potential 2006 car design this weekend at Michigan. A final decision on the '06 version of the No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolets will be based on how the car looks from the grandstands and on TNT's television broadcast.(Hendrick Motorsports PR), have seen no image yet.(8-19-2005)

  • Kyle Busch Fined, Placed on Probation for Watkins Glen Infraction: NASCAR announced today that Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 Chevy in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, has been fined $10,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31 for an infraction last week at Watkins Glen International. Busch was fined for hitting another competitor’s car [#37 Lazzaro] after the completion of the race, a violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book.(NASCAR PR)(8-17-2005)

  • Special scheme for Busch at Daytona: Kyle Busch's #5 Chevrolet will sport a special paint scheme under the lights at Daytona. The red and blue car will feature the Cheez-it logo on the hood in Saturday night's Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway.(Hendrick Motorsports)(6-28-2005)

  • New Co-Host for Inside Nextel Cup: Kyle Busch will co-host Inside NEXTEL Cup on July 4, joining SPEED Channel analysts Jimmy Spencer, Johnny Benson and Alan Bestwick. The show will air July 4 at 8:00pm/et.(Hendrick Motorsports), no word if this is full-time, a one week only deal and if Michael Waltrip will be back on the show. It has been rumored that Waltrip and Benson would be leaving the show and younger drivers would host the show. Also hearing that Kevin Harvick may join as a host in the future.(6-28-2005)

  • Executive Changes at Hendrick: In a tactical realignment of his business entities, Rick Hendrick today announced personnel changes affecting the Hendrick Automotive Group (HAG), Hendrick Motorsports and, now, the Hendrick Companies. As part of the refreshed business model, Hendrick introduced longtime Automotive Group executive Jim Huzl as president and chief executive officer of Charlotte-based HAG. In his new role, effective July 1, Huzl will oversee the direction of one of the nation's largest privately held auto retailers with 68 franchises, 4,000 employees and more than $3.5 billion in revenue. Sharing Huzl's former duties as HAG's chief operating officer will be three new senior vice presidents: Tom Blocker, East Division; Kirk Heppler, West Division; and Gary Davis, who will manage retail operations support. Huzl succeeds Jim Perkins, who will transition to become the first president and COO of the Hendrick Cos., an organization recently formed to manage strategic initiatives relative to Hendrick's various business enterprises. Perkins will continue to serve as a member of HAG's partnership committee.
    Bobby Rice, a trusted friend and business associate of Hendrick since 1976, was named executive vice president of the Hendrick Cos. and special adviser to the chairman. Rice also will work in a consultative capacity with Hendrick Motorsports, which fields multiple stock-car racing teams in two different divisions of sanctioning body NASCAR..(HMS PR)(6-20-2005)

  • Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch in SI of Kids: #5-Kyle Busch and #24-Jeff Gordon are featured in the July edition of Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine. Dubbed as a "Rookie to Watch," Busch answers questions about his racing career in the Teen bonus section.(Hendrick Motorsports)(6-16-2005)

  • Busch attempting the triple at Dover: Kyle Busch will enter all three NASCAR events at Dover, Del. Hendrick Motorsports will field his customary #5 Kellogg's Chevrolet in the NEXTEL Cup Series on Sunday, along with a #57 Monte Carlo in Saturday's Busch Series event. The Las Vegas native will also race Billy Ballew's #15 Chevy Silverado in Friday's Craftsman Truck Series 200-lapper.(Hendrick Motorsports)(6-2-2005)

  • Hendrick may attend Martinsville: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick is leaning toward attending today's Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway. It's the first event at the track since a Hendrick plane crashed on the way to Martinsville last October. Engine builder Randy Dorton, General Manager Jeff Turner, President John Hendrick and Vice President Ricky Hendrick were among the 10 killed in the crash. Besides his brother and son, Rick Hendrick also lost two nieces.(Richmond Times Dispatch)
    NOTE: Hendrick is at the track today for the race.(4-10-2005)

  • Kyle Busch in People: Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 Kellogg's Chevrolets, is profiled in the April 11 edition of People magazine. The issue, featuring Jennifer Aniston on the cover, is on newsstands this week.(Hendrick Motorsports), Busch will also be a presenter on the Country Music Television Awards, see my TV Listings page for more info.(4-7-2005)

  • Scooby Doo on the #25 UPDATE Johnny Bravo on the #5: #25-Brian Vickers is scheduled to run a Scooby Doo scheme at Bristol Motor Speedway in August. See an image on my #25 Team Schemes page.(4-6-2005)
    AND #5-Kyle Busch will run a Johnny Bravo scheme at Bristol in August. See an image on my #5 Team Schemes page.(4-7-2005)

  • Busch and Vickers on Country Music Television Awards: On Monday, April 11, Hendrick Motorsports teammates #5-Kyle Busch and #25-Brian Vickers will travel to Nashville, Tenn., where the pair will be presenters at this year's Country Music Television Awards. Other attendees include Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Jeff Daniels, Gina Gershon, Dennis Hopper, Larry the Cable Guy, William Shatner and many more. The show will air live on CMT beginning at 8:00pm/et.(Hendrick Motorsports)(4-7-2005)

  • THE RULING ANNOUNCED on the APPREAL
    National Stock Car Racing Commission Statements
    #5 Team: On March 22, 2005, the National Stock Car Racing Commission heard and considered the Appeal of Rick Hendrick, Kyle Busch and Alan Gustafson concerning three penalties assessed by NASCAR relative to the #5 car following the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 13, 2005. The infractions concerned Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR Rule Book “Actions detrimental to stock car racing” and Section 12-4-Q “Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the car, car parts, components, and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules: quarter panel heights too high in post-race inspection.”
    The penalties assessed were:
    • Loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship Car Owner Points for car owner Rick Hendrick.
    • Loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship Driver Points for Kyle Busch.
    • $25,000 fine and suspension from NASCAR until April 6, 2005 and suspension from the next two (2) NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races for crew chief Alan Gustafson.
    The car was in violation of the rules at the conclusion of the race. This was not contested during the hearing.
    Upon review of the evidence presented, and by a majority vote, it is the decision of the National Stock Car Racing Commission to uphold the penalties assessed against Rick Hendrick and Kyle Busch and to amend the penalty assessed against Alan Gustafson as follows:
    $25,000.00 fine. Probation for 90 days, effective from the date of this Hearing.
    This decision pertains specifically to the evidence presented in this Appeal. The Commission’s rulings do not have a bearing on existing or announced NASCAR enforcement policies. The Appellant has the right under Section 15 of the Rule Book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Commissioner.Commission were John Cooper, Jack Housby, George Silbermann, Chairman.(NASCAR)(3-23-2005)

    What Does this mean? everything stands EXCEPT the suspensions to Knaus and Gustafson have been recinded.

