Notebook: Good run at Charlotte could help Kyle Busch's title chances

Notebook: Good run at Charlotte could help Kyle Busch's title chances

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NACAR Wire Service

(October 13, 2011)

CONCORD, N.C.—To Kyle Busch, there's no place like home.

After leaving points on the table in the first four races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch is happy to be back at Charlotte, a track where he has finished in the top 10 in eight of the last 10 races—including a second and three thirds.

"Charlotte is one of my favorite tracks, so we're always excited about being able to get back here," Busch said Thursday before the opening Cup practice session. "It's kind of the home race feel, with everybody being from the area and being able to sleep in their own beds and come to the racetrack.

"So it's a good opportunity to have a good weekend this weekend."

Busch needs a good weekend. After entering the Chase as the top seed, Busch has fallen to eighth in the standings, 20 points behind series leader Carl Edwards, and he's not happy about it.

"I admit that we feel we're definitely further behind than we would have wanted to be at this point," Busch told Sporting News. "I'd say that we definitely gave up a lot of points at Chicago (where he ran out of fuel in the closing laps). We gave up a couple points at Dover and a few points at Kansas. …

"We just have to make sure that we keep fighting and keep fighting hard and not allowing discouraging runs like we've had to get us down—at least we still have a fighting shot."

Newman likes seeing the sparks fly at night

Saturday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only night race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but if Ryan Newman had his way, there would be more racing under the lights.

"Tickles me pink," Newman said Thursday when asked about racing at night. "I really enjoy night racing. I always have. It's fun to come here and be at home and race on a Saturday night. I've always enjoyed night racing from my very first quarter-midget races back in the day until now.

"I think the cars look faster, and you see the sparks flying, it's not 120 degrees sitting in the grandstands, and I think everybody enjoys night racing better. I've never seen somebody that says night racing is worse than day racing."

Newman also hopes Saturday night brings a change in the fortunes of his No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing team. Four races into the Chase, he's 11th in the standings, 54 points behind leader Carl Edwards.

Compared with his last three Chase  runs—25th at New Hampshire, 23rd at Dover and 18th at Kansas—Newman is looking for a performance at Charlotte that's as different as night from day.

Short strokes

Dollar General will sponsor Joey Logano's No. 20 Toyota in 12 Sprint Cup races next year, Joe Gibbs Racing and Dollar General announced Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dollar General also will lend its support to JGR's Nationwide Series program, sponsoring Brian Scott's No. 11 for a full season and a total of 10 races with Kyle Busch and Logano in the Nos. 18 and 20 Camrys. The company also has entered into a 10-race Camping World Truck Series deal with Kyle Busch Motorsports, with Busch as the driver. …

Clint Bowyer will feature a special "Send Cheer" paint scheme on his No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in the season's penultimate race Nov. 13 at Phoenix. Cheerios and the USO unveiled the car Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway as part of a campaign to give thanks and spread cheer to military families. Cheerios customers can clip postcards from the fronts of specially-marked boxes and, through the USO, send the cards to military families.