The next two weeks will be a whirlwind for Kurt Busch, who plans in competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.
NASCAR Kansas 2014: Kurt Busch preparing for Indianapolis-Charlotte double
There will be no busier driver over the next couple of weeks than Kurt Busch, who will be competing in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600.
Joe Robbins
"I’d love to finish in the top half of the field at Indy. I’d love to stay out of trouble all day and just experience it all."-Kurt Busch
Busch, who has never ran an IndyCar race before, plans in taking part in the majority of practice and qualifying sessions leading up to the Indy 500. Behind the wheel of an Andretti Autosport Dallara-Honda, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion completed the Rookie Orientation Program Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Monday, running a total of 119 laps and posting a best speed just over 222 mph.
“It’s been a good confidence builder all through the few days I’ve been in the car,” Busch said Friday at Kansas Speedway. “Andretti Autosport had done a tremendous job in allowing me to roll as a rookie and to feel the comfort levels each time we go out in the car and not overstep anything that’s asked me to do too much as a newbie.
“The excitement is building up. It’s been great all this whole month.”
Since announcing he would be the fourth driver to attempt the double, Busch has been working out intensively focusing on upper-body strength along with running and martial arts to help his cardio.
“On the physical side of it, my hands have been very sore after each of the practice sessions just from the death grip on the wheel,” Busch said. “I need to relax more and just let the car come to me instead of me forcing the car.”
Thus far Busch’s schedule has been rather straightforward, with no conflicts between his NASCAR and IndyCar commitments. That will change beginning Sunday.
At the conclusion of Saturday night’s 5-Hour Energy 500 at Kansas, Busch will fly to Indianapolis where he will take part in practice Sunday and for the duration of the week. The juggling really begins the following weekend when Busch will balance NASCAR’s All-Star Race May 17 with Indy qualifying earlier in the day. Busch will be back in Indianapolis for final qualifying May 18.
With 33 cars competing for 33 spots, Busch caught a break as there will be less pressure to earn a spot in his first Indy 500.
“That’s a nice gift so to speak,” Busch said. “We still don’t want to be part of Bump Day or in that lower half of the field or lower third. It still is following Andretti Autosport’s lead even if we had a threat of having to qualify in, I’d be leaning on every bit of experience from them.
“But it will be nice not to have to worry about getting bumped out.”
Busch has no shortage of people he can solicit advice from, including NASCAR team owner Tony Stewart, who twice completed the double. He also plans to talk to teammate Danica Patrick, the first woman to lead the Indy 500 in 2005.
As for goals, Busch is keeping them reasonable.
“I think finishing both races,” he said. “That’s just a quick honest answer. I’d love to finish in the top half of the field at Indy. I’d love to stay out of trouble all day and just experience it all. But once this week gets further down the road, I think with just the comfort level that I will gain, I’ll want more. But right now, it’s a matter of just finishing both races. Eleven-hundred miles is tough to do.”