  • Hendrick Statement: Team owner Rick Hendrick today commented on the results of Tuesday's NASCAR appeal hearing, which today rescinded the suspensions of two Hendrick Motorsports crew chiefs. "I appreciate NASCAR giving us the opportunity to present the facts," Hendrick said. "From our perspective it's important everyone, especially our fans, know that we absolutely had no intention of breaking any rules. This sport has a rule book for good reason, and it's vital it be enforced. As an owner, I know it's equally important to have a just forum for teams and a fair system of checks and balances. We respect NASCAR's decision and look forward to carrying some momentum into Bristol."(Hendrick Motorsports)(3-23-2005)

  • Crew Chief Award Stays: Without a doubt, the greatest thing about NASCAR is its fans. It's their passion and enthusiasm that makes racing the best sport in the world. So we appreciate you sharing thoughts on the Crew Chief Challenge. After all, that's what this contest is all about - settling the hot debate of who really is the best crew chief in the Nextel Cup garage. Kyle Busch's crew chief, Alan Gustafson, was awarded the WYPALL Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. Gustafson's car met all specifications before the race, and it was an incident during the event that caused it to exceed the height requirement. WYPALL Wipers certainly does not endorse any kind of dishonesty. The voting panel, including Tony Eury Sr., the local media and a WYPALL Wipers representative, took into account several factors when picking the winner, including strategy, pit stop times, improvement throughout the day and overall performance. Given that criteria, the vote for Gustafson still stands.(SMC 500 PR)(3-21-2005)

  • #5 Team allowed to work on car: Though NASCAR Nextel Cup cars were impounded [see full rules below] this weekend after qualifying Friday, Kyle Busch's team on Saturday was allowed to prepare a backup car for today's race at Atlanta after the 19-year-old Cup rookie wrecked his primary car in qualifying. It's a good thing crew chief Alan Gustafson is allowed to work while his suspension is being appealed.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(3-20-2005)

  • Appeals Allow Suspended Crew Chief's to be at Atlanta; Berrier to sit out: NASCAR crew chiefs Chad Knaus [#48] and Alan Gustafson [#5] will be allowed to compete in Atlanta this weekend while they appeal their two-race suspension. Both were suspended on Tuesday for allegedly cheating at Las Vegas last weekend. Team owner Rick Hendrick appealed, and the National Stock Car Racing commission can't assemble until next week to hear their case, NASCAR officials said Wednesday. Under NASCAR's rules, the crew chiefs can still compete until their appeal has been heard. Todd Berrier was suspended for four races, and NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said they expected to receive notice of his plans to appeal in time for him to compete in Atlanta this weekend.(AP/ESPN.com). Richard Childress said onSpeed Channel's NASCAR Nation that Berrier will sit out the Atlanta race and the suspension will be appealled.(3-17-2005)

  • Kyle Busch in Life: Kyle Busch completed an interview at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for a Life magazine cover story. The piece will document the NEXTEL Cup rookie, his family and their path to the present-day success on the race track. World-renowned photojournalist Harry Benson photographed Busch for the cover, which is slated for distribution in late April.(Hendrick Motorsports)(3-17-2005)

  • Top Two Finishers May Face Penalties UPDATE Penalties, Fines and Suspensions: Speed Channel is reporting that #48-Jimmie Johnson, the winner at Las Vegas, was found in post race inspection to be too low and the 2nd place finisher #5-Kyle Busch's Chevy quarter panels were too high. NASCAR decisions will come Monday or Tuesday. The win will probably stand.(3-13-2005)
    UPDATE: NASCAR probably won't take away #48-Jimmie Johnson's victory in Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, despite his car's failing an inspection after the race for being too low at the roof. First, it might be difficult to give the win to teammate #5-Kyle Busch, who finished second, because Busch's car also failed post-race inspection, for being too high at the rear quarterpanels. But it's not nice to try to fool John Darby, NASCAR's competitions director, and his justice may be harsh for both Johnson and Busch. But, a win is a win, no matter the asterisks - and no matter the razzing from rivals. The low roof that led to Johnson's violation would likely provide both an edge in speed on the straightaways as well as better handling in the corners because more air would reach the crucial rear spoiler. The high rear quarterpanels that led to Busch's violation would likely provide an edge in handling in the corners, because the rear spoiler would be higher. What NASCAR will likely do is take away enough points, probably 25, to knock Johnson out of the Nextel Cup points lead. That would put Kurt Busch, who finished third, back atop the standings.(Winston Salem Journal)
    Wanna stop the cheating....take the freakin' win away, make a statement, that starting next week, post-RACE infractions cost 25 points, if it is the winner, they drop to 4th or 5th, and the win goes to the 2nd place car, or the next legal car.(3-15-2005)
    UPDATE - Fines, Penalties and Suspensions: NASCAR has announced that rule infractions this past weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway have resulted in the suspension of three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series crew chiefs.
    The #48 Chevrolet team received three penalties, due to the car's roof height being too low in post-race inspection — a violation of Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components, and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules). A penalty of 25 driver points dropped Jimmie Johnson — the race winner at Las Vegas — back to second place (500 points) in the standings, 10 behind reigning series champion Kurt Busch (510). Chad Knaus, Johnson's crew chief, has been suspended from competition for the next two races and fined $35,000; Jeff Gordon, the #48 car owner, has been penalized 25 owner points.
    #29 Team: Todd Berrier, crew chief for the #29 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick, has been suspended for the next four races and fined $25,000. Those penalties resulted from the #29 having an unapproved fuel filler and unapproved fuel cell vent. The car was in violation of Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q. The violation was found during post-qualifying inspection. In addition to Berrier's penalties, Harvick has been penalized 25 driver championship points, dropping him from eighth to 10th in the driver standings, while car owner Richard Childress loses 25 car owner championship points.
    #5 Team: Alan Gustafson, crew chief for the #5 Chevrolet driven by Kyle Busch, has been suspended for two races and fined $25,000, due to the car's quarter-panel heights being too high in post-race inspection — also violations of Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q. Busch has been assessed 25 driver points, dropping him from 18th to 22nd in the standings; car owner Rick Hendrick loses 25 owner points.
    In addition:
    Harold Holly, crew chief for the #32 Chevrolet driven by Bobby Hamilton Jr., was fined $5,000 because of the #32 having an unapproved deck lid, a violation of Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q that was determined during opening-day inspection.
    John Latchford, crew chief for the #89 Dodge driven by Morgan Shepherd, was fined $1,000 because of an unapproved fire suppression agent found during opening-day inspection. That also violated Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q.
    Larry Carter, crew chief for the #2 Dodge driven by Rusty Wallace, was fined $1,000. During opening-day inspection, the car's shoulder harness did not have a date tag displayed, a violation of Sections 17.2-C (and 12-4-A).(Fox Sports/Sporting News)
    POINTS UPDATED on my Jayski's Drivers/Owners Points after Las Vegas page.(3-15-2005)

