It’s like fighting with one hand tied behind your back. Kurt Busch is campaigning for a championship with a crew chief, Pat Tryson, who announced he’s leaving the team at the end of the year and now is only permitted in the race shop one day a week.
This is unprecedented in NASCAR’s Chase history, but Busch the series first Chase winner now driving a Penske Dodge, says he’s not worried. “I don’t see it bringing up any issues. The fact that Pat is still there on race weekend and being the leader will definitely keep the continuity together Friday, Saturday and Sunday. With him just showing up on Tuesdays, crew guys are off on Monday, so everybody is off on Monday.” “Tuesday, he was there this morning. We had the driver de-brief and business was usual. It felt great. (Pat) sitting down with other leaders of our team to go over the plan for this next week was business as usual and that’s great,” said Busch who finished sixth on Sunday and is fifth in the standings 65 points behind Mark Martin in first. “So, really it’s just one day in my mind out of the week that he’ll be able to rest himself and spend time with his daughter and family and come to the race track ready to rip,” Busch added in a teleconference. When pressed for his assessment of the current situation Busch explained “The concern on the management side is the development for 2010. I can understand that, but at the same time, the present is now and we need to continue working as a group together. But, he’s not going to know exactly what some of the new developments are behind the scenes by just being around for a short time during the week. A tough situation. We’re making the best of it. This type of format definitely keeps you on your toes, and sometimes that can be the best thing when you’re heading down the stretch run.” Photos: Philippe Champoux - Auto123.com
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