Kyle Busch to Drive Hendrick's Busch Series Chevrolets in 2004

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sept. 2, 2003) - Car owner Ricky Hendrick today announced that 18-year-old Kyle Busch will move to the NASCAR Busch Series full-time in 2004 as driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets.

The move will pair Busch with a proven team that currently ranks third in Busch Series championship points with driver Brian Vickers, who will compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in 2004.

"Kyle Busch is a talent," Hendrick said. "In a short amount of time, he's shown that he has the ability to go out and compete with the best this sport has to offer. It's going to be fun to watch him race every week with a championship-caliber team."

Busch signed a multi-year agreement with Hendrick Motorsports in February, winning two ARCA Series races before his 18th birthday. In five starts on the circuit this season, the Las Vegas native has earned two victories, two pole positions and four top-five starts.

After becoming eligible for NASCAR competition on May 2, Busch has posted two runner-up finishes and three top-10 qualifying efforts in a trio of Busch Series starts. His second-place effort at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 24 marked one of the best debuts in the tour's history.

"This is a great situation for a young driver like myself," Busch said. "It gives me the opportunity to come into the Busch Series full-time with an established team that can compete week in and week out. I can't thank the Hendrick organization enough for giving me the kind of support I need to be successful."

After finishing second at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in his most recent Busch Series event, Busch will next compete on the circuit at Dover (Del.) International Speedway on Sept. 20, followed by starts at Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park on Oct. 18, Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct. 25 and North Carolina Speedway on Nov. 8.

He will also enter two additional ARCA races this season, at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Sept. 27 and Lowe's Motor Speedway on Oct. 9.

Hendrick Motorsports has earned eight NASCAR championships since 1984, including five Cup Series titles and three in the Craftsman Truck Series. In 614 Cup races, Hendrick-owned teams have amassed 114 victories and 112 pole positions.

Primary sponsorship for the 2004 No. 5 Chevrolets has not been determined.