Sharpie Mini 300 - Kyle Busch Notes

KYLE BUSCH
NO. 5 LOWE’S / SHOP VAC CHEVROLET
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY PREVIEW

Q&A WITH DRIVER KYLE BUSCH:

THIS SEASON HASN’T GONE THE WAY YOU HOPED SO FAR. IS IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE? “In certain situations, yes it is, but not in this situation. If we just weren’t running well, that would be disappointing, but we’ve been strong at almost every race this season and circumstances just haven’t gone our way.

“I mean, we were a top-10 car at Daytona and got wrecked, we struggled at California, but we could very well have won Mexico if I’d have been more patient. At Vegas, we got caught a lap down after a caution came out at the wrong time, but we had an awesome car at Atlanta and just had a tire problem. We just need to have some luck go our way and I think we’ll be fine. We’re showing flashes of what we can do, we just need to put it all together this weekend.”

DO YOU DREAD GOING TO BRISTOL, SINCE EVERY DRIVER FACES THE VERY REAL POSSIBILITY THAT THEY’LL BE INVOLVED IN A WRECK? “I love Bristol. You just have to leave your emotions at home, as well as your pride.

“You’ve always got people around you, either in front of you or behind you, so it’s very difficult to get clean racetrack to race on. You’ve just got to pay attention and hope for the best.

“You’ve got to expect the unexpected at Bristol.”

TEAM NO. 5’S HISTORY AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY: The No. 5 team has never started outside the top-15 in a Busch Series event at Bristol, and has posted three top-10 finishes in eight Bristol Busch races. Last season, rookie Kyle Busch finished third in both Bristol Busch Series races, the first two times he ever competed at the half-mile facility.

KYLE BUSCH’S HISTORY AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY: In three Busch Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch has two top-five finishes and a pole position. Busch finished third in both Bristol Busch Series events in 2004, and scored his sixth career Busch Series pole position at Bristol last August. After leading 63 laps, Busch was penalized for pitting while pit road was closed, then was involved in an accident that left him with a 38th-place finish.

In two Nextel Cup Series starts at Bristol, Busch has finishes of 28th (March, 2005) and 33rd (August, 2005).

TESTING: The No. 5 team spent Tuesday, March 21, testing at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Fla., in preparation for this weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

CHASSIS INFORMATION- Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 275 – Chassis No. 275 is the same car Kyle Busch drove to a pole position and a runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April, 2004, and a dominant win at Michigan International Speedway in August, 2004. Most recently, Busch drove this chassis to a fifth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway last November.

POINTS STANDING: Rick Hendrick, owner of the No. 5 Lowe’s / Shop Vac entry, is 20th in the NASCAR Busch Series owners’ points standings after the fifth event of the 35-race season.

Kyle Busch is 18th in the Busch Series drivers’ points standings.

SPONSOR: The No. 5 Team Lowe’s Racing Chevy will carry the Shop-Vac logo on its quarter panels this weekend. Shop-Vac is the recognized world leader in wet/dry vacs. Along with Lowe’s, Shop-Vac is sharing sponsorship of the No. 5 with Spectracide, Sta-Green, Hitachi Power Tools, Pella and Kobalt Tools this season.