  • Hendrick Responds to sanctions and to Appeal: Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, today responded to sanctions levied by NASCAR on two of his NEXTEL Cup Series entries. "I'm not disputing NASCAR's right to levy sanctions," Hendrick said. "As a team owner, I understand why these standards are in place and have always taken pride in the fact that our organization has kept a very clean record. In this particular instance, though, we disagree with the severity of NASCAR's stance and plan to appeal their decision. I want to make it clear that we in no way intentionally ignored guidelines and I'm certain everyone understands that."(Hendrick Motorsports)(3-15-2005)

  • Gustafson Leads Busch to Career Best Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race: While so many race teams had a day filled with ups and downs, Kyle Busch was a picture of consistency in the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400. Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the # 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet, kept his team in the top-10 for the majority of the race, eventually scoring his driver a second place finish in only his ninth career Nextel Cup start. Gustafson's banner day earned him the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race.
    A panel of three voters, including a WypAll Wipers representative, Tony Eury Sr. and Todd Dewey of the Las Vegas Review Journal, all agreed Gustafson was the stand out crew chief of the race. Tony Eury Sr. was equally impressed with Gustafson's performance. "It's hard for anyone to finish in the top-five, much less a rookie," said Eury Sr. "Alan (Gustafson) gave his driver an awesome car, and made the right decisions to make it better during the race. This is the first year that (Kyle) Busch and Alan have worked together. Alan's really done a good job working with that team. If he keeps this up, it won't be long before they go to Victory Lane." Gustafson won $1000 for picking up the Crew Chief of the Race award. He is now tied with Pete Rondeau and Doug Richert in the point standings for the WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000.For more information, visit www.wypall.com.(WypAll Wipers PR)(3-15-2005)

  • #5 Robot Car: Coinciding with the March 11 launch of the movie "Robots" presented by 20th Century Fox, Kellogg's will trade in the #5 Chevrolet's traditional paint scheme, driven by Kyle Busch, for a nuts-and-bolts Robots-themed design for Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(3-10-2005)

  • Busch's Pole, does he get to run in the Shootout? UPDATE Double YES: #5-Kyle Busch is the youngest pole sitter in Nextel Cup history at 19 years, 9 months, 24 days old. The all-time record was held by Donald Thomas - 20 years, 4 months, 6 days old at Lakewood Speedway in GA on 11-16-1952. The modern-era [1972-present] record was held by Brian Vickers, 20 years, 6 months, 20 days at Richmond on 5-14-2004.(that stats from the NASCAR Statistical Services Updates Book)...
    So the question is....will Busch, who will be 20 in February 2006, be able to run in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona? The sticker on hic car doesn't say 'Bud Pole Award' BUT 'Anheuser-Busch Pole'. Officially, Busch is the winner of the "Anheuser-Busch Pole Award" and there are seperate plaque and materials for that. Brian Vickers had the same sticker in 2004, but he was 20 and was 21 at the time of the 2005 Budweiser Shootout, so he was allowed to run, but he wasn't allowed to run the Crown Royal IROC Series in 2004 as he was not 21. Been told no decision on Busch and the 2006 Bud Shootout has not been made as of yet.(2-28-2005)
    UPDATE: Speed Channel's NASCAR Nation reported on its Monday show that they were told that Kyle Busch WILL be able to run the 2006 Budweiser Shootout.(3-1-2005)
    UPDATE 2: Anheuser-Busch has been a longtime supporter of NASCAR through its sponsorships of the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona since 1979 and the NASCAR Busch Series for the past 24 years.  This past weekend, Kyle Busch became the youngest winner of the Budweiser Pole award, which will qualify him to participate in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona next February. Since Kyle is under the legal drinking age, he will not receive any beer branded materials, based on our policy of not providing beer branded materials to those under 21.  However, since the Budweiser Pole award is the name of this achievement, he will be permitted to receive his honor and will compete in the Bud Shootout next year.
    Since 1982, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers have spent more than a half-billion dollars on community-based programs and advertising to promote the responsible and legal consumption of its products, which includes fighting drunk driving and underage drinking.  The company has partnered with NASCAR and various tracks over the years to encourage responsible drinking and the use of designated drivers at NASCAR events.(fingerprint inc./Anheuser-Busch PR)(3-1-2005)

  • More changes at Hendrick? UPDATE: hearing that Eddie Dickerson, Manager of Hendrick Motorsports Chassis Shop, which was responsible for building all of the Chassis, and hanging all of the bodies, has left the organization.(2-16-2005)
    UPDATE: Eddie Dickerson, the director of chassis engineering at Hendrick Motorsports, left the team. Team spokesman Jesse Essex said Dickerson's duties likely will be split among several team members, including Doug Duchardt, who who left his position as director of GM Racing two weeks ago to become Hendrick's vice president of development.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-17-2005)

