KURT BUSCH Monster Energy/Haas Automation Racing Team Report Round 31 of 36 – 1000Bulbs.Com 500 – Talladega
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
KURT BUSCH Monster Energy/Haas Automation Racing Team Report Round 31 of 36 – 1000Bulbs.com 500 – Talladega Car No.: 41 – Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford Fusion PR Contact: Joe Crowley, True Speed Communication (704) 875-3388 ext. 808 or [email protected] Primary Team Members: Driver: Kurt Busch Crew Chief: Billy Scott Hometown: Las Vegas Hometown: Land O’ Lakes, Florida Car Chief: Tony Cardamore Engine Builder: Roush-Yates Engines Hometown: Bristol, Virginia Headquarters: Mooresville, North Carolina Engine Specialist: Evan Cupples Spotter: Tony Raines Hometown: Hudson, Illinois Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana Over-The-Wall Crew Members: Gas Man: Rick Pigeon Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder Hometown: Fairfax, Vermont Hometown: Sioux City, Iowa Jackman: Sean Cotton Rear Tire Changer: Coleman Dollarhide Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina Windshield: Kyle Anderson (also serves as interior mechanic) Tire Carrier: Dwayne Moore Hometown: Jewell, Iowa Hometown: Griffin, Georgia Road Crew Members: Truck Driver: Larry Lush and Tim Hussey Tire Specialist: Tom Gagliano Hometowns: Waynesville, North Carolina and Asheboro, North Carolina Hometown: East Hampton, Connecticut Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn Engineers: Scott Bingham and William Lee Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut Hometowns: Lawrenceville, Georgia and Fuquay-Varina, N.C. Mechanic: Nick McIntosh Mechanic: Joe Zanolini Hometown: Havre, Montana Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania Talladega Notes of Interest: The 1000Bulbs.com 500 will mark Kurt Busch’s 643rd career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start and 36th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Busch has eight top-five finishes and 19 top-10s at the 2.66-mile oval. Additionally, the 40-year-old driver has led 158 laps, has an average starting position of 19.1, an average finish of 15.5 and has completed 95.7 percent (6,354 of 6,641) of the laps he’s contested there. Busch has career totals of 30 wins, 26 poles, 137 top-fives, 277 top-10s and 9,361 laps led in 642 career starts. His most recent Cup Series win came seven races ago in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (Aug. 18, 2018). His last Cup Series pole came two races ago at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval (Sept. 28, 2018). 9,000 and counting – By leading 98 laps in the April race at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, Busch became just the 21st driver to lead 9,000 laps in his NASCAR career. He is now 20th in the laps-led standings, having led 9,361 laps. He’s 383 laps behind Buddy Baker and 210 laps ahead of 21st-place Denny Hamlin. Busch is fifth among active drivers in laps led. Get to the Points – Following his fifth-place finish Sunday at Dover, Busch is sixth in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings with 3,054 points. He has one win, six top-five finishes and 19 top-10s in 30 races this season. Busch has been in the top-10 in points for 25 consecutive weeks. The last time he was in the top-10 for 25 consecutive weeks was when he was in the top-10 for the first 27 races of the 2016 season. Busch’s best finish at Talladega is second April 2018. He finished third four times (April 2001, 2002, 2007 and October 2006). -more- Monster Energy/Haas Automation Racing Team Report – Talladega Page Two Talladega Notes of Interest (continued): The Las Vegas native has 26 career NASCAR Cup Series poles. Busch has never won a pole at Talladega. His best start there is second in April 2018. In two starts in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at Talladega, Busch has one top-five finish and two top-10s. Restrictor-Plate Winner – Busch won the 2018 Daytona 500 to earn his first-ever win on a restrictor-plate racetrack. From a road course to short tracks, from high-banked ovals to flat tracks, Busch has now won at every type of track on the circuit. Kurt Busch’s Talladega Performance Profile: Year Event Start Finish Status/Laps Laps Led Earnings 2018 Geico 500 2 2 Running, 188/188 5 N/A 2017 ×Geico 500 15 6 Running, 191/191 0 N/A Alabama 500 4 25 Accident, 171/188 3 N/A 2016 Geico 500 18 8 Running, 188/188 0 N/A Hellman’s 500 7 4 Running, 192/192 0 N/A 2015 ×Geico 500 19 12 Running, 188/188 1 $127,435 CampingWorld.com 500 14 10 Running, 196/196 1 $108,790 2014 Aaron’s 400 9 33 Accident, 174/188 0 $91,185 Geico 500 18 7 Running, 194/194 0 $102,115 2013 †×Aaron’s 499 33 30 Accident, 182/192 2 $116,325 Camping World RV Sales 500 30 18 Running, 188/188 3 $113,030 2012 ×Aaron’s 499 33 20 Running, 193/194 4 $111,602 Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 29 39 Parked, 98/189 6 $79,000 2011 Aaron’s 499 8 18 Running, 188/188 19 $132,875 Good Sam Club 500 14 36 Accident, 173/188 1 $115,950 2010 ×Aaron’s 499 9 8 Running, 200/200 8 $148,398 AMP Energy Juice 500 3 30 Running, 188/188 2 $119,421 2009 Aaron’s 499 28 6 Running, 188/188 13 $130,750 †×AMP Energy 500 6 30 Accident,189/191 7 $93,425 2008 Aaron’s 499 23 39 Accident, 173/188 0 $78,550 ×AMP Energy 500 33 21 Running, 177/190 2 $78,275 2007 ×Aaron’s 499 26 3 Running, 192/192 7 $212,483 UAW-Ford 500 41 7 Running, 188/188 0 $127,933 2006 Aaron’s 499 5 7 Running, 188/188 9 $143,233 UAW-Ford 500 29 3 Running, 188/188 3 $169,108 2005 ×Aaron’s 499 10 7 Running, 194/194 2 $134,975 ×UAW-Ford 500 21 8 Running, 190/190 7 $138,200 2004 Aaron’s 499 22 36 Accident, 82/188 1 $82,875 EA SPORTS 500 8 5 Running, 188/188 4 $104,290 2003 Aaron’s 499 26 19 Running, 186/188 1 $87,195 EA SPORTS 500 39 6 Running, 188/188 11 $106,750 2002 Aaron’s 499 20 3 Running, 188/188 0 $120,255 †EA SPORTS 500 11 4 Running, 188/188 35 $86,665 2001 Talladega 500 27 3 Running, 188/188 2 $107,780 EA SPORTS 500 27 29 Running, 187/188 0 $47,940 * Race cut short due to weather. × Race length extended due to green-white-checkered finish. † Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via car owner points. -TSC-.