From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids
The NASCAR Busch Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR. It is NASCAR's second division (often compared to Triple-A baseball), and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's top level, the Nextel Cup.
[edit] History
The series emerged from NASCAR's old Sportsman division, which was formed in 1950 as NASCAR's short track race division. It became the Late Model Sportsman series in 1968, and soon featured races on larger tracks, such as Daytona International Speedway.
The modern-day Busch Series was formed in 1982, when Anheuser-Busch sponsored a newly reformed late-model sportsman series with its Budweiser brand. It switched sponsorship to the Busch brand in 1984, and in 1986, was renamed from the Sportsman series to the Busch Grand National Series. Grand National was dropped from the series' title in 2003.
[edit] The Busch Series Today
The cars used today in the Busch Series are slightly different versions of their Nextel Cup counterparts, the main differences being a slightly shorter wheelbase (105" instead of 110") and a larger spoiler (57" wide x 5.75" high instead of 55" x 4.5"). In the past, Busch Series competitors could use makes of cars not used in the Cup series, as well as V-6 engines instead of Cup's V-8s, but the cars used in the series now are very similar.
On March 6, 2005, the Busch Series held its first race outside the United States, the Telcel-Motorola 200. The race was held in Mexico City, Mexico at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, a track that had previously held Formula One and Champ Car races in the past, and was won by Martin Truex Jr..
Beginning in 2007, ABC, and ESPN2 will be the exclusive carrier of all Busch Series races, currently shown on FOX, FX, TNT and NBC. Some sponsors have cricitised the new television deal, noting a maximum of four races will appear on broadcast network television, and most likely none in prime-time; in recent years, as many as nine races in the Busch Series have aired on network television, with two 2005 races ending up in prime-time television.
Busch Series cars use fuel that contains lead. NASCAR will conduct a three-race test of unleaded fuel in this series that began with the July 29, 2006 race at Gateway International Raceway. Leaded fuel will return after that while NASCAR reviews the data collected during the test.
Once the Car of Tomorrow is implemented in the Nextel Cup series, NASCAR will begin work on changing the cars run in the Busch Series. NASCAR has been approached by manufacturers about using differently shaped and named car models as the basis for the cars in the Busch Series when this change is made. NASCAR has been receptive to the idea.
[edit] Specifications
- Engine Displacement: 358cid (5.8L) Pushrod V8
- Transmission: 4 Speed Manual (Must have reverse)
- Weight: 3100lbs. Minimum (with out driver) 3300lbs. Minimum (with driver)
- Horsepower: 650-700hp (unrestricted)
- Fuel: 112 octane leaded (2006), 98 octane unleaded (2007)
- Fuel Capacity: 22 U.S. Gallons
- Fuel Delivery: Carburation
- Compression Ratio: 9:1
- Aspiration: Naturally aspirated
- Carburator size: 390 CFM 4 barrel
- Wheelbase: 105"
[edit] Trivia
- Mark Martin has the most NASCAR Busch Series wins in history with 47 victories most recently at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 12th, 2005 driving the #9 Pennzoil Ford for Roush Racing.
- The 2006 season started the 25th season of the NASCAR Busch Series. The Series was the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series before it was the Busch Grand National Series in 1982.
- Dale Earnhardt won the first Busch Series race on February 13th, 1982 at Daytona International Speedway in the Goody's 300.
[edit] Buschwhackers
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Main article: Buschwhacker
Since the early days of the Busch Series, many Cup drivers have used their days off to drive in the Busch Series. This can be for any number of reasons, most prominent or often claimed is to gain more "seat time", or to familiarize themselves with the track. Examples of this would be the first ever winner of a Busch Series race, Dale Earnhardt, and the winner of the most races in Busch Series history, Mark Martin. In recent years, this practice has been termed "Buschwhacking" by those that criticize the practice, claiming that Cup drivers racing in the Busch Series takes away opportunities from the Busch Series regulars, drivers that are usually younger and less experienced. Proponents of this practice, however, claim that without the Cup "superstars" and the large amount of fan interest they attract, the series would cease to exist.
