DENVER, Colo. (Oct. 17, 2012) — The pace is rapid, and according to driver Kurt Busch, that’s the way it needs to be as the Furniture Row Racing team is in the midst of getting prepped for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
Following his debut run with Furniture Row Racing Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Busch was off to Sandusky (Ohio) Speedway Monday to test the team’s Martinsville Speedway short track car.
He spent a productive day at the team’s Denver race shop on Tuesday, which included being introduced to some of the Mile High City media.
Then it was off to the newly-paved Kansas Speedway early Wednesday for two days of testing in advance of the weekend’s Hollywood Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series event at the 1.5-mile oval.
Furniture Row Racing’s future schedule also calls for additional testing at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway and most likely a few sessions later in the year at local Colorado racetracks.
“The team commitment is what drew me to Furniture Row Racing,” said Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. “Yes, we have a hairy schedule in front of us, but that’s ok with me. Whatever it takes to be successful I am 110 percent behind it.
“There’s so much to get completed in a short period of time. But we have a great group of guys here at Furniture Row Racing and I am confident we’ll be locked and loaded when we get to Daytona in February.”
Busch said he was pleased with how his No. 78 Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet performed at the Ohio test in preparation for next week’s race at Martinsville Speedway.
“The feel for our short track car at the Ohio test was good and we’ll be ready for Martinsville,” stated Busch. “Last week we had a brake issue that hurt our performance on the mile-and-a-half Charlotte track. We know what the problem was and it will be fixed.
“I look for improvement this weekend at Kansas due to the two additional test days. The more seat time I get and the more communication with Todd (Berrier, crew chief) are vitally important at this time.”
Speaking of Kansas Speedway, Busch said he likes competing there but something always seems to stop him from “sealing the deal.” In 13 Kansas starts, he has three top10s and one pole.
“Kansas is one of those tracks where I run well, but don’t have much to show for in the end,” noted Busch. “Back in April I had a strong run going at Kansas, but then a axle mount broke. Sooner or later it will all come together, and hopefully it will be this weekend in the Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet.”
###
Busch’s Kansas Speedway Cup Record
St Fn 2001 40 9 2002 13 31 2003 21 40 2004 22 6 2005 10 14 2006 7 25 2007 12 11 2008 31 30 2009 39 11 2010 9 13 2011 1 9 17 13 2012 14 17
No. 78 Over-the-Wall Crew Front-tire changer Shane Pipala, Frankfort Square, IL Front-tire carrier Art Simmons, Newark, Mo. Rear-tire changer Coleman Dollarhide, Hickory, N.C. Rear-tire carrier Dwayne Moore, Griffin, Ga. Jackman Gabe Martin, Lake Wylie, S.C. Gasman Justin White, Lynnville, Tenn. 2nd Gasman Ryan Bergenty, Plainville, Conn. 7th Man/Windshield Todd Carmichael, Redding, Calif. _____________________________________________
No. 78 Road Crew Crew Chief Todd Berrier, Kernersville, N.C. Competition Director Mark McArdle, La Crosse, Wis. Car Chief Robert Huffman, Hickory, N.C. Engineers Cole Pearn, London, Ontario Matt Faulkner, Memphis, Tenn. Technical Director Phil Jimenez, Germantown, Tenn. Spotters Rick Carelli, Arvada, Colo. Clayton Hughes, Thomasville, N.C. Engine Specialist Scott Meesters, Hanford, Calif. Engine Builder Earnhardt-Childress Racing Shock Specialist Nick Kerlin, Old Fort, Ohio Tire Specialist Chad Krauch, Loveland, Colo. Technical Support Michael McCullough, Imperial, Calif. Mechanics Ryan Bergenty, Plainville, Conn. Todd Carmichael, Redding, Calif. Joe Kerrigan, Canon City, Colo. Transportation Henry Benfield (also gas runner), Statesville, N.C. Jim Gilbert, Belleville, IL Dave Hicks, Montcalm, WVa. Chuck Lemay, DeKalb, IL
Replica watches,or the Rolex replica.