  • Kyle Busch as Darth: #5-Kyle Busch will sport a Star Wars Episode III paint scheme at Richmond in May that will feature Darth Vader.(RacingOne)(2-11-2005)

  • Hendrick announces new VP's: Hendrick Motorsports general manager Marshall Carlson announced that competition director Ken Howes and longtime General Motors executive Doug Duchardt have been named vice presidents over the organization's racing operations. Transitioning from his role of competition director, Howes has been tabbed as vice president of competition. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native will oversee Hendrick's day-to-day competition-related activities, now encompassing teams, crew chiefs and pit-crew trainers, along with at-track logistics and execution.
    Duchardt, who most recently managed General Motors' North American motor sports initiatives as director of GM Racing, has been named Hendrick Motorsports' vice president of development, a position in which he will control race-car evolution through design, engineering and production in the chassis and engine areas.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(2-7-2005)

  • Some Crew Changes: Chief engineer Chad Walters is the latest to defect from Dale Earnhardt Inc. Walters, who worked with former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Gary DeHart on Terry Labonte's #5, will bring his expertise back to Hendrick and the #5, which will be driven by Kyle Busch. Ed Young, who was the shop foreman for Matt Kenseth's #17 team, has left Roush Racing for Joe Gibbs Racing. Justin Nottestad, who also is Kenseth's front tire changer, will take over Young's duties.(FoxSports)(1-10-2005)

    Past 2004 News

  • CARQUEST joins #5 team, five 2005 races as the primary: Hendrick Motorsports today announced a multi-year agreement that will feature CARQUEST Auto Parts as a major associate sponsor of the #5 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team with driver Kyle Busch. Along with associate-sponsorship status on the #5 Kellogg's Chevrolets throughout the schedule, the pact will showcase primary CARQUEST color-schemes on the car in 10 NEXTEL Cup events, divided equally between the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Raleigh-based CARQUEST, the Official Auto Parts Supplier of Hendrick Motorsports since 2002, began its association with Busch this past season as primary sponsor of Hendrick's #84 NEXTEL Cup effort. The six-race initiative marked the series debut of Busch at his hometown track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March, along with additional events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, California Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway. For the nearest CARQUEST location, visit www.CARQUEST.com.
    CARQUEST COLOR-SCHEMES - 2005 NEXTEL CUP DATES: Feb. 27, California; April 3, Bristol; May 29, Lowe's Motor Speedway; Oct. 9, Kansas; Nov. 6, Texas(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(12-29-2004)

  • Delphi to continue sponsoring the #5 car: In 2005, Delphi will continue its partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and will be an associate sponsor of the Kellogg #5 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. At the CES media briefing [Jan 5th], Delphi will introduce Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 car, who will be available for autographs. "Delphi is proud to continue its associate sponsorship of the #5 Chevy with Kellogg's and Hendrick Motorsports for the 2005 NASCAR season," said Francisco A. (Frank) Ordonez, president, Delphi Product & Service Solutions and vice president, Delphi Corporation. "We look forward to supporting Kyle Busch and his quest for the NASCAR championship." Delphi will be prominently featured on the #5 Chevy in all Nextel races in 2005. In addition, Delphi will be the primary sponsor of the car at four races of the 2005 season, including races at Texas Motor Speedway (April 17), Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Aug. 7), Richmond International Raceway (Sept. 10) and Lowe's Motor Speedway (Oct. 15).(PR Newswire)(12-28-2004)

  • Hendrick Awarded: Team owner Rick Hendrick is the latest winner of the Buddy Shuman Award: Buddy Shuman was a popular NASCAR driver in the early 1950s who died in a hotel fire in 1955. The award has been given annually since 1957, honoring someone from the NASCAR community for contributions to the sport. Hendrick, a popular figure in the garage area, lost his son, his brother, two nieces and two key team officials among the 10 persons who died in an Oct. 24 crash of a team plane on the way to a race in Virginia. Hendrick's team has won five Cup championships and fields cars in both the Cup and Busch Series.(Augusta Chronicle/AP)(12-5-2004)

  • Dorton Honored: The late Randy Dorton, the chief engine builder for Hendrick Motorsports, who was killed in an October plane crash, was honored as Clevite Engine Builder of the Year. The award was accepted by his widow, Diane Dorton.(ESPN/AP)(12-5-2004)

