Kurt Busch is revved up for Sunday’s Ambetter 301 at New Hampshire. (Photo: Sean Folsom | The Podium Finish)
Without a doubt, Kurt Busch is amped up for a magical Sunday afternoon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The 43-year-old Las Vegas native knows how to get around this 1.058-mile asphalt arena. After all, he swept the races in 2004 and captured the checkered flag in the summer 2008 race.
While Sunday’s Ambetter 301 (3 p.m. ET on USA) is a long ways from the championship race in November, it’s a critical time for Busch and his No. 45 SiriusXM/Monster Energy Toyota Camry team.
With characteristics similar to Phoenix Raceway, cite of the season finale, Busch places emphasis on a smooth race weekend in Loudon, New Hampshire.
Busch delivered the first Next Gen car win for 23XI Racing earlier this season at Kansas. (Photo: Cayden Rush | The Podium Finish)
“Well, back in the day with the September race, it was the door to a championship run,” Busch said. “And now you can use it as a sister racetrack to Phoenix, the championship race. And New Hampshire is the same style track.
“It’s a flat, one mile track. So it’s an important sneaky race is the way that that I call it because how you can use it as prep for the championship run.
Some point out how Busch’s consistency rewarded him with the 2004 championship. However, part of his title run was due to his Loudon luck, a track that’s not the easiest to tackle, even for the grittiest of competitors like Busch.
In the past five years, Busch finished 37th due to a lap 151 crash, eighth, 18th, 17th and 16th. Certainly, the 23-year Cup veteran hopes for a better performance and result with his 23XI Racing team.
Presently, Busch can take comfort with his win in the spring Kansas race, a critical caveat with making this year’s Playoff field. Nevertheless, besides the competition, the 34-time Cup race winner has to contend with grueling summertime conditions.
Sure, working out may prove pivotal for the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion. All told, he points out to other keys to success with combating the heat and humidity.
By all means, Busch has a great game plan with preparing for summertime races. (Photo: Riley Thompson | The Podium Finish)
“It’s just continuing to push hard and training, a lot of cardiovascular with kayaking, running (and) biking,” he shared. “Dry sauna is important to go (to) sweat twice a week and get prepped for the Sunday race. And, hydration is key as well, and just doing all the right things.
“And I tell you, Toyota and TRD, we have a Toyota Performance Center, all the people there are really genuinely ready to help and they’re helping me with my nutrition as well. Just mixing things up and plugging through with extra carbs.”
Much like a marathoner or track and field athlete, Busch has to be in peak performance mode to deliver in his car which is not like a Sunday cruise in a sedan with air conditioning. With in car temperatures anywhere between 100 to 140 degrees, drivers like Busch have to be mentally and physically tough customers.
Despite the Kansas win, five top fives and seven top 10 results after 19 races, Busch hopes for a stronger second half. Gelling with crew chief Billy Scott and working with teammate Bubba Wallace, as younger race fans may say, he understands his assignment.
All things considered, even a veteran racer like Busch have to refresh their approach with the Next Gen stock car. Beyond an evolution from the Gen 6 machine, this car has been a bit of an equalizer with tighter competition, a sort of wake up call for experienced drivers who’ve been versed and programmed with the prior Cup rides.
Notably, seven races remain before the regular season is in the books. Indeed, Busch may not have to sweat out his Playoff spot.
Ultimately, he has not dismissed the prospects of more than 16 different race winners before the Playoffs kick off at Darlington.
With the regular season winding down, the Busch brothers close in another postseason appearance. (Photo: Stephen Conley | The Podium Finish)
“It’s possible,” Busch offered. “Just the competitiveness right now and the new car, this Next Gen car, it’s an open book. And some teams have hit it but yet all teams seem very competitive.
“And so with the variety of tracks coming up with road courses, the superspeedways and Daytona to finish the regular season, New Hampshire, all of them, I think that we could see more than 16 winners.”
