There were few mourners in the NASCAR nation for Kurt Busch after he missed the Chase last season. He's the antithesis of popular: a driver fans -- and some drivers -- love to hate.
Jimmy Spencer slugged Busch while he was sitting in his car at Michigan a few years back, and the fans were so unsympathetic that they supported the puncher, not the punchee. A run-in with Phoenix law enforcement at the end of 2005 got him bounced off Roush Racing with two races remaining in the season and fixed his unpopularity in the minds of many.
Some drivers stay in the Nextel Cup based upon a some good runs, a win or two, or the ability to sell merchandise and work with sponsors. But with a markedly abrasive -- some would say obnoxious -- personality Busch has had to build his career entirely upon his talent.
Busch was the Cup champion in '04 and had 14 victories between '02 and '05 for Roush, a superpower in those years.
Those superstar-like numbers dwindled last year, as Busch moved into the No. 2 Miller Lite car vacated by the retiring Rusty Wallace, who had made the Chase in '05. Busch had one victory and was 16th in the points.
It's plausible to write off Busch's year as a transition season, from Roush to Penske, from Ford to Dodge, but there are no mulligans in sports, or in life.
For Busch, the '07 season is the most important of his career, one in which he needs to re-establish himself among the elite drivers.
Steadily, and without making waves, Busch has run well. And after a third-place finish at Talladega, he moved into the top 10 in the points for the first time since joining Penske. It also was the highest finish for a Dodge this season.
Busch, benefiting from some dramatic improvements made by Penske in its restrictor-plate program, led 95 laps at Daytona before crashing with Tony Stewart. He's also run well at the California Speedway (seventh), Atlanta (11th while leading 14 laps), Texas (11th, led 42 laps) and Martinsville (12th). Poor fuel mileage and an untimely caution took Busch out of a top 10 at Phoenix, where he finished 16th.
True to his nature, Busch couldn't resist the opportunity during the post-race interview session at Talladega to admonish the media for not paying attention to the No. 2 this season. "You guys have blinders on all the time, so it's up to us to help explain what we feel has been our problem this year," Busch said. "If we had had a little bit of Lady Luck, I think we could have had three top fives in a row, maybe even a win at Texas, so over time things even out and that's the motto we're taking. We feel like we're making better racecars, making better decisions out on the race track and eventually we'll be a contender.
"It hurts we're not up there every week fighting it out with guys like Jimmie Johnson and [Jeff] Gordon is real strong right now each week, but we're making strides and getting closer."
To no one's surprise, Busch doesn't seem interested in making friends or becoming popular with anyone, but nobody should doubt he's capable of winning races and making the Chase this season.
Jimmy Spencer slugged Busch while he was sitting in his car at Michigan a few years back, and the fans were so unsympathetic that they supported the puncher, not the punchee. A run-in with Phoenix law enforcement at the end of 2005 got him bounced off Roush Racing with two races remaining in the season and fixed his unpopularity in the minds of many.
Some drivers stay in the Nextel Cup based upon a some good runs, a win or two, or the ability to sell merchandise and work with sponsors. But with a markedly abrasive -- some would say obnoxious -- personality Busch has had to build his career entirely upon his talent.
Busch was the Cup champion in '04 and had 14 victories between '02 and '05 for Roush, a superpower in those years.
Those superstar-like numbers dwindled last year, as Busch moved into the No. 2 Miller Lite car vacated by the retiring Rusty Wallace, who had made the Chase in '05. Busch had one victory and was 16th in the points.
It's plausible to write off Busch's year as a transition season, from Roush to Penske, from Ford to Dodge, but there are no mulligans in sports, or in life.
For Busch, the '07 season is the most important of his career, one in which he needs to re-establish himself among the elite drivers.
Steadily, and without making waves, Busch has run well. And after a third-place finish at Talladega, he moved into the top 10 in the points for the first time since joining Penske. It also was the highest finish for a Dodge this season.
Busch, benefiting from some dramatic improvements made by Penske in its restrictor-plate program, led 95 laps at Daytona before crashing with Tony Stewart. He's also run well at the California Speedway (seventh), Atlanta (11th while leading 14 laps), Texas (11th, led 42 laps) and Martinsville (12th). Poor fuel mileage and an untimely caution took Busch out of a top 10 at Phoenix, where he finished 16th.
True to his nature, Busch couldn't resist the opportunity during the post-race interview session at Talladega to admonish the media for not paying attention to the No. 2 this season. "You guys have blinders on all the time, so it's up to us to help explain what we feel has been our problem this year," Busch said. "If we had had a little bit of Lady Luck, I think we could have had three top fives in a row, maybe even a win at Texas, so over time things even out and that's the motto we're taking. We feel like we're making better racecars, making better decisions out on the race track and eventually we'll be a contender.
"It hurts we're not up there every week fighting it out with guys like Jimmie Johnson and [Jeff] Gordon is real strong right now each week, but we're making strides and getting closer."
To no one's surprise, Busch doesn't seem interested in making friends or becoming popular with anyone, but nobody should doubt he's capable of winning races and making the Chase this season.
why dose he have to try and be popular? It hasn't helped JR. win a cup.