Busch Set For Furniture Row Racing Debut

Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch will make his Furniture Row Racing debut in Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

A new agreement with the Denver-based Furniture Row Racing calls for Busch to drive the team’s No. 78 Chevrolet in the final six Sprint Cup races of 2012 and throughout the 2013 campaign. 

“This weekend begins a new chapter in my racing career and also a new chapter for Furniture Row Racing,” said Busch, who captured the NASCAR title in 2004, the first year of the Chase. “The excitement level about driving the No. 78 Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet is at a high pitch, and I can’t wait to get started. 

“This is a team that is committed and it’s also a team with plenty of potential. The guys are ready, I’m ready and we all look forward to having a positive debut.” 

While being competitive is always the highest priority for the 24-time Sprint Cup winner, Busch said the first thing he hopes to accomplish this weekend is developing a rhythm with his new team.

“Our goal is not only to get ready for 2013, but also be competitive in the final six races,” stated Busch. “But first things first. We will need to work out the kinks as we attempt to get more speed out of the car. I look forward to working with crew chief Todd Berrier, he is a veteran in the Cup garage who has enjoyed success.” 

Busch has also had his share at the 1.5-mile Charlotte oval, winning the Coca-Cola 600 in 2010. He has also scored a second, third and two fourth place finishes at Charlotte. 

“Being a mile-and-a-half track, this will be a good test for us,” said Busch, a Chase qualifier in six of the last nine seasons. “We’ve said it many times that since intermediate tracks dominate our schedule, it is imperative to do well on them if you want to be a Chase contender.” 

Busch enters the Charlotte race with a career record of 24 wins, 89 Top-5 and 171 Top-10 finishes.