Kyle Busch searching for repeat success at Phoenix

Kurt Busch, Phoenix Racing Chevrolet and Kyle Busch, Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota

Photo by: Alexander Trienitz

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 28, 2012) - One year ago this week, Kyle Busch made history at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway (PIR) in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) by leading every race lap to accomplish victory at the Bashas' Supermarkets 200. Previous to the victory, the then 25 year old driver set a track qualifying record of 134.298 mph upon securing the pole position. That accomplishment came with his past Nationwide Series ride fielded by Sprint Cup Series team owner Joe Gibbs. Going into this year's same entitlement race on Saturday, the owner-driver hopes to achieve similar dominance, only this time behind the wheel of his own No. 54 Monster Energy Camry fielded by Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM).

Busch has enjoyed much success at the Phoenix-based racetrack competing in all three NASCAR Series, with his first run in 2004 in the Nationwide Series. He was the youngest pole winner at age 19 that year. In 2007 Busch went on to become the youngest race winner of a PIR NNS event at age 22. His resume at PIR includes five pole positions along with one win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (2005), an All-Time high performing four wins in the NNS (2011, 2010, 2008 and 2007) and two wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (2011 and 2007). He is also the highest All-Time performing driver at PIR in the NNS with an average start of 5.417 and 793 laps led.

This year at PIR Busch will be competing against his former Joe Gibbs Racing Nationwide Series team, as he enters the second week of the race season with his own crew and car. KBM announced in January the formation of a new team with the development of the No. 54 Monster Energy Camry. The team owner will share driving duties with his brother Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, who has thirteen confirmed races in the No. 54 Toyota. The west-coast native and car owner will however be behind the wheel this weekend in an attempt to repeat the success he had last time on track at the Arizona-based raceway.

Momentum is high for the No. 54 team going into Phoenix, Ariz. coming off the first race weekend of the season at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Although a difficult finish upon a last-lap accident, that yielded a wrecked race car, the team owner saw himself in position to win. One week later, knowing his new race team is competitive and able to work through adversity, the NNS all-time winning driver is prepared to bring them to a track such as PIR where he has been so successful.

Kyle Busch, Driver of the No. 54 NASCAR NNS Monster Energy Camry:

That was an exciting first effort by your new NNS Monster Energy team last week. Does that positive momentum carry over to Phoenix International Raceway this week, especially at a race track where you've had history-making success? "That was a phenomenal job by the guys last week. We kind of battled back from being behind much of the day and showed we could be contenders at the end. Having a new race team and bringing new crew members together for the first time is always a little unsettling, but we showed this group works well under pressure and hopefully we'll have the chance again to be leading in Phoenix."

What do you like about racing at PIR? "Well I won here last year, so that's always a good way to think about coming back. Last year, going into Phoenix, the track had been repaved and we were unsure what challenges that might bring to the car setup. What I was able to learn from that race I certainly will share with my new crew chief and team. The new asphalt gave PIR much more grip, which made the track faster. I like that Phoenix is a 'driver's track,' in that you have to find the compromise for car setup between turns. You don't have to use the brakes as much now with the new pavement, so maneuvering the turns smoothly is important."

Mike Beam, Crew Chief of the No. 54 NASCAR NNS Monster Energy Camry:

How do you feel about this new team with one race weekend under your belt? "I look forward to Phoenix International Raceway since Kyle always runs well there. I have also won PIR as a crew chief so I'm comfortable with this track. The team experienced a lot of challenges in Daytona and I'm proud how everyone worked together. We need to limit any mistakes in order to be competitive and contend for the win. If we try our best hopefully that will result in a first win for this race team."

Kyle Busch's No. 54 Monster Energy Camry: Chassis KBM-001: KBM will unload the first NNS chassis built by the company in 2011, for Saturday's Bashas' Supermarkets 200. This Chassis, KBM-001, previously had time on track at Charlotte Motor Speedway last summer, with driver Kimi Raikkonen, in a partnership with NEMCO. The backup machine for this weekend's No. 54 team is Chassis, KBM-007.