  • Rick Hendrick at the track: mulit-team owner [#5,#24,#25,#48], Rick Hendrick, is at the track and made a statement today in the media center, thanking the racing community and fans for their support in the aftermath of the tragic plane crash. No questions were taken, to see Hendrick's comments in full, see my Hendrick Tragedy Page.(11-20-2004)
  • Crew Chief Changes at Hendrick? UPDATE 3: hearing Hendrick Motorsports will make some changes with the #5 Kelloggs team [2005 driver Kyle Busch] and #25-Brian Vickers, supposedly starting with the crew chiefs.(11-18-2004)
    UPDATE: Nextel Cup rookie Brian Vickers is expected to get a new crew chief next season and be reunited with Lance McGrew, the crew chief with whom Vickers won the 2003 Busch Series championship, ThatsRacin.com has learned. Vickers’ crew chief for the #25 GMAC/ditech.com Chevrolet this season, Peter Sospenzo, will remain with the Hendrick Motorsports organization in another capacity, sources said. Officials with Hendrick said Sunday no announcements on personnel changes will come until after the season.(ThatsRacin.com)(11-21-2004)
    UPDATE 2: After a lackluster rookie year in the #25 car, Brian Vickers will be reunited with his Busch Series crew chief, Lance McGrew. They won the Busch title in 2003, and some were surprised when McGrew didn't join Vickers during his rookie year in Cup. Vickers' current chief, Peter Sospenzo, will join Terry Labonte's limited run in 2005 [in the #44], and Jim Long, who was crew chief for Labonte's #5 Kellogg's Chevy, will work on the NBS program with rookies Boston Reid and Blake Feese and possibly a driver or two from the Cup stable. Alan Gustafson, who previously was the team engineer for the #25, will be Kyle Busch's crew chief on the #5.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(11-22-2004)
    AND Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick today announced key personnel changes affecting each of his organization's stock-car teams going into the 2005 NASCAR campaign. Racing veterans Jim Long, Lance McGrew and Peter Sospenzo will each assume fresh responsibilities next season, while lead engineer Alan Gustafson has been promoted to crew chief. As part of the restructuring effort, team executive Brian Whitesell will also transition into a new role. "With a new shop opening and drivers moving to different teams, it made sense for us to look at our organizational structure in a different light," Hendrick said. "These changes will create more opportunities for our folks and help us work together more efficiently."
    GUSTAFSON TO LEAD KELLOGG'S RACING: Gustafson, 29, has been named crew chief of Hendrick's #5 Kellogg's Chevrolets, which next season will feature NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rookie Kyle Busch as driver. A native of Ormond Beach, Fla., Gustafson cut his racing teeth working as a mechanic at local short tracks in his home state while taking mechanical engineering courses at nearby Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Gustafson moved to North Carolina in 1996 to pursue a career in motor sports, gaining experience with various teams before joining Hendrick's in-house chassis effort in 1999. He was named lead engineer for the No. 5 Cup Series team the following year.
    LONG MOVES TO BUSCH SERIES: After leading the No. 5 NEXTEL Cup team for the past three years, Long will slide into the crew chief position with the No. 5 Lowe's-sponsored NASCAR Busch Series operation. The team has earned a championship, eight victories and six pole positions over the past two seasons. An announcement regarding driving duties for the No. 5 Busch Series team is forthcoming.
    McGREW AND VICKERS REUNITED: A Baton Rouge, La., native, McGrew, 36, has been named crew chief of the NEXTEL Cup No. 25 GMAC Financial Services team, a move that reunites him with driver Brian Vickers. The duo already has an impressive track record, winning Hendrick Motorsports' first-ever Busch Series championship together in 2003.
    SOSPENZO JOINS LABONTE EFFORT: A three-time winner on the NEXTEL Cup circuit, Sospenzo will work exclusively with two-time Cup Series champion Terry Labonte as crew chief of the new #44 Hendrick Motorsports team, which will attempt a 10-race schedule in 2005.
    WHITESELL NAMED TEAM MANAGER FOR 5, 25 & 44: Whitesell, 40, will take on the newly created position of team manager for the Nos. 5, 25 and 44 NEXTEL Cup teams. A native of Stuarts Draft, Va., he most recently held an identical post with Hendrick Motorsports' Nos. 24 and 48 efforts.
    Shop foreman Mark Thoreson and lead engineer Darian Grubb will share Whitesell's former duties with the "24/48" operation. The Nos. 5, 25 and 44 teams will be housed together in a new facility adjacent to the 24/48 building on the Hendrick Motorsports grounds. The new state-of-the-art shop is scheduled to open before the 2005 season.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(11-22-2004)

  • Randy Dorton/Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown: The event began with a moment of silence, but the roar of 600-horsepower engines soon filled the room as Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group employees gathered this week for the third annual Randy Dorton/Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown. Sponsored by Dana Corp., the two-day contest teamed Hendrick Motorsports engine builders with Hendrick Automotive Group certified master technicians for head-to-head competition. Twelve pairs were clocked until their respective powerplant established a one-minute run after complete assembly, with the shortest elapsed time taking home first-place honors. Monday's qualifying round set the grid for Tuesday's finals, with the team of Jon Young and Mike Maiwald posting a build of 20 minutes, 52 seconds to tie the event record and earn the victory. Young is a Hendrick certified master tech from Gwinnett Place Honda in Atlanta, while Maiwald, of Hendrick Motorsports, is NASCAR's defending Engine Builder of the Year. For his efforts, Young was presented with an all-expenses-paid trip to the February 2005 events at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Runner-up Vince Bonfiglio, who teamed with Larry Zentmeyer, was also presented with a Daytona vacation package. Bonfiglio represented Hendrick BMW of Charlotte." This is a wonderful event that recognizes the > '> best of the best> '> in our industry," said Jim Perkins, Hendrick Automotive Group CEO. "It gives us the opportunity to bring the two companies together and acknowledge the contributions of our top-level staff." The brainchild of Rick Hendrick and the late Randy Dorton, the Showdown draws from more than 800 Automotive Group technicians, taking the 12 that are deemed most qualified by a one-of-a-kind Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam created specifically for Hendrick employees. Those 12 are then paired with Hendrick Motorsports engine builders. Hendrick is owner of NASCAR operation Hendrick Motorsports, and chairman of the Hendrick Automotive Group, an organization comprised of 64 car dealerships across the United States, from the Carolinas to California. Dorton, recognized as one of the most gifted engine builders in NASCAR history, won nine championships during his two-decade tenure as head of Hendrick Motorsports' engine department before tragically losing his life Oct. 24. The Showdown was officially renamed in his honor shortly afterward. A silent moment of remembrance opened the competition at the Hendrick Motorsports Museum in Charlotte, and many of the participants wore red -- Dorton' s favorite color -- throughout the two-day experience.(HMS PR)(11-20-2004)

  • GM head of racing to Hendrick? General Motors' Doug Duchardt, head of the company's world-wide racing operations, is apparently being wooed by car owner Rick Hendrick to move to North Carolina to take a key position at Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick's racing operations were hard-hit by the plane crash three weeks ago that killed 10. Among those killed were John Hendrick, the company's president; Randy Dorton, the legendary engine builder and head of the company's engine department; and general manager Jeff Turner.(Winston Salem Journal)(11-13-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports update: Ken Howes, Hendrick Motorsports’ director of competition, played a major role in “talking the team through” the aftermath of the plane crash that killed seven employees of the team on Oct. 24. “He just took responsibility for taking us through that,” said Jimmie Johnson. A team spokesman, Patrick Perkins, said that Bobby Rice, a close business associate of Rick Hendrick, would oversee the operation for the time being while Hendrick recovers from the loss of his brother John, son Ricky and nieces Kymberly and Jennifer. Also lost in the crash were general manager Jeff Turner and head engine builder Randy Dorton. Jeff Gordon’s stepfather, John Bickford, will take on a more prominent role in the business side, and controller Scott Lampey will oversee financial operations. Jeff Andrews and Jim Wall will combine in directing the engine department.(Gaston Gazette)(10-30-2004)

