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BUSCH: Dover II: Round 27 preview

"Monster Mile" up next for NASCAR Busch Series Truex looking to put more distance on second-place Busch DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 22, 2004) -- Eight races remain in the NASCAR Busch Series season -- only eight opportunities for Martin Truex Jr.

Edited: Apr 16, 2008, 12:40 AM

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"Monster Mile" up next for NASCAR Busch Series
Truex looking to put more distance on second-place Busch

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 22, 2004) -- Eight races remain in the NASCAR Busch Series season -- only eight opportunities for Martin Truex Jr. (No. 8 KFC Chevrolet) to extend his points lead over second-place Kyle Busch (No. 5 Lowe's Chevrolet), or for Ashton Lewis Jr. (No. 46 Lewis Motorsports Chevrolet) to keep alive his goal of earning a spot in the final NASCAR Busch Series Top 10 standings for the first time in his career.

The series comes to Dover International Speedway on Saturday after an off-week, and will leave the "Monster Mile" with another off-week -- the last of the season -- to follow.

Two down weeks within three race weekends just eight races from the culmination of the season with so much at stake for so many drivers and teams.

Does momentum take a hit?

Truex gained 10 points on Busch two weeks ago at Richmond with his sixth consecutive top-10 finish, and returns to Dover after posting a series career-best second-place finish at the track this spring. However, he doesn't believe the down time at this stage of the season is detrimental to his chances at a title.

"I do think having one off-weekend, [a] race, then another off-weekend is a positive," said Truex, a native of Mayetta, N.J., which is only 150 miles from Dover. "After Dover, there are only seven races left. That last weekend gives the guys a chance to relax and have a pressure-free weekend before taking on seven consecutive weekends of stress."

Busch, 105 points behind Truex despite four top fives in his last five races, sees the off-time at this crucial period of the year in a different light.

"It's a mixed blessing, really," he said. "I think it's a good thing when your team can get a weekend at home to recharge their batteries because it is such a long season.

"As a driver, you're itching to get back in the car, though," said Busch, who finished fifth at Dover in the spring race even after a myriad of problems from radio issues to contact on pit road. "We lost a few points at Richmond, and you immediately want to get those back. To have to wait two weeks from Richmond to this weekend's race just drives you crazy.

"The worst part is, we'll race at Dover, then we have another weekend off before Kansas," Busch said. "It breaks your rhythm a little."

-nascar-

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