CUP: Kurt Busch's Options Few

Sprint Cup

CUP: Kurt Busch’s Options Few

A new ride for the fired driver could be hard to find at a time when NASCAR teans are cutting back.

Bob Pockrass | http://www.scenedaily.com | Posted December 05, 2011 Charlotte, NC

Kurt Busch's quest for a new driving position would have prospective teams balancing his stellar past record with his volatile personality. (Photo: LAT)

Kurt Busch is suddenly a free agent at a time when NASCAR organizations are cutting back their number of Sprint Cup teams because of sponsorship and several veteran drivers are looking for rides.

December is certainly not the time to be looking for a new ride, but that’s exactly what Busch began doing today after being released from Penske Racing.

“Over the Thanksgiving holiday I took time to reflect on what is most important to me and realized I need to find a way to put the fun back into racing,” Busch said in a statement. “It’s time for a fresh start.”

So where does he go?

Busch, 33, does have one big advantage: He is a past Sprint Cup Series champion, which certainly adds some clout. He also has won at least one race every year since 2002.

His 24 career Cup victories rank him fifth among active drivers behind Jeff Gordon (85), Jimmie Johnson (55), Tony Stewart (44) and Mark Martin (40).

But with Richard Childress Racing and Roush Fenway Racing both eliminating a Cup team because of a lack of sponsorship, there doesn’t appear to be many sponsorship opportunities.
There are no currently sponsored rides with openings. Three top-30 drivers from last season – David Ragan, Brian Vickers and David Reutimann – don’t have rides for 2012, although one of them could end up replacing Busch at Penske.

There’s no way team co-owner Jack Roush would have Busch back after he left the team after the 2005 season and was suspended by the team for the final two races of 2005. Hendrick Motorsports’ teams are full. Joe Gibbs Racing already has its hands full with Kyle Busch, Kurt’s younger brother, and adding Kurt would bring more challenges as well as a brotherly rivalry that JGR can do without.

Richard Childress, who punched Kyle this season during a long-running feud between Kyle and RCR, likely doesn’t have the stomach for such a rehab project as well.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing have room in their stables, but they also have shown that they won’t put an unsponsored car on the track. JTG Daugherty Racing has several sponsors for its one car and driver Bobby Labonte but likely wouldn’t take a chance on Busch after his highly publicized exit from Penske Racing.

Stewart-Haas Racing? He would need sponsorship to go there, and even then, that wouldn’t seem like a good fit considering that SHR uses Hendrick equipment and Busch has had feud with that organization for the last couple of years.

Best Buy has not yet announced whether it would return to Richard Petty Motorsports and driver AJ Allmendinger next season. RPM is banking on that sponsorship to come through for Allmendinger and hasn’t said anything about replacing him.

RPM owner Andrew Murstein has expressed interest in high-profile free agents this past year, so it wouldn’t be out of bounds for him to at least see if he can put something together for Busch.
One owner who has put cars on the track unsponsored is James Finch. His Phoenix Racing organization might be interested in Busch.

Then there’s Red Bull, which still is looking for investors to purchase the team. The ability to hire a previous Cup champion and a proven winner could sweeten a deal. Still, Busch has baggage that could be a turn-off for potential sponsors.

If one of those options isn’t available, then Busch will need to decide how badly he wants to race as several underfunded teams – teams such as Front Row Motorsports, Tommy Baldwin Racing and Germain Racing – likely would be willing to put him in a car if the price is right.