Venue Quest Story and photos by Dwight Drum Web work by Larsen & Drum
'Dega Bound, 'Dega Bond
Kyle Busch
Winner's Circles in NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Trucks have been a frequent destination for Kyle Busch in 2008. So often that the hollowed turf at every racetrack could almost be known as Busch campgrounds. This year's red hot driver has a simple work ethic. "It's just about getting out there and getting my hands dirty," Kyle Busch has said.
Are the longer tracks like Talladega more fun or more work?
The longer tracks? They're easier to drive. The car seems to be a little bit easier to get around the racetrack at the bigger tracks because they don't usually put them in a 40 acre field and we got a 40 acre field here."
Reporter Dwight Drum asked Kyle Busch:
Photo credit: J Spencer @ www.canishootyou.com and www.jspencerphoto.com
Everyone is hopeful at the beginning of the season. When you arrived did you expect it to gel. Did you think it was going to work that well?
"I hoped that it was going to. I knew the past success of Gibbs Racing meant that all the ingredients would be there. My ability and the ability of the guys hopefully it would all work out and the intensity would be there. So far it has. They are great to work with. I hoped it would all work out and that the chemistry would be there with the guys. Steve (Addington) and the guys at the shop are very cool. Everybody is still after one thing and that's to have Joe Gibb's Racing No. 1. You couldn't ask for a better deal. We feel like we're capable of battling it out on the mile and half tracks. When we are at the racetrack we are all very close." Dwight Drum also asked Busch's crew chief:
Steve Addington
Did you think that Kyle was going to work out so well, that the team was going to gel?
"I knew he was a heck of race car driver and he's a young kid. I think if he could get here and gel with the guys on the race team. I thought we were putting good race cars together. I was hoping that it would. When we went to Atlanta test everything went great. It's been on a roll ever since."
Do champions have common traits and abilities and if so could you identify a few?
"We all do this because we want to win races and win championships. When you get the right person in the right car and everything works out for you. You can get pretty pumped up and excited about coming to work every morning.
"I'm just as good as the guys I got around me. I've surrounded myself with great guys. I say this often. I've got good guys working for me and they support me and my decisions. I support them in what they do."
© 2008 Dwight Drum
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