DENVER, Colo. (Oct. 30, 2012) — Mud run, qualifying run and race run.
Those three competitions are consuming 100 percent of Kurt Busch’s focus as he heads to Texas Motor Speedway for a memorable weekend at the mega “No Limits” motorsports facility.
First up in Busch’s Texas three-step is Thursday’s inaugural Busch Whacked Mud Run, 4-10 p.m. CT at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. The charity Mud Run is a competition on an obstacle course which will feature troops from nearby Fort Hood, NASCAR drivers and team members, celebrity supporters and media with proceeds supporting military families and children through the Armed Forces Foundation (AFF), The Kurt Busch Foundation and Speedway Children’s Charities. “The Mud Run came together with ideas from a few different avenues,” said Busch. “And when we pulled the trigger to get it started, it was because of this trend across America where people are doing fun things to workout or to stay athletic or just to engage in activities centered around well being and health.
“It was also a great opportunity to tie in the troops from Fort Hood to the AFF foundation, as well as my connection to the racing world. And a big shout out goes to Eddie Gossage (president of TMS) for giving us the green light with his dirt track.”
Supporting the troops has been a passion for Busch, who is a frequent visitor to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
“Visiting our injured troops has had a huge impact on me,” said Busch. “There is so much to learn from the mental anguish that our troops go through to the mental toughness during their recovery. You want to be there to give your time, your support and tell our men and women in uniform how much you appreciate their service and sacrifice to our country.”
While Busch is looking to have some fun competing in Thursday’s Mud Run, he will undoubtedly take Friday’s practice and qualifying sessions more seriously in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet.
The Texas Sprint Cup event will be Busch’s fourth race with Furniture Row Racing. He has not qualified well in the first three races with starting positions of 21st, 29th and 19th.
“We’re working hard to better our qualifying program,” stated Busch. “It’s still early in our driver/team relationship but this is an area we need to focus on. It’s much easier to run up front when you start up front.”
Though he has had sub-par qualifying efforts, Busch has indeed demonstrated his driving prowess by getting to the front. He was running solidly in the top-five in the last two races — at Kansas and Martinsville — before being stymied in each race as an accident victim.
“We have quality cars at Furniture Row Racing and are coming together as a team,” noted Busch, a 24-time Cup winner. “The decision to run the final six races to prepare for next year was the right one. There is so much to learn and also to merge the best of the way the team and I have done things in the past. I am encouraged with the progress we have made so far.”
Busch said he is aiming for a strong performance in Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, a track where he has enjoyed success with one win, three top-fives and 11 top-10s.
“I like Texas Motor Speedway, it’s fast and you have to be on the edge with that speed,” explained Busch, who won the 2009 fall race at TMS. “Over the years Texas has treated me well and I always get up on the wheel there.”
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Kurt Busch’s Career Texas Cup Record
St Fn 2001 16 4
2002 19 23
2003 30 9
2004 12 6
2005 19 7 18 10
2006 7 34 3 8
2007 17 11 6 8
2008 23 23 40 41
2009 28 8 3 1
2010 11 4 6 24
2011 10 10 14 30
2012 27 13
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 Jason Churgin, San Fernando Valley, Calif.
