Looking for Road-Course Success
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 7, 2012) – One year ago, Las Vegas native and current Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) driver Kurt Busch took home victory at the Zippo 200 at The Glen, while younger brother Kyle Busch completed the same event in the fourth position. This year the KBM team owner-driver will make his sixth NASCAR Nationwide Series start at the 2.45-mile, 11-turn road-course, from the seat of his own Monster Energy machine.
Busch has piloted his new Nationwide Series car 11 times this season, yielding two top-five and three top-10 finishes, but has yet to try his hand on a road-course in the No. 54 Toyota. Earlier this year, the older Busch brother traveled with the KBM team to their first non-oval event at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisc. where they accomplished an eighth-place result, their ninth top-10 finish of the season. The KBM team hopes to improve on that finish, this time working together with their boss.
This week’s chassis is the same Camry used in Wisconsin, but with improvements. Crew Chief Mike Beam admits they were ‘okay’ on their first road-course effort, but acknowledges the team has grown and is ready to master the New York track with the help of their versatile driver-owner Busch.
Kyle Busch, Driver of the No. 54 NASCAR Nationwide Series Monster Energy Camry:
This is the first chance to compete on a road-course in your own car, how do you feel about taking the No. 54 to The Glen?
“Kurt got to drive this car at Road America and had a top-10 with it. I’ll get to drive the other road courses on the schedule, this week at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) and next week in Montreal (Can.). I like road-course racing because it changes things up from the norm, making things a little more interesting with the left and right turns. In five Nationwide Series races here I’ve pulled off a few good runs, but it has been in the Cup Series that I’ve had more success at ‘The Glen’ with a win and a pole. I’d like to do well here in the Nationwide car this week and build momentum for us going into the Canada race too.”
Mike Beam, Crew Chief of the No. 54 NASCAR Nationwide Series Monster Energy Camry:
Describe how you feel taking car #001 to Watkins Glen with Kyle?
“I look forward to racing ‘The Glen’ with Kyle. He is a great road racer. We ran this car at Road America and it was okay, but we have really worked hard on some testing of components and shocks to prepare for the next two weekends. So, it should be exciting and hopefully we can get Kyle and Monster Energy a win. Like I always say, we have to limit our mistakes.”
Kyle Busch’s No. 54 Monster Energy Camry:
Chassis KBM-001: KBM will unload car #001, first raced at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway with team owner Kyle Busch, then at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisc. with brother Kurt Busch, who yielded an 11th and eighth-place finish respectively. The backup machine is Chassis KBM-002, originally run in Bristol, but now prepared for the Montreal (Can.) road-course event next week.
Notes of Interest:
- Crew chief Mike Beam’s career statistics at The Glen include 14 races (NSCS and NNS), zero wins, two top-five finishes, three top-10 finishes, zero poles and 14 laps led.
- The last time Kyle Busch led a Nationwide Series event was two weeks ago at the Indianapolis (Ind.) Motor Speedway, where he paced the field three times for 51 circuits of the 100-lap event.
- Kyle Busch is the winningest driver in Nationwide Series history with 51 career wins, including at least one win eight straight years from 2004 to 2011.
- Kyle Busch’s last NNS win came on 9/09/11 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Busch has competed in 12 series races since then, achieving a high-finishing position of second-place twice.
- Kyle Busch’s best finish in the No. 54 this season, of a second place, happened at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on May 5, 2012.
|
Series |
Wins |
Top 5 |
Top 10 |
Poles |
Led |
Earnings |
AvSt |
AvFn |
|
Sprint Cup |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 races |
1 (’08) |
3 |
6 |
1 (’11) |
116 |
$946,095 |
8.1 |
9.3 |
|
Nationwide |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 races |
0 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
89 |
$122,985 |
7.6 |
10.0 |
Kyle Busch NASCAR Nationwide Series Career Results:
|
Series |
Win |
Top 5 |
Top 10 |
Poles |
Led |
Earnings |
AvSt |
AvFn |
|
Nationwide |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
233 races |
51 |
122 |
152 |
23 |
10,733 |
$8,669,232 |
8.8 |
10.8 |
What are fans saying about Kyle on Social Media sites?
Facebook: Kyle Busch (114,776+ followers)
Travis Browder Better win at Watkins Glen!!!!! (Aug. 7)
Brett James-Paul Crawford Hey man you might be upset and frustrated but keep your head up, you got this playa, get a little rowdy out there, remember rubbin’s racing, you drive your best when you’re a little angry so get angry at not the drivers but the doubters, prove the haters wrong every lap because me and all your fans know you are the best and you know it! (Aug 6.)
Shawna Sparks Come on Kyle – keep your head up!! You still have 6 more chances to win and get into the chase. I know you are going to make it happen. Good luck at The Glen! (Aug. 5)
Angel L. Berrios Not giving up on you Rowdy!!!!! Brush it off and do it next week! Show all those nay sayers that you are going to be in the Chase!! (Aug. 5)
Twitter: @KyleBusch (252,400+ followers)
@TowsonMowz Prediction: Kyle Busch will win 2 of the next 5 races and enter the cup in the #10 spot. (Aug. 7)
@AlyMarye I love Kyle Busch!! (Aug. 6)
Kyle’s preferred Monster Energy drink flavor:
Original Monster Energy
-KBM-
