With the season on the line to qualify for the Chase playoffs, #78-Kurt Busch and the Denver-based Furniture Row Racing saved the best for last, and in the process made history. Thanks to an impressive season-best runner-up finish in the final pre-Chase race Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, Busch secured a post-season playoff berth. The feat will go into the record books as the first driver from a single-car team to qualify for the Chase since the 10-race, 12-driver championship format began in 2004. ‘Its an amazing feeling to go up against these big teams and to put a little lone Chevrolet from Colorado into the Chase against the big boys’ said Busch, who is now a seven-time Chase participant. Team owner Barney Visser was equally elated during a post-race news conference. ‘I dont know if its a dream come true as much as Im kind of in awe of Kurt and Joe (Garone, general manager) and the whole team and what these guys have been able to do’ said Visser. ‘They put in a lot of hard work and a lot of hours and its incredible what they were able to do.” ‘This feels incredible’ said Busch, the 2004 NASCAR champion. ‘The way that we worked together as a team its amazing that we have come this far and put ourselves in this position. We came close tonight, but havent won a race yet this year. I was happy to guide the ship, but I had a great skipper, the way that Todd Berrier (crew chief) led this group into the off season last year and the way Todd followed Barney Vissers dream. We are in the Chase and we have a shot at the championship so we are not done yet. It feels great to deliver and to achieve something very special tonight.”( Furniture Row Racing )
