BUSCH SERIES

The 'NASCAR Busch Series' is a stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR. It is NASCAR's "minor league" circuit (often compared to Triple-A baseball), and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big league" circuit, the Nextel Cup. Busch Series races are frequently held in the same venue as, and a day prior to, the Nextel Cup race scheduled for that weekend, encouraging fans to attend both events.
In December 2006, NASCAR officials confirmed that Anheuser-Busch, parent company for Busch Beer, will not renew its sponsorship of NASCAR's No. 2 series after the end of the 2007 season. Rumored new sponsors for the series include Wal-Mart, Samsung and Subway. ^[1]

Contents

History

The Busch Series Today

Specifications

Manufacturer representation

Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series (1982-1983)

Ford

GM

Busch Grand National Series (1984-2003)

Chrysler

Ford

GM

Busch Series (2004-2007)

Chrysler

Ford

GM

Toyota

Grand National Series (2008-Present)

Chrysler

Ford

GM

Toyota

Buschwhackers

Past Busch Series Champions

Past Busch Grand National Series Champions

Past Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series Champions

Past Late Model Sportsman Division Champions

Past Sportsman Division Champions

Busch Series Rookie of the Year Award Winners

See also

References

History

The series emerged from NASCAR's old ''Sportsman'' division, which was formed in 1950 as NASCAR's short track race division. It was NASCAR's third series. The sportsman cars were not current model cars, and could be modified more (but not as much as Modified series cars). The Busch Series dilemma It became the ''Late Model Sportsman'' series in 1968, and soon featured races on larger tracks, such as Daytona International Speedway. Drivers used obsolete Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) cars on larger tracks. Grand National cars were required to be less than three years old. Short track cars with relatively small 300 cubic inch V-8 motors were used. Drivers used smaller current year models featuring V6 motors. The cars looked like smaller versions of Cup cars.
The modern-day Busch Series was formed in 1982, when Anheuser-Busch sponsored a newly reformed late-model sportsman series with its Budweiser brand. The series switched sponsorship to Busch in 1984. It was renamed in 1986 to the Busch Grand National Series. The V6 based cars left the series at the end of the 1994 season, though some competitors still used the V6 engines at some short track events during the 1995 season. The cars gradually changed to cars just like Cup cars. Grand National was dropped from the series' title in 2003. Following the 2007 season, Anheuser-Busch, makers of the Busch brand of beer, has said they will not renew their contract with NASCAR, preferring to stay onboard with their Budweiser brand sponsorship of the Pole Award in NEXTEL Cup. The series will have a new sponsor in 2008.

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.. On August 4, 2007, the Busch Series held its second race outside of the United States, at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, another road course. It was won by Kevin Harvick, while Quebec native Patrick Carpentier finished second.
Beginning in 2007, ESPN2 will be the exclusive carrier of all Busch Series races, replacing FOX, FX, TNT and NBC. Some sponsors have cricitised the new television deal, noting only six races will appear on broadcast network television (through a branding deal on ABC), and 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. Most of the races on ABC were chosen so ESPN2 could air major sporting events.
Busch Series cars used fuel that contained lead. NASCAR conducted a three-race test of unleaded fuel in this series that began with the July 29, 2006 race at Gateway International Raceway. The fuel, Sunoco GT 260 Unleaded, will become mandatory in all series starting with the second weekend of the 2007 series, as Daytona will be the last race weekend with leaded fuel. 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.

Specifications

NASCAR officials are using a template to inspect Casey Atwood's 2004 Busch Series car, courtesy of the U.S. Navy

★ 'Engine displacement': 358 in³ (5.8 L) Pushrod V8

★ 'Transmission': 4 speed Manual

★ 'Weight': 3,100 lb (1406 kg) Minimum (with out driver); 3,300 lb (1497 kg) Minimum (with driver)

★ 'Power output': 650-700 hp (485-522 kw) unrestricted, ~450 hp (335 kW) restricted

★ 'Fuel': 98 octane unleaded gasoline

★ 'Fuel capacity': 22 U.S. gallons (83.2 L)

★ 'Fuel delivery': Carburetion

★ 'Compression ratio': 9:1

★ 'Aspiration': Naturally aspirated

★ 'Carburetor size': 390 ft³/min (184 L/s) 4 Barrel

★ 'Wheelbase': 105 in (2.6 m)