  • Labonte not only with Kellogg's OR: hearing that Terry Labonte will only run the #44 Kellogg's scheme in five races each of 2005 and 2006 and will run the other races in other Hendrick Motorsports associate sponsor schemes such as Carquest, ditech.com, GMAC, Delphi and Quaker State.(10-21-2004)
    OR have also been told that Kellogg's will be on Labonte's car for all 10 races each season, but that the #5 Chevy with Kyle Busch would have an associate sponsor as the primary whrn Labonte races.(10-22-2004)

  • How can Labonte run the #44? been asked by some folks how can Terry Labonte run the #44 when Petty Enterprises owns it. No team owns a number, NASCAR 'owns' the number. However, Petty Enterprises last ran the #44 a few times in 2003 with Christian Fittipaldi, but not in 2004 as sponsorship has not been found. On Tuesday [Oct 12th] Terry Labonte said on Speed CHannel's Wind Tunnel, that he asked Kyle Petty planned to use the #44 and was told no, and asked if he could use it for 2005 and 2006 and was told he could.(10-14-2004)

  • Labonte Announcement Oct 12th UPDATE - OFFICAL: Hendrick Motorsports has a press conference scheduled with Terry Labonte for Tuesday morning (breakfast with Kellogg's -- get it?), when Labonte supposedly will announce he is cutting back to a limited schedule for 2005 and 2006. Kyle Busch is slated to be Labonte's full-time replacement, moving up from the Busch Series. Supposedly, Labonte will drive the #44, his first number in NASCAR, while Busch will get the #5.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(10-10-2004)
    TV: SPEED Channel will interrupt regularly scheduled programming Tuesday, Oct 12th at 9:30am/et to bring viewers LIVE coverage of the Hendrick Motorsports press conference with team owner Rick Hendrick and two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Terry Labonte. SPEED Channel's Bob Dillner will be on-site for post-announcement interviews.(Speed Channel PR)(10-11-2004)
    The Press Conference: Fox's Mike Joy hosting the Terry Labonte announcement, on stage at the table are: NASCAR's Mike Helton, Team Owner Rick Hendrick, Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte and Ken Schrader with Labonte's family in the front row.
    Terry Labonte announced he will run a limited schedule, running 20 races in 2005 and 2006, 10 in each year. In 2005 his first scheduled start will be at California Speedway Feb 27th] and the final 2005 race will be at Texas Motor Speedway [Nov 6th] and that Darlington would 'probably be one of those races.
    Kyle Busch was announced as the new #5 Kelloggs driver in 2005. Decisions on shop, crew and equipment will be made and announced at a later date. Speed cut away as the Q&A was to start. It was mentioned Kelloggs will be part of it, no word on the car number yet, rnor has it being #44.
    An AP report: Two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte will race a limited schedule in 2005 and 2006, joining the growing list of veteran drivers slowly easing out of racing. Labonte is scheduled to run about 10 races next season in the #44 Chevrolet, followed by 10 races in 2006 in what will be his final season. "I thought a while about just walking away and I couldn't do it, but I didn't want to do a traditional farewell tour," the 47-year-old Labonte said. Nineteen-year-old Kyle Busch will take Labonte's spot in the #5 Chevy and is to run a full-time Nextel Cup schedule in 2005. He is the younger brother of current Nextel Cup points leader Kurt Busch. Labonte was in the #44 when he won his first points title.
    Labonte is following in the footsteps of 49-year-old Bill Elliott, who scaled back to a part-time schedule this season. He said his decision was inspired in part by Elliott's example. Rusty Wallace also has announced that 2005 will be his final season; other longtime NASCAR mainstays probably aren't too far behind. Car owner Jack Roush said in August that 45-year-old Mark Martin indicated next season will be his last, and the two have called a news conference for Thursday.(Charlotte Observer/AP)
    AND while since Terry Labonte is being mentioned here.....Fans will have the opportunity to meet Tony the Tiger and two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte on Wednesday, Oct. 13 when the “Tonymobile” visits the Hendrick Motorsports Museum.(more info at the HMS Site)(10-12-2004)

  • Terry Labonte Announcement AND: #5-Terry Labonte has scheduled a press conference next week to announce his plans. Labonte is expected to announce his semi-retirement and run a partial schedule next year.(Tennessean)
    AND Labonte said Saturday he will run a schedule of at least 10 races each in 2005 and 2006 for Rick Hendrick, his car owner since 1986 [actually since 1994]. A formal announcement will be made at an Oct. 12 press conference at the Hendrick shops. Labonte, who has driven #5 for Hendrick, will switch to car #44, the number he drove for Billy Hagan from 1979-1986.(High Point Enterprise), so looks like Kyle Busch will move up to Cup in 2005.(10-3-2004)

  • Terry Labonte to tie DW: Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event will mark #5-Terry Labonte's 809th career start on the circuit, tying him with Darrell Waltrip for fourth on NASCAR's all-time list. The only drivers with more starts are Richard Petty (1,177), Dave Marcis (882) and Ricky Rudd (830).(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(9-23-2004)

  • Labonte #7 Now: With Terry Labonte's 18th-place finish Saturday at Richmond International Raceway, he earned $89,230, which lifted him past Bill Elliott into seventh place on NASCAR's list of all-time money winners. Now at $36,924,624.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(9-19-2004)

