PREVIEW: KYLE BUSCH (NO. 5 KELLOGG'S CHEVROLET)
VENUE: CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY (TWO-MILE OVAL)
CIRCUIT: NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES (RACE 25 OF 36)
EVENT: SUNDAY, SEPT. 3 (250 LAPS, 500 MILES)

KYLE BUSCH AVAILABLE FRIDAY: Kyle Busch will be available to members of the media on Friday at the No. 5 Kellogg's Racing transporter in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series garage area at 11:15 a.m. local time.

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NOT TOO SHABBY: In Kyle Busch's four NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series starts at California Speedway, he's recorded one pole, one win and two top-10 finishes. The Las Vegas native has led a total of 97 laps around the two-mile track.

TOP-10 TIDBIT: Busch has spent 83 percent of the 2006 season -- 20 of 24 weeks -- inside the top-10 in NEXTEL Cup championship points. The 21-year-old Cup sophomore ranks fourth in the standings after a second-place effort last weekend at Bristol, Tenn.

CAR SELECTION: Crew chief Alan Gustafson has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 358 for Sunday's NEXTEL Cup race at California Speedway. The car finished 12th at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this season.

HENDRICK AT CALI: Rick Hendrick has scored five wins at California Speedway, the most of any car owner. Jeff Gordon is responsible for three of those victories, with Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch each earning one.

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WALK OF FAME INDUCTION: Kyle Busch will be inducted into the Walk of Fame at California Speedway for his record-breaking win in the September 2005 NEXTEL Cup race there. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 12 p.m. local time at Gate 12.

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KYLE BUSCH, DRIVER OF THE NO. 5 KELLOGG'S CHEVROLET: (ON HEADING BACK TO A TRACK AS THE DEFENDING RACE WINNER.) "It's a good feeling heading back to the track as the defending winner. The bad side is that you finish in anything other than first and it's kind of a letdown. We've had OK runs on the mile-and-a-half tracks this season so we just want a solid top-10 finish."

BUSCH: (ON THE DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES.) "This team has definitely come a long, long way since last year. We didn't make the Chase in 2005, so we used the last 10 races getting ready -- testing, in a way -- for this season. Last year we were 22nd in the points heading into this race. This season we're fourth. I'd say it's a huge accomplishment. We've grown, we've learned each other, matured and become more patient."

BUSCH: (ON THE TIGHT POINTS RACE.) "It's nerve-wracking [LAUGHS]. When we got into the media center for the press conference last weekend at Bristol, I took a look at the points and it's just scary how tight they are. I think we dodged a bullet at Bristol with a second-place finish and I'm just glad we're heading to two tracks where we've done well."

BUSCH: (ON THE WALK OF FAME INDUCTION.) "That's a really neat deal. California is one of the few tracks that does something like that, so it's special to be a part of it. I hear they'll be giving me a surfboard. That'll look really cool in my new house."

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ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF OF THE NO. 5 KELLOGG'S CHEVROLET: (ON CALIFORNIA.) "We're going back there just to get a good finish. We don't want any distractions and just need to focus on this race and this race alone. Last year was awesome and we wanted to take that same car, but we lost it to a wreck at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. We also wanted to take our Michigan car, but we didn't have enough time to fix it. But Chassis No. 358 is a good car and we're banking on a solid finish."

GUSTAFSON: (ON PRESSURE.) "There's a lot of pressure right now. Our goal this year was to make the Chase. I wanted to be fifth heading into it and right now we're fourth. We dug ourselves a little hole with some bad finishes, otherwise we'd be up there fighting Jimmie (Johnson) and Matt (Kenseth). NASCAR wanted a playoff and they've got it. I never imagined things would be this tight, but they are. As the crew chief, I can't show nerves or give in to the pressure. I have too many people that I have to keep motivated. Last year we were 22nd in points at this time. This year we're fourth. We're not going to give up until that checkered flag waves at Richmond. It's going to be a tough fight."