Thursday, December 22, 2011

It's Official: Kurt To Phoenix Racing In 2012

Kurt Busch says, “I just want to get back to having fun in the race car.”

The 2004 Sprint Cup champion will chase that goal with Phoenix Racing, driving the team's #51 Chevrolet in the full 2012 Sprint Cup schedule.

“I’m very happy to join Phoenix Racing and after entertaining a lot of quality offers, there’s no better place for me,” said Busch, winner of 24 Sprint Cup races, as well as the 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the 2011 Gatorade Duel and the 2011 Budweiser Shootout. “We’re going to run the full schedule together, and we’re going to have fun doing it.

“It’s going to be old-school racing, where we show up, race hard and go for the win. And if we don’t win, we’ll go back to the shop, work hard and do it all over again next week. That’s the way we all started racing, and it’s great to get back to that.”

Phoenix Racing owner James Finch celebrated his 20th year as a NASCAR team owner in 2011. His Spartanburg, S.C.-based team has won 13 NASCAR races; most notably the April 2009 Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

“All we want to do is win,” Finch said. “Winning is why I’ve been in racing for as long as I have, but NASCAR is a very competitive sport, and winning – especially at the Sprint Cup level – is hard. But now with Kurt Busch as our driver, we have a shot to win every week. He’s a past champion and he’s proven he can win everywhere. Our sponsors are looking forward to Kurt representing their brands.

“We have excellent equipment and a hard-working group of guys who want that trophy at the end of every race. Kurt’s the guy who can deliver it to them.”

Busch will drive the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet Impala in 2012, and his first race will be the non-points Budweiser Shootout at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway where he is the defending winner.

“James Finch has always had pretty stout cars for the restrictor plate races and I know we’ll be very competitive at Daytona,” Busch said. “We’ll participate in the test down there in January to get a good handle on our Daytona 500 car, but also to win another Budweiser Shootout.

“Christmas came early for me this year, and I honestly can’t wait for the season to begin.”

The 33-year-old Busch has made the Chase for the Sprint Cup six times since the inception of the Chase in 2004, when he won the series title. His Sprint Cup championship followed the International Race of Champions (IROC) title he won in 2003. And before joining the Sprint Cup ranks in late 2000, Busch was the 1999 NASCAR Southwest Tour champion, where at age 21, he was the youngest driver to win that series’ championship.

11 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:18 PM

    I hope it works out for both

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  2. Danny6:14 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  3. Danny6:17 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. Anonymous6:19 PM

    get used to finishing 33rd Kurt, right before the start and park. Inferior equipment, can only contend at Daytona and Talladega

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  5. Hey guys its hendrick equipment the best driver this car ever had was for one race with brad k Kurt is a proven winner he is rated in the top 5 best NASCAR drivers

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  6. Jealousy is the best form of flattery.....
    Why is it that many NASCAR fans act as if it's their sport and only theirs, and if it doesn't go the way they like it to go they must trash and destroy everything they don't approve of??
    Kurt was going to get a ride regardless how much one hates him, Kurt may have a temper and verbally abuse his team, but he's not getting arrested for drugs or abusing his wife, at strip joints with guns at 3am or accused and tried for murder! Those things are reserved for the NFL, NBA etc. Some need to get off their thrown and let NASCAR be fun for all of us, and not tell us who should be allowed to drive and who doesn't !

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  7. Anonymous11:13 PM

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  8. Anonymous10:40 AM

    Go Kurt Win Win Win

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  9. Anonymous4:06 PM

    Guess the administrator does not like to hear opnions or believe in freedom of speech . must be a kb fan and cant handle the truth. so sad

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  10. Anonymous11:56 PM

    Hey Chris ~

    It's " NOT " a matter of Jealousy. I know that there are ALOT of fans out there , Especially Kurt Busch fans. Here's the problem. When you have a driver such as Kurt or his Brother Kyle , Neither of them have any Control of their actions , Let alone any Respect ! They are BOTH mouthy & very Rude. They may be able to drive a Race car but, It takes more than just fancy driving to Not only secure their rides & keep sponsors but to also keep the fans that they have. I'm sure that they Both are as Sorry as can be but...Nascar , The race teams & the fans need to quit giving in to these cry babys. Yes Kurt may not have been Arrested for Drugs or abusing his wife or even at the strip joints with guns at 3 AM OR Accused and tried for murder like you had said BUT...He has been Busted for DUI ! So this is the kind of guy that You & many other fans want to be Representing Nascar & to be setting Examples ? Good Luck !

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  11. Anonymous9:49 AM

    Kurt didn't get a DUI....but Aj Dinger has one! So does most of us on here. I do..it was a big mistake but I learned from it. I am still a roll model to many young children.

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