  • Kim Labonte Attends DOD Conference: Kim Labonte, wife of two-time Nextel Cup Series champion #5-Terry Labonte and mother of NASCAR Busch Series driver #44-Justin Labonte, has accepted an invitation from Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld to participate in the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC 68).  Rumsfeld attended the Nextel Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway Saturday.  The program, which will be held September 11 - September 17, will give participants an opportunity to learn first-hand about U. S. military personnel, their equipment and capabilities, and national defense strategies. As a JCOC 68 participant, Kim will visit military bases of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.  Locations will include Hawaii, Korea, Japan and Guam among others.  Very few people, even those employed by the Department of Defense, get the opportunity to interact with such an encompassing cross-section of military leaders and service members of all ranks.  Participants will fly on military aircraft; experience aircraft landings and launches from Navy ships; observe amphibious landings, urban area combat techniques, special operations assaults, and other warfare demonstrations. Justin Labonte is sponsored by the United States Coast Guard in the Busch Series and won his first series race at Chicagoland Speedway July 10.  The Coast Guard announced last week that they would be partnering with Justin for the full Busch Series schedule for 2005 after running a partial season this year.  Kim's trip will begin in Honolulu, Hawaii where the Coast Guard has a large base.
    After an initial orientation, the JCOC team will travel by military aircraft throughout the Pacific theater.  Due to a refocusing of military resources in the United States on Operation Iraqi Freedom, the conference adjusted what has been a U.S.-based agenda to one focused on the key command centers engaged in winning the global war on terrorism. This conference was initiated in 1948 by Secretary Forestal and is the Department's premier civic leader program.  Only fifty U.S. citizens are selected from hundreds of candidates nominated by military commands worldwide.  JCOC 68 participants pay all of their own expenses, including travel to and from the conference, lodging and meals.(PR)(9-14-2004)

  • Terry Labonte working on 2005 deal, part-time UPDATE #44?: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said Saturday veteran Terry Labonte has agreed to drive in the Nextel Cup Series for two more years, but will not run a full-time schedule. "I know he'll run at least 15 races, if not more," Hendrick said. "Beyond that, that's all we know right now. We're waiting to talk to sponsors and they're going to tell us the number and the color (of the car). Right now, I don't know who's going to be doing what. I just know we're going to be there." Hendrick said he would like to wait until the Chase for the Nextel Cup is well under way before making any more announcements, so to not distract his teams that are participating. Labonte had indicated earlier this season that he was contemplating several options – including retirement, running a limited schedule or running for another team – for next season. Should Labonte move to a partial schedule, it will likely open the seat in his current ride, Hendrick's #5 Chevrolets.(ThatsRacin.com)(9-11-2004)
    UPDATE: Terry Labonte, met with owner Rick Hendrick last week to discuss his future. Labonte is expected to run a limited schedule over the next two seasons, possibly reviving the #44, the number he won his first title with, while Kyle Busch moves into the #5 Chevrolet.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(9-13-2004)

  • What's Up with Terry Labonte? UPDATE NOT Retiring: What's in store for Terry Labonte, Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch? Hendrick Motorsports expects to have the #5 and #25 Nextel Cup teams under one roof next season, copying the successful model shared by Jeff Gordon's #24 and Jimmie Johnson's #48 crews. Vickers will be in the #25 car next season, but a Hendrick source says a final decision has not been made on whether Labonte, 47, will run the full 2005 season in the #5 car. He could retire or semiretire, allowing Busch, 19, to step into that ride. The source says the choice is up to Labonte, who has won two Cup championships.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(8-31-2004)
    UPDATE: #5-Terry Labonte, testing at Richmond on Tuesday, hinted at big news. The two-time champion, who reportedly is mulling a limited schedule similar to Bill Elliott's this year, said he will be revealing his future plans later this season. "We're probably going to announce something not too far off, and I'm very excited about it," said Labonte, 47. "I can't tell you what it is. I can tell you I'm not retiring."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(9-1-2004)

  • Two more years for Terry Labonte...part-time? UPDATE 2: #5-Terry Labonte, after 25 years on the tour, will likely run another two years, according to team sources, who expect the 47-year-old racer to sign a new contract for a limited schedule of 10 to 15 races with car owner Rick Hendrick.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-7-2004)
    UPDATE: Two-time series champion Terry Labonte would not confirm Saturday a published report that he will remain with Hendrick Motorsports next season but run a partial schedule. Labonte said last month that he was uncertain of his future. Labonte has been with Hendrick Motorsports since 1994 and has won 12 of his 22 career races with the team. Despite his competitiveness, Labonte said a partial schedule is intriguing. "It'd be nice to have an off weekend," he said. "It might be nice to not go to some of the tracks you particularly care for." If Labonte runs a partial schedule, it could allow Hendrick Motorsports to put 19-year-old Kyle Busch, who is challenging for the Busch series title this season, into a Cup ride for select races next year to gain experience.(Roanoke Times)(8-8-2004)
    UPDATE 2: the NASCAR Scene reports that if Labonte runs a limited schedule, it would be in the #84 Chevy with Kyle Busch running the #5 Chevy.(NASCAR Scene)
    AND hearing it will be part time and the crew chef for Labonte would be Alan Gustafson, currently the team engineer for the #5 car.(8-13-2004)

  • #800 for Terry Labonte: Terry Labonte is expected to make his 800th career Cup start at New Hampshire. He is the fifth driver in NASCAR history to compete in 800 or more Cup races. Richard Petty heads the list with 1,185, followed by Dave Marcis (883), Ricky Rudd (821 - current) and Darrell Waltrip (809).(ThatsRacin.com)(7-19-2004)

  • Labonte not happy word got out: Bobby Labonte said during a break in Brickyard 400 testing this week that his older brother is not ready to retire and is unhappy that his talks with Hendrick Motorsports have gone public. Terry Labonte, 47, finished in the top 10 of the points last season and won the Southern 500, his first victory in more than four years. Bobby said the two-time NASCAR champion sought to clarify his future with owner Rick Hendrick while exploring what other options he might have. "It was supposed to have been handled really clean and neat, but unfortunately somebody spoke out of turn," Bobby said. "He doesn't want to quit driving. The situation might be for him to not drive there, so he has to look elsewhere. He was going to go ask for permission and say, 'What are you going to do with me?' instead of them coming to him and parting on bad terms. He really tried his hardest to do it the right way."(Indianapolis Star)(7-9-2004)

