BUSCH, TRYSON & TEAM FACE “DELIGHTFUL DILEMMA” AT CALIFORNIA
Miller Lite Dodge Driver & Team Must Decide Between Pocono & Michigan Winning Cars For Race

FONTANA, Calif. (August 28, 2007) – Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch and his Pat Tryson-led Penske Racing No. 2 team are faced with a tough decision entering this weekend’s Sharp Aquos 500 at the California Speedway.

Will it be the “PT Special” or “Roger” that the team calls on to wage battle with in Sunday’s 250-lap race around this 2.0-mile track?

“I’d say it’s a pretty delightful dilemma to be faced with in having to choose between those two winning race cars,” crew chief Tryson said while sporting a wide grin. “The (PSC-) 78 car was dominant in winning at Pocono and we were very successful in rolling out our new (PSC-) 111 car at Michigan. She came on really strong and got the job done there.

“So the bottom line is that we have two really great Miller Lite Dodge Chargers to choose from for California this weekend,” said Tryson. “I’m sure we’ll discuss the situation during the down time at our Memphis test and some more at the shop on Wednesday. By the time we load into the airplane on Thursday, we’ll probably have decided which car will be our primary and which will be designated the backup.”

Busch, Tryson and crew brought a completely refurbished PSC-078 Dodge to Pocono for the Aug. 5 Pennsylvania 500. After an unusual weather situation on Friday cost the team their first pole position of the year, Busch started second in the 200-lap grind around the tricky triangular 2.5-mile track.

Busch grabbed the lead from pole-winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the first lap and dominated the race, losing the lead only during green-flag pit stop segments and after a slow pit stop on Lap 139 under the fifth yellow-flag period of the race. He went on to lead 175 of the 200 laps and establish a new record for laps led in races at Pocono.

Carrying on the Penske Racing stock car tradition of naming the cars after their first win, Busch named his winning Pocono ride the “Pat Tryson Special” or the “PT Special” for short. ”There’s a lot of Miller Lites enjoyed on a daily basis out at the PT’s Pubs in ‘Vegas and it was so appropriate to name it that because Pat put so much time and energy in getting that car ready to go back to Pocono with,” Busch recalled of his Pocono winner’s circle celebration. “It was a lot of his blood, sweat and tears that got us to Victory Lane again.”

For the August 19 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Busch, Tryson and team debuted a brand new Dodge Charger, their PSC-111. The event was rain-delayed all the way till Tuesday. After starting back in 15th, Busch worked his way into the top-10 at Lap 39 and climbed into the top-five on Lap 55.

When Busch got around Matt Kenseth to lead for the first time on Lap 108, the contest was all but over. Busch would go on to lead four times for 92 laps (led most Laps) en route to an overtime (green/white/checkered) win by 0.496 seconds over runner-up Martin Truex Jr.

“That was a great win at Michigan and it was very fitting to name the car ‘Roger’ after our car owner,” said Busch, after he had given car owner Roger Penske his 291st major league victory in all fields of motorsports. “The biggest determining factor for naming the car ‘Roger’ is the fact that it was our first race win that we’ve been able to celebrate face to face with the ‘Captain’ in Victory Lane. He wasn’t able to make it to our win at Bristol last year and he couldn’t be at Pocono last month. For him to be there -- especially with all the sponsor reps and the folks from Dodge -- that definitely made the win all the more special.

“Since we will be running the COT exclusively next year, this car can make a really nice museum piece,” said Busch. “He can have it on display in a showroom somewhere with Roger inscribed on it. It’ll be the very last Michigan winning race car of that mold and people will always recall the historical fact that we won with the car in a race held on Tuesday.

“Regardless of which car we race at California, it certainly is a great feeling to be in that situation,” said Busch, now holding down the 12th and final “Chase-eligible” points position by 158 points with only Sunday’s California race and the Sept. 8 race at Richmond, Va., remaining to determine this year’s Chase players. “It’s a testament to all the hard work Pat and everyone on our team has put into preparing these cars and engines. To have the luxury of choosing between two great rides like we have ready for California is a cool spot to be in.”

* * *

Busch career Cup record at California Speedway boasts one win (4/27/03) three top-five finishes and four top-10 finishes in 10 career starts. He has two pole positions, taking both top qualifying spots for last year’s races. Overall, Busch has an 11.7 average start and an 11.5 average finish in Cup competition at California. He has completed 99.9 percent (2,503 of 2,505) of all possible laps.

Busch started 18th and finished seventh in February’s Auto Club 500 at California. “We ran between 11th and 15th for the majority of the first race there, which had been pretty typical for our intermediate track program. We caught a break by staying out during the late caution and came home with a solid seventh-place finish. We’re confident that the cars we’re bringing this time around are much stronger. We can’t wait to get back to California and see how we stack up against the competition.”

* * *

This weekend’s NEXTEL Cup action at California Speedway gets under way with practice on Friday from 11:30 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. Friday’s 3:10 p.m. single round of qualifying will allocate all starting spots for Sunday’s battle. Saturday’s Cup action includes a practice session from 4:00 p.m. till 4:45 p.m. The final “Happy Hour” practice session is set for Saturday from 5:10 p.m. till 6:10 p.m. Sunday’s Sharp Aquos 500 is scheduled to get the green flag at 5:00 p.m. PDT (8:00 p.m. Eastern) and will feature live coverage by ESPN-TV and MRN Radio.

