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