Checker Auto Parts 500 * Phoenix Int'l Raceway * Sunday, November 2,
2003
Kurt Busch
Team: No. 97 Rubbermaid Ford Taurus
Sponsors: Rubbermaid
Owner: Jack Roush
Driver: Kurt Busch
Crew Chief: Jimmy Fennig
Chassis Number: 54 * won at California and Michigan
Kurt Busch on racing at Phoenix:
"I always enjoy getting the opportunity to come out west. Racing at
places like Phoenix reminds me a lot of my days in the Southwest Touring
Series. We've got a great car that we were able to win with twice
earlier this year, so hopefully we can take it to victory lane a third
time."
Crew Chief Jimmy Fennig on racing at Phoenix:
"Even though it's half the size, this track is a lot like Fontana
and Michigan so we're bringing the car that we won with at those
tracks this year. We've been running better each time we come to
Phoenix. We finished in the top 10 there last year so we should be due
for a top five this time."
ROUSH RACING FAST FACTS:
Mark Martin has finished in the top four in eight of the 15
Winston Cup races at Phoenix.
Martin has finished in the top two in six of the 15 races at
Phoenix.
Martin has finished in the top eight in 10 of the last 11 races
at PIR.
Martin has finished in the top 10 in 12 of 15 (80 %) races at
Phoenix and inside the top five in eight of 15 (53%).
Greg Biffle won both the Busch Series and Craftsman Truck races
at Phoenix in 2001.
Matt Kenseth now has 23 top-10 finishes in 33 starts, a
league-leading statistic. Kenseth's 2003 Winston Cup point lead is
now 258 points over second place Dale Earnhardt, Jr. with just three
events remaining.
If Kenseth wins the Checker Auto Parts 500 event, his
Winston-leader bonus payout would be a record $340,000.
DEWALT's Million Dollar Challenge wraps up this weekend just
prior to the green flag. Last year, Jon Smith of Delaware, Ohio won the
grand prize by drilling five screws into a block of wood in less than
seven seconds to claim the $1 million payout. His time was 6.77
seconds.
Kurt Busch sits 11th in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series point
standings after 33 events, 569 points out of the fifth place and 865
points out of first.
Busch's crew chief Jimmy Fennig is tied for winningest active
crew chief in the Winston Cup Series with 24 wins.
Jeff Burton has back-to-back wins at Phoenix (2000 & 2001).
Burton has four top five's in his last five starts at
Phoenix.
Jon Wood and Carl Edwards will compete in Friday's NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series race. Combined the two drivers have five wins,
three poles, 22 top-five and 32 top-10 finishes in 2003.
Edwards is leading the Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year point
standings by 131 points.