* * *

Notes of interest:

--Miller Lite Dodge crew chief Pat Tryson calls the situation his team is facing this weekend, “a delightful dilemma.” Driver Kurt Busch, Tryson and crew must decide between their Pocono-winning PSC-078 and Michigan-winning PSC-111 Dodge Chargers. Kurt has dominated the competition in the two most recent non-COT races with these cars, leading seven times for 175 of 200 laps at Pocono and four times for 92 of 203 laps at Michigan. That equates to Busch leading 66.3 percent (267 of 403) of all those laps. Matt Kenseth ranks second in laps led in those races with 32 (7.9 percent). (much more on this in release)

--Kurt, Pat and crew are testing today (Tuesday) at Memphis Motorsports Park in preparation for upcoming races. The team is going all out, with two transporters and four race cars on hand at the ¾-mile track, which resembles three important “Chase” stops: Richmond – the final race to make the final 12 on Sept. 8 – plus New Hampshire (Sept. 16) and Phoenix (Nov. 11), both pivotal tracks inside the final 10 “Chase.” Kurt will be placing major focus on getting either the PSC-510 (car raced last at Martinsville) or the team’s new PSC-520 Dodge Avenger ready for the Richmond race. Tuesday’s weather forecast for the Memphis area called for a high temperature of 98 degrees with a 30 percent chance of rain.

--On the subject of weather, the extended forecast for Fontana, Calif., currently calls for sunny and hot conditions throughout the race weekend. Friday’s high is projected to reach 104 degrees with a low Friday night of 72 degrees. Saturday’s high is 102 degrees and low of 71 degrees. Sunday’s race day forecast calls for a high of 101 degrees and a low of 71 degrees. There is only a 10 percent chance of any precipitation during the three-day period. The race is expected to get under way at 5:00 p.m. PDT under sunny skies, with the temperature around 95 degrees. The sun will set at 7:15 p.m. local time on Sunday.

--Kurt is scheduled for his weekly “top-12 points” media interview opportunity/Q & A session on Friday at 10:15 a.m. in the California Speedway media center. Kurt continues his effort in reaching out to the media rather than making them come to him at the team transporter.

--Platinum recording artist “30 Seconds to Mars” will headline the Miller Lite Rock ’n Racing show in the California FanZone on Sunday afternoon at California Speedway. Kurt is expected to be on the stage to introduce the band at 1:45 p.m. The Miller Lite Rock ’n Racing show is part of the California Speedway experience at the track’s FanZone. The concert, and all musical performances on the center stage, is free for all guests with a paid admission to the Sharp AQUOS 500 Presented by Vikuiti NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race on Sunday, September 2 and the Camping World 300 Presented by RVs.com NASCAR Busch Series race on Saturday, September 1.

--Kurt’s visit to his souvenir trailer at California Speedway this Sunday will mark the 234th time in the last 237 races that he has been out on race day mornings to meet his fans and sign autographs. His continuing tradition began during his first full year on the Cup circuit back in 2001. “It’s a great way to get the pulse of what the fans are feeling out there and I enjoy it so much,” said Kurt. “My fans have always been great to me and so supportive and it’s good to be able to remain that close to them. The only days I’ve missed getting out there was the day of the Coke 600 last year, when I went up to Indy to hang with the Penske IRL team and the two races that I was parked by the last car owner I drove for.” Kurt is tentatively scheduled to be at his souvenir trailer at 12:45 p.m. this Sunday. Please verify that time by visiting the trailer in advance and picking up the free tickets for the autograph line.

--Kurt is hosting two exciting fundraising events whereby Kurt’s fans can purchase a “Ride with Kurt for the Kids”. Kurt will take the first 30 people at each track who make a $2,000 donation to the Kurt Busch Foundation for a high speed ride around the Lowe’s Motor Speedway or Las Vegas Motor Speedway. These high-speed, white-knuckle rides with Kurt behind the wheel will be in a special NASCAR Nextel Cup-style stock car provided by event sponsor – the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

These events will be extremely limited so that each participant will get the opportunity to spend time with Kurt. At each of these two great race tracks, 30 people will get to “Ride with Kurt for the Kids”, 120 people (for a $400 donation) will get to ride with Richard Petty instructors, and an additional 50 people (for a $200 donation) will be allowed to attend as event supporters. Each of the 200 participants will get an autographed 1/24 scale Kurt Busch diecast, a t-shirt, dinner, the opportunity to participate in a silent auction plus photos, autographs and a meet and greet with Kurt. Doug Rice, co-host of PRN’s Fast Talk will be donating his time and talents to “call the event” as well as handle MC duties, moderate Q&A’s and assist with the auction.

Ride with Kurt for the Kids – Schedule
October 18, 2007
Lowes Motor Speedway

November 6, 2007
Las Vegas Motor Speedway

All funds raised will go toward the completion of the Kurt Busch Superdome complex currently under construction at the Victory Junction Gang Camp. For complete event information and to purchase one of these exciting experiences, please visit www.kurtbusch.com, send an email to ridewithkurt@kurtbusch.com, or call 704-799-2428. This opportunity is extremely limited and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

--Kurt’s California statistical brief (courtesy of NASCAR PR):