Aaron's 312 - Kyle Busch Notes

KYLE BUSCH
NO. 5 LOWE’S / STA GREEN CHEVROLET
TALLADEGA PREVIEW

KYLE BUSCH PULLING DOUBLE DUTY THIS WEEKEND: This weekend's Talladega Superspeedway race finds Kyle Busch returning to the seat of the No. 5 Team Lowe's Racing Chevrolet for the third time this season. In addition to competing full-time for Rookie of the Year honors in the Nextel Cup Series behind the wheel of the No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet, Busch will drive the No. 5 Lowe's Busch Series entry in a number of races in 2005.

Earlier this year, Busch drove the No. 5 to a 32nd-place finish at Daytona International Speedway in February, and an 11th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.

Q&A WITH DRIVER KYLE BUSCH

What are your thoughts on restrictor-plate racing?
“Well, it’s not my favorite, but there’s a lot of drivers who’ll say the same thing. It’s mentally draining. I usually have a headache by the end of the race at the restrictor-plate tracks. I’ve been lucky enough to have some decent finishes at Daytona and Talladega, so I’m not complaining. Winning the ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) race at Daytona last year was a very cool experience, especially with it being my first race there.”

How will competing in this weekend’s Busch Series race at Talladega help you in your Nextel Cup effort?
“Getting more seat time and more experience in the draft at Talladega is always a positive. There should be a lot of Cup veterans in the Busch race that I can hopefully draft with and learn from.

“I can count my restrictor-plate starts on one hand. I raced in ARCA at Talladega and Daytona, then I raced once in the Busch Series at Talladega and did both Busch races at Daytona last year, but that’s it. When you remember that some guys in the Cup Series have raced at these places 50 or 60 times, I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. I still need to figure out some of the tricks on how to get around this place that are second nature to some of these guys. Hopefully I can pick up a few tips on Saturday.”

TEAM NO. 5’s HISTORY AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY: Kyle Busch found success at the 2.66-mile oval in the No. 5 Lowe’s Chevrolet last year, qualifying 13th and finishing fourth in the 2004 Busch Series race. Ron Hornaday and Brian Vickers, the 2002 and 2003 Team No. 5 drivers, respectively, did not finish on the lead lap in their Busch Series starts at Talladega.

CHASSIS INFORMATION- Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 315 – This chassis is the same car Kyle Busch qualified on the outside pole at the season-opening Busch Series race at Daytona International Speedway in February. After being penalized for passing below the yellow line during the event, Busch was credited with a 32nd-place finish.

STATS & FACTS

In 2004, Kyle Busch had one of the most successful rookie seasons in NASCAR history, breaking or tying no fewer than eight NASCAR Busch Series rookie records, including: