KYLE BUSCH NOTES & QUOTES
NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES

'5' GETS CARQUEST PAINT: Saturday evening's NEXTEL Cup event at Darlington will mark the first appearance of the 2006 CARQUEST Auto Parts paint scheme on the No. 5 Chevrolet of driver Kyle Busch. The CARQUEST design will also make appearances at both Pocono Raceway events, Chicagoland Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES: One year ago, then-rookie Kyle Busch and his Kellogg's Racing team ranked 27th in the NEXTEL Cup championship standings after 10 of 36 events. Going into the 11th race of the 2006 season, the sophomore team, led by second-year crew chief Alan Gustafson, is a solid eighth in points with Saturday's event at Darlington looming. Busch has held a top-10 position since Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the third race of the season.

HENDRICK GOING FOR 12TH DARLINGTON WIN: Car owner Rick Hendrick has 11 NEXTEL Cup victories at Darlington Raceway, which ties him with Junior Johnson for first on the track's all-time list. Hendrick has won at the 1.366-mile oval with drivers Jeff Gordon (6), Jimmie Johnson (2), Terry Labonte (1), Ricky Rudd (1) and Tim Richmond (1).

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY: The mothers of Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch will be two of the NEXTEL Cup moms honored by Darlington Raceway on Saturday. Ramona Vickers and Gaye Busch will be introduced alongside their sons before helping give the command, "Sons and gentlemen, start your engines!"

CHASSIS 358 FOR BUSCH: Busch will drive Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 358 in Saturday evening's event at Darlington. The car will be making its second appearance of 2006 after finishing 15th at Texas Motor Speedway.

KYLE BUSCH TO GREET FANS: Kyle Busch, who will drive a No. 5 CARQUEST Chevy on Saturday at Darlington Raceway, will greet fans and sign autographs at the No. 5 trackside souvenir trailer on Saturday, May 13 at 3:45 p.m. local time.

KYLE BUSCH, DRIVER OF THE NO. 5 CARQUEST CHEVROLETS: (ON DARLINGTON'S REPUTATION AS A DIFFICULT TRACK.) "I'm looking forward to racing at Darlington. I know it's not going to be a walk in the park, but it's a challenging track and as a driver you either love it or dread it. I'm up to the challenge. You have to have a good handling race car there because the track itself is so narrow. Darlington is a place where you have to race the race track for 450 miles and then go for it at the end."

BUSCH: (ON HIS FIRST CUP START AT DARLINGTON.) "Last year we were running awesome and made our way up to third when I blew a tire, which took us out of contention. At Darlington, if you have a car that's hooked up, you can pretty much ride the track like you're on rails. If you miss the setup, it'll be the longest night of your life."

BUSCH: (ON HIS NO. 5 PIT CREW.) "My pit crew was on fire in Richmond. Each stop they gained at least three spots all night long. That's real important at a track like Darlington because the only pit strategy you usually have is to pit every chance you get because the tires fall off tremendously. If the Kellogg's crew has another night like Richmond, it's going to make my job as a driver that much easier. They deserve a lot of respect and I hope people start paying attention. They're one of the best on pit road."

BUSCH: (ON MOTHER'S DAY.) "I'm glad Mom is going to be at Darlington this weekend. She scores for another car so really she is there every weekend anyway, but it's cool the track takes the time to honor our mothers. If it wasn't for my mom, I wouldn't be where I am today. She gave up a lot so we could race and between she and my grandma, they dedicated their lives to helping us achieve our goals and dreams."

ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF OF THE NO. 5 CARQUEST CHEVROLETS: (DARLINGTON -- LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT?) "Even though I love Darlington because it's old-school and it's one of the best races of the year, that track is tough. I look forward to this race because the track means a lot to me, it's got a lot of history and it definitely challenges a crew chief to get the job done."

GUSTAFSON: (ON THE 2006 SEASON THUS FAR.) "So far so good. This season has been going pretty smoothly. With the exception of freak accidents happening, like in Phoenix, we have been pretty competitive week in and week out. Our pit crew has been unbelievable this year and they haven't gotten the respect they really deserve. These guys, I believe, are the best on pit road -- and that's even with two of our guys having surgery this season. It's just a testament to all the hard work and dedication that the pit crew training department at Hendrick Motorsports represents. It's cool to watch those guys bust out a 12.4-second stop to send that No. 5 Chevy off of pit road with the lead."