Kurt Busch makes early start to repeat

[MACTANK]

Busch right back in points lead after Fontana


Johnson only other driver with two top-five runs


Defending NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Kurt Busch is still living a dream he hopes he never wakes up from.

After finishing second to Jeff Gordon in the season-opening Daytona 500 and third in Sunday's Auto Club 500 behind Roush Racing teammate Greg Biffle and Gordon's teammate Jimmie Johnson -- Busch is back in a position with which he has become very familiar in the past five months.

Busch, who had a chance to win at California, now leads the Nextel Cup standings by five points over Johnson.

"It's way too early to even talk points, but we're having fun," Busch said. "We had a great run with our Ford. Racing with my teammate, that's what you dream about -- that's what you want."

To achieve that, both Busch and Biffle had to come back from a lap down.

They did that together, and then it was every man for himself when the field came out of the seventh and final caution period with 30 laps remaining.

Busch stayed on the racetrack during the last caution and ultimately fell victim to Johnson's four fresh tires, but he didn't regret the decision.

Busch said he felt like his only chance to win was to make a run for it when the final green flag waved.

"I gave too much too early (but) that was the only advantage that I had on my side," Busch said. "Biffle got us at the end and (Johnson), he had four fresh tires and he was coming."

Busch insisted he wasn't thinking too far beyond the next couple races and, as many drivers did, he indicated getting adjusted to the new aerodynamic, tire and gear rule package was going to be a short-term torment for him and his team.

"I didn't find too much trouble with our new system," Busch said. "With the (shorter) spoiler and the (softer) tires, it gives the car a bit more movement. The front end wanders, the rear end wanders.

"Our car wasn't quite as dialed in as (Biffle) or (Johnson). We continued to work on it and it's what I've been missing for about half-a-year now -- being able to crack Victory Lane.

"I mean, we were competitive -- we were a top-five car -- but we just need to work on finding a new balance for the rear end of these cars so that we can definitely put the power down coming out (of the turns).

"I was struggling with that and I still think that was from what our setups are like, instead of the tires and the spoiler."

And the new rules aside, some things were still old school about the racing -- including the Roush pair's strategy.

"I knew our best chance was to break out and to build a lead as quick as we could and run the car at 99 percent and see where the lap times were gonna fall down," Busch said.

"I knew two tires weren't really gonna work and I was hoping those guys would hold up the guys with four tires.

In the end, Busch once again refused to be backed into talking too much about having a leg up on defending his title.

"You just hope you're in good position by race 20 so that, like (Johnson) did, (you can) kind of take a break," Busch said. "For us, we still had to race pretty hard each of those final 20-26 races, but it's way too early.

"It's a great start for our team (but Johnson's) the big favorite. We're the defending champion and the pressure is on us, so we're gonna have some fun with it."

[AT3Weins]

He is such a dweeb!

[MACTANK]

why do you think that, and who is your favorite driver?

Originally Posted by AT3Weins

He is such a dweeb!

[AT3Weins]

I don't know, just something about him that makes me think dweeb

My favorite driver? After Earnhardt Sr. is Jr. That man has some serious skill, he just needs to get the right pit crew.

A lot of the older drivers think that Jr. will be just as successful as his daddy was. I was watching NASCAR Nation a couple of weeks ago and they interviewed Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin asking about Jr. and DEI. They had nothing but good things to say.

You watch the BUSCH series at all?