[edit] 2006 Busch Series Season
- Hershey's Kissables 300/Daytona International Speedway/#33 Tony Stewart Old Spice Chevy
- Stater Brothers 300/California Speedway/#16 Greg Biffle Ameriquest Ford
- Telcel-Motorola 200/Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez/#20 Denny Hamlin Rockwell Automation Chevy
- Sam's Town 300/Las Vegas Motor Speedway/#9 Kasey Kahne Ragu Dodge
- Nicorette 300/Atlanta Motor Speedway/#21 Jeff Burton U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- Sharpie Mini 300/Bristol Motor Speedway/#5 Kyle Busch Lowe's Chevy
- O'Reilly 300/Texas Motor Speedway/#39 Kurt Busch Penske Truck Rental Dodge
- Pepsi 300/Nashville Superspeedway/#21 Kevin Harvick U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- Bashas' Supermarkets 200/Phoenix International Raceway/#21 Kevin Harvick U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- Aaron's 312/Talladega Superspeedway/#8 Martin Truex, Jr. Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Chevy
- Circuit City 250/Richmond International Raceway/#21 Kevin Harvick U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- Diamond Hill Plywood 200/Darlington Raceway/#20 Denny Hamlin Rockwell Automation Chevy
- Carquest Auto Parts 300/Lowe's Motor Speedway/#60 Carl Edwards Ameriquest Ford
- StonebridgeRacing.com 200/Dover International Speedway/#29 Jeff Burton Holiday Inn Chevy
- Federated Auto Parts 300/Nashville Superspeedway/#60 Carl Edwards Ameriquest Ford
- Meijer 300 presented by Oreo/Kentucky Speedway/#84 David Gilliland Hype Chevy
- AT&T 250/Milwaukee/#11 Paul Menard Splash/Menard's Chevy
- Winn-Dixie 250 presented by PepsiCo/Daytona International Speedway/#8 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Menard's/John Mansville Chevy
- USG Durock 300/Chicagoland Speedway/#42 Casey Mears Texaco/Halvoline Dodge
- New England 200/New Hampshire International Speedway/#60 Carl Edwards Ameriquest Ford
- Goody's 250/Martinsville Speedway/#21 Kevin Harvick U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- Busch Silver Celebration 250/Gateway International Raceway#60 Carl Edwards Henkel Ford
- Kroger 200 Benefitting Riley Hospital for Children/ORP#21 Kevin Harvick U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- Zippo 200/Watkins Glen International#139 Kurt Busch Penske Truck Rental Dodge
- Carfax 250/Michigan International Speedway#8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Menards/Johns Manville Chevy
- Food City 250/Bristol Motor Speedway#17 Matt Kenseth Ameriquest Mortgage Ford
- Ameriquest 300/California Speedway#9 Kasey Kahne Snuggle Dodge
- Emerson Radio 250/Richmond International Raceway/#21 Kevin Harvick U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- Dover 200/Dover International Speedway/#2 Clint Bowyer A.C. Delco Chevy
- Yellow Transportation 300/Kansas Speedway/#21 Kevin Harvick U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- Dollar General 300/Lowe's Motor Speedway/#32 Dave Blaney Hass Avacados Chevy (Harvick Clinches NBS Championship, 2nd)
- Sam's Town 250/Memphis Motorsports Park/#21 Kevin Harvick U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- O'Reilly Challenge/Texas Motor Speedway/#21 Kevin Harvick U.S. Coast Guard Chevy
- Arizona Travel 200/Phoenix International Raceway/#17 Matt Kenseth Pennzoil Ford
- Ford 300/Homestead-Miami Speedway/#17 Matt Kenseth Pennzoil Ford
[edit] Past Busch Series Champions
- 2006 Kevin Harvick
- 2005 Martin Truex, Jr.
- 2004 Martin Truex, Jr.
- 2003 Brian Vickers (Owners Championship - #21 Richard Childress Racing)
- 2002 Greg Biffle
- 2001 Kevin Harvick
- 2000 Jeff Green
- 1999 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
- 1998 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
- 1997 Randy LaJoie
- 1996 Randy LaJoie
- 1995 Johnny Benson
- 1994 David Green
- 1993 Steve Grissom
- 1992 Joe Nemechek
- 1991 Bobby Labonte
- 1990 Chuck Bown
- 1989 Rob Moroso
- 1988 Tommy Ellis
- 1987 Larry Pearson
- 1986 Larry Pearson
- 1985 Jack Ingram
- 1984 Sam Ard
- 1983 Sam Ard
- 1982 Jack Ingram
[edit] Busch Series Rookie of the Year Award Winners
- 2005 Carl Edwards
- 2004 Kyle Busch
- 2003 David Stremme
- 2002 Scott Riggs
- 2001 Greg Biffle
- 2000 Kevin Harvick
- 1999 Tony Raines
- 1998 Andy Santerre
- 1997 Steve Park
- 1996 Glen Allen, Jr.
- 1995 Jeff Fuller
- 1994 Johnny Benson
- 1993 Hermie Sadler
- 1992 Ricky Craven
- 1991 Jeff Gordon
- 1990 Joe Nemechek
- 1989 Kenny Wallace
[edit] See also
United States