  • 2005 uncertain for Labonte at Hendrick? UPDATE 2: #5-Terry Labonte said Thursday his future with Hendrick Motorsports and the series remains up in the air beyond this season. Labonte, 47, is currently working under a year-to-year contract with owner Rick Hendrick and has said he didn't expect to drive past age 50. The quick rise of Hendrick's young talents, Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch, have prompted questions about how soon Labonte, a two-time Cup series champion, would leave the Hendrick organization. "I told Rick last year I didn't know how much longer I wanted to do this and we needed to be up front about it so they could make plans for their future down the road," Labonte said. Labonte said several possibilities remain open beyond this year, including remaining with Hendrick, driving for another team and driving a partial schedule the way veteran Bill Elliott has with Evernham Motorsports this season. "I will be honest with you, there are probably only a handful of teams I would consider driving for and it would have to be a Chevy. I'm not going to drive for another make of car and Rick and I are partners in a Chevrolet dealership," Labonte said. "If somebody came up and said they had a three-year deal, I wouldn't do it because I don't want to run three more years." Labonte's name has been mentioned in connection with Richard Childress Racing's #30 Chevrolet, which has Dave Blaney signed through the end of the year, and a new third team planned for Joe Gibbs Racing [that would give J.J. Yeley another year in Busch and makes sense]. Retirement, whether at the end of this season or later, would be a difficult decision, Labonte said. Earlier Thursday, Busch, 19, confirmed his original contract with Hendrick expires this season, although it includes an option year Hendrick can pick up, but hasn't yet. "Supposedly, I am going to have some contract conversations sometime in September, or whenever they give me a piece of paper that I can sign," Busch said. "I hope they give me something to sign because my deal is up. I'm sure they are going to give me something." Busch said he would like to run in the Cup series next year, but if he did, either a current Hendrick driver would have to leave, or the organization would need to expand to a fifth Cup team. Hendrick spokesman Pat Perkins said Thursday it was "a given" Busch would remain with the organization. Perkins also said Busch was slated to run in the Busch Series again next season, but added, "Anything can happen."(see full story at ThatsRacin.com)(7-2-2004)

    UPDATE: Terry Labonte is nearing the end of his racing career and hinted Friday that this season could be his last. Labonte, a two-time champion, is in his 26th full season in NASCAR's top series. He's on a year-to-year contract with car owner Rick Hendrick, and after finishing last season 10th in the standings with a victory in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway decided the end might be near. "I told Rick last year that this year would probably be my last," the 47-year-old driver said Friday. "You have to sort of decide those things in advance in order to make plans and move ahead." Labonte is struggling with the decision. After consecutive seventh-place finishes in Dover and Pocono, he realized he was still having fun racing. But when he ran into Bill Elliott, who has partially retired and will make just his third start of the season in the Pepsi 400 on Saturday night, Labonte started thinking about retiring again. "When I saw Bill and he said, 'I'm having so much fun, I'm having the time of my life,' I said 'Man, you are killing me,' " Labonte said. So Labonte seemed unsure Friday about what the future holds. Should Hendrick decide he wants to hand the keys to the #5 Chevrolet to young Kyle Busch next season, Labonte said he could consider driving for another team. Labonte is only certain of a few things. He knows that when he does retire, it will be for good and he's not likely to consider occasional NASCAR races or events in smaller series. And he has no interest in owning a team, even if it was with his son, Justin, as the driver.(NASCAR.com/AP)(7-3-2004)

    UPDATE 2: Car owner Rick Hendrick said that he'll sit down with Terry Labonte soon to discuss the future. Labonte could cut back to run only selected tour events, opening up his current ride to promising young Kyle Busch. "When the year started, it was decided that Terry and the sponsors would sit down after Daytona," Hendrick said. "I think we were planning on talking in the next week or two. We want to look at what Terry wants to do, and we want to get the sponsors involved in the decision-making process, too. We haven't made any decisions, and we were hoping we'd stay out of silly season and do it on our timetable. So I think in the next couple of weeks we'll make that decision and make an announcement."(Winston Salem Journal)(7-5-2004)

    UPDATE 2a: Hendrick sources say Labonte, one of the most respected and popular drivers in the garage, could continue to race for HMS for the remainder of his career. But if the organization decides to move Kyle Busch up to Cup in 2005, one option for Labonte could be the Cup team [Hall of Fame Racing last news back in March] expected to be owned by former Cowboys quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach, with technical assistance from Hendrick.(FoxSports/Sporting News), Hmmmm.....how about a year in the #11 FedEx Chevy at JGR, teaming with brother Bobby, with J.J. Yeley taking over in 2006.(7-5-2004)

  • Long misses race UPDATE: Despite the absence of his crew chief, Jim Long, who was sick and remained in Charlotte this weekend, #5-Terry Labonte earned his second consecutive seventh-place finish. The team's chief engineer, Alan Gustafson, served as crew chief for the race.(ThatsRacin.com)(6-14-2004)
    UPDATE: Jim Long, crew chief of the #5 Kellogg's Chevrolets, is expected back in the garage this weekend after sitting out the race at Pocono. He remained home in Denver, N.C., last week for tests and treatment of migraine headaches while chief engineer Alan Gustafson served as interim crew chief.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-17-2004)

  • Labonte #600 in a Chevy: This weekend's Pocono 500 marks Terry Labonte's 600th race in a Chevrolet and his 795th start overall. His first-ever NASCAR start came in a Chevy on Sept. 4, 1978 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, where he finished fourth. The majority of his career victories (19 of 22) have come while driving the General Motors mark -- including the 1995 Pocono 500.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-13-2004)

  • Hendrick to build new shop: Hendrick Motorsports plans to build a new shop for its #5 and #25 teams, a team source confirmed to NASCAR.COM on Friday. The shop will be built next to the two-year-old shop that houses the No. 24 and 48 teams in Harrisburg, N.C., near Lowe's Motor Speedway. Hendrick's pairing of Jeff Gordon's #24 and Jimmie Johnson's #48 teams in one location has proven successful, as Johnson has won seven times and Gordon eight times in the two-plus seasons they have been together. Hendrick hopes the 25/5 shop - which will be headquarters for drivers Brian Vickers and Terry Labonte, respectively - will be done by the end of 2004. Vickers' and Labonte's teams are currently in separate buildings, but Hendrick wants all four Nextel Cup teams as close to each other as possible. The #25 team is housed next to the current museum, which could expand