★ 'Steering': Power, recirculating ball

Manufacturer representation

Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series (1982-1983)

Ford

★ Ford Thunderbird: 1982-1983

GM

★ Chevrolet Monte Carlo: 1982-1983

★ Chevrolet Nova:1982-1983

★ Oldsmobile Cutlass: 1982-1983

★ Pontiac Grand Prix: 1982-1983

Busch Grand National Series (1984-2003)

Chrysler

★ Dodge Intrepid: 2001-2003

Ford

★ Ford Thunderbird: 1984-1997

★ Ford Taurus: 1998-2003

★ Mercury Cougar: 1984 [1]

GM

★ Buick Regal: 1985, 1988-1991

★ Buick LeSabre: 1986-1987

★ Chevrolet Monte Carlo: 1984-1988, 1995-2003

★ Chevrolet Nova: 1984-1988

★ Chevrolet Lumina: 1989-1994

★ Oldsmobile Cutlass: 1984-1985, 1998-1992

★ Oldsmobile Delta 88: 1986-1987

★ Pontiac Grand Prix: 1984-2003

Busch Series (2004-2007)

Chrysler

★ Dodge Intrepid: 2004

★ Dodge Charger: 2005-2007

Ford

★ Ford Taurus: 2004-2005

★ Ford Fusion: 2006-2007

GM

★ Chevrolet Monte Carlo: 2004-2005

★ Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS: 2006-2007

★ Pontiac Grand Prix: 2004-2006 (No Factory support)

Toyota

★ Toyota Camry: 2007

Grand National Series (2008-Present)

Chrysler

★ Dodge Avenger: 2008-Present

Ford

★ Ford Fusion: 2008-Present

GM

★ Chevrolet Impala SS: 2008-Present

Toyota

★ Toyota Camry: 2008-Present

Buschwhackers

Main articles: 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. Many fans claim that without the Cup "superstars" and the large amount of fan interest they attract, the series would not improve.
In 2007, the NEXTEL Cup will begin racing with a Car of Tomorrow, different from the Busch Series. This did not change things much, though: the top three championship leaders in the NASCAR Busch Series are regulars in the Cup Series.

Past Busch Series Champions

★ 2006 Kevin Harvick

★ 2005 Martin Truex, Jr.

★ 2004 Martin Truex, Jr.

Past Busch Grand National Series Champions

★ 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

Past Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series Champions

★ 1983 Sam Ard

★ 1982 Jack Ingram

Past Late Model Sportsman Division Champions

★ 1981 Tommy Ellis

★ 1980 Morgan Shepherd

★ 1979 Gene Glover

★ 1978 Butch Lindley

★ 1977 Butch Lindley

★ 1976 L. D. Ottinger

★ 1975 L. D. Ottinger

★ 1974 Jack Ingram

★ 1973 Jack Ingram

★ 1972 Jack Ingram

★ 1971 Red Farmer

★ 1970 Red Farmer

★ 1969 Red Farmer

★ 1968 Joe Thurman

Past Sportsman Division Champions

★ 1967 Pete Hamilton

★ 1966 Don MacTavish

★ 1965 Rene Charland

★ 1964 Rene Charland

★ 1963 Rene Charland

★ 1962 Rene Charland

★ 1961 Dick Nephew

★ 1960 Bill Wimble

★ 1959 Rick Henderson

★ 1958 Ned Jarrett

★ 1957 Ned Jarrett

★ 1956 Ralph Earnhardt

★ 1955 Billy Myers

★ 1954 Danny Graves

★ 1953 Johnny Roberts

★ 1952 Mike Klapak

★ 1951 Mike Klapak

★ 1950 Mike Klapak

Busch Series Rookie of the Year Award Winners

★ 2006 Danny O'Quinn Jr.

★ 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 Glenn Allen, Jr.

★ 1995 Jeff Fuller

★ 1994 Johnny Benson

★ 1993 Hermie Sadler

★ 1992 Ricky Craven

★ 1991 Jeff Gordon

★ 1990 Joe Nemechek

★ 1989 Kenny Wallace

See also

★ 2007 in NASCAR Busch Series

★ 2006 in NASCAR Busch Series

★ List of Busch Series champions

★ List of NASCAR teams

★ List of NASCAR drivers

★ Craftsman Truck Series

References

1. Wal-Mart Series? It could happen in '08, Lexington Herald-Leader