NASCAR Cup

Daytona Shootout: Kurt Busch practice report

Practice Crash Sends Busch to Rear of Shootout Field DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2010) - A crash during the final practice session Thursday evening for Saturday night's Shootout will see Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch starting from the rear ...

Edited: Feb 8, 2010, 1:38 AM

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Practice Crash Sends Busch to Rear of Shootout Field

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2010) - A crash during the final practice session Thursday evening for Saturday night's Shootout will see Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch starting from the rear of the field in the special non-points race at Daytona International Speedway. "The biggest thing weighing on my mind right now is that we have three races to run with only two cars left to do that with," Busch said of the Daytona Speed Weeks 2010 schedule that includes Saturday night's special event, plus next Thursday's qualifying race and the Feb. 14 Daytona 500. "We just have to be extra-careful to keep this car in one piece on Saturday night in case we have to have a backup car for the 500.

"As for what happened out there, the closing rate on these cars is just so quick," said Busch. "We were just drafting along and it looked like maybe John Andretti checked up in front of me and (Juan Pablo) Montoya just soldiered on and turned us. No big deal there or anything between us; Juan and I talked about it at the end of practice and I talked to John over at the Shootout draw (drawing for starting positions). We'll just start from the rear on Saturday night and do the best we can."

Busch and his Steve Addington-led team will indeed do the best they can on Saturday night and fortunately for them, history is on their side. Busch's best career finish in this race came under similar circumstances. After crashing in practice for the 2007 edition of this race, Busch was forced to start from the 19th position. He went on to finish third and post his only top-five finish to date in his six career starts in this event.

Busch, Addington and the No. 2 Penske Racing crew will be racing their "PRS-573" Miller Lite Dodge Charger on Saturday night. Team engineer Dave Winston referred to this car as, "a clone of the 572, but without all the races on it."

Carl Edwards drew the pole position for Saturday night's race here at Daytona and, for the record; Busch drew the 22nd starting spot. "The two car is starting 22nd -- I can really dig all those twos - I'd like to think maybe that's a good omen," Busch said. "But like Peyton Manning said the other day, I'm not superstitious - maybe just a little stitious, but certainly not SUPER-stitious..."

-source: penske racing

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