but first, these notes of interest:

--Kurt, Pat and crew will be racing their PSC-109 Miller Lite Dodge Charger this weekend in the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.  “It’s the car that we raced for the first time at Chicago back in July,” Pat explained.  “It hasn’t been raced since and we think it will be a great car for Saturday night.  We found that it’s naturally a little bit on the tight side, so it should match up really well with the demands we’ll be facing in the race.”  Kurt started 35th in the July 15 USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway after having to change engines before getting only 18 total minutes of practice.  The team made steady progress throughout the race, becoming a fixture in the top-10 with 100 laps remaining.    He was running in the top-five with 15 laps remaining, but had to settle for a sixth-place finish.

--Kurt, Pat and the Miller Lite Dodge team are testing at the Iowa Speedway today and tomorrow (Oct. 9-10).  “We’re just using the test to sort out some stuff that will help us in the future COT races,” Pat said late Tuesday afternoon from the seven-eighths-mile “Rusty Wallace designer track,” located near Newton, Iowa.  “Kurt was out in Las Vegas on Monday for the Dodge function and the group dropped him off here on their way back to North Carolina.  We’re pretty fortunate to be getting in the additional test time and it can only help.  We’re in line to do some tire testing for Goodyear next Monday and Tuesday at Charlotte (Lowe’s Motor Speedway), so we have a pretty busy schedule going right now.”

--Kurt Busch Inc. has scheduled its special “Grand Opening Open House” celebration this Thursday (Oct. 11) at the KBI complex.  From 11a.m. till 1:00 p.m., 106.5 The End Miller Lite Lunch with Rozak will be on-site broadcasting.  Random drawings for prizes will be held and you must be present to win.  Free pizza and drinks for all guests will be provided by CiCi’s Pizza.  There will be a “blow-out tent sale” (cash-only please) on all Kurt Busch merchandise, including No. 2 items and cool retro No. 97 gear.  Kurt is scheduled for an autograph session from 11:00 a.m. till 12:00 noon. Wristbands will be distributed starting at 8 a.m. -- first come, first serve. Only 200 wristbands will be given. Once you obtain a wristband, you may leave and then return, but you must be wearing your wristband for the autograph session.  The KBI complex is located at 151 Lugnut Lane in Mooresville, N.C.  Please call (704) 799-2428 for additional information.  You can click on this convenient link for maps and directions:

--Kurt was “2 and 0” in his support of Southeastern Conference football teams last weekend.  He attended last Thursday night’s South Carolina-Kentucky game in Columbia, where the Gamecocks were victorious over the Wildcats by a score of 38-23.  He ventured down to Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday afternoon to help root for the Crimson Tide in their exciting homecoming victory over Houston by the slim margin of 30-24.  “It was a lot of fun and I have tremendous respect for the history and prestige found in the SEC,” said Kurt.  “I’ve always heard about the unbelievable atmosphere that prevails there and to witness that firsthand was a big thrill.”

--Kurt finished seventh in Sunday’s UAW-Ford 500 to post his 11th top-10 finish in 14 career starts on NASCAR’s largest track.  He now has a 10.000 career average finish at Talladega.  In the seven races since October 2004, he has three top-five finishes and seven top-10s, finishing no lower than eighth.  His average finish during that period is an incredible 5.715.  “He’s the greatest plate racer out there who has yet to win one of the things,” Pat offered.  “Unlike other situations I have been in, it’s a thrill to go to Daytona and Talladega working with Kurt.  Those races are like chess matches and we have one of the best players sitting in the driver’s seat of the Miller Lite Dodge.”

--Miller Lite will be launching an engaging statewide promotional campaign around the upcoming Nov. 4 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.  The campaign will recognize, celebrate, honor and reward military veterans, both past and present, for their commitment to serving our country.  Miller Lite has teamed with Operation Homefront (see http://www.operationhomefront.net/ ) to support Texas troops and their families.  Miller Lite will donate financial support to the cause and consumers will have the opportunity to visit a special web site and vote how to apply Miller Lite’s contribution.  Consumers will also be able to make a donation on their own through the site.  For additional information, we invite you to visit www.MillerThanksVets.com  and log in.  Kurt will be able to earn additional funding for this great cause as Miller Lite will contribute a $100,000 bonus contribution if the blue No. 2 Dodge can come home the winner in the Nov. 4 Dickies 500 at TMS.  Miller Lite and Penske will also create a commemorative Kurt Busch Race Helmet that will be autographed and raffled for charity. 

--Kurt’s TV spot for ESPN SportsCenter continues to get rave reviews.  “We shot a fun little follow-up piece down at Talladega on qualifying day,” Kurt said.  “Kate Jackson and our friends at ESPN said that they hope to get it aired during the pre-race or race broadcast at Charlotte (Lowe’s) this weekend.”  To view Kurt’s ESPN SportsCenter spot, go here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espntv/espnShow?showID=SRDA

--Kurt is scheduled for his weekly “top-12 points” media interview opportunity/Q & A session on Thursday at 6:20 p.m. in the Lowe’s Motor Speedway infield media center.  Kurt continues his effort in reaching out to the media rather than making them come to him at the team transporter.

--Kurt will be making a special celebrity bartending appearance this Friday for Miller Lite at the Buckhead Saloon at 5th & College in Downtown Charlotte.  Kurt is scheduled to be serving up Miller Lites and signing autographs from 9:30 p.m. till 10:30 p.m.  All proceeds raised will go to the local charity, Hands On Charlotte.  For additional information, please visit http://www.carolinanightlife.com/accounts_view.php?ID=110 or call (704) 370-0687.

--Kurt’s visit to his souvenir trailer at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this Saturday will mark the 240th time in the last 243 races that he has been out on race day mornings to meet his fans and sign autographs.  His continuing tradition began during his first full year on the Cup circuit back in 2001.  Kurt is tentatively scheduled to be at his souvenir trailer from 3:15 p.m. till 3:45 p.m. on Saturday.  Please verify that time by visiting the trailer in advance and picking up the free tickets for the autograph line.

--Speaking of the Kurt Busch-Miller Lite merchandising trailer, please welcome aboard new chief operator, Cindy Carlyle.  Cindy, a native of Biddeford, Me., and now a resident of Pinehurst, N.C., is certainly familiar with her new spot out on “Souvenir Row.”  “I’ve been in this business for 10 years now and it has been such an enjoyable experience,” said the affable and ever-smiling manager of the “2 car” trailer.  “I started on Dale Sr.’s (late Dale Earnhardt Sr.) trailer and for the last eight years, I’ve been working Rusty’s (Wallace) trailer.  We did the Rusty-Miller Lite trailer through the ’05 season, when Rusty retired and then moved over to the “Rusty Legend” trailer last year.

“It has been such a thrill to get back over to the Miller Lite trailer and have the opportunity to work with Kurt,” Cindy said.  “We are all good friends with Joey and Karen (Eubanks, former operators) and when they left, I got the call to come back to the Miller Lite trailer. 

“Kurt is a great person to work with and is certainly a super representative for Miller Lite, all of his sponsors and NASCAR racing in general,” said Cindy.  “Kurt is growing his fan base each and every week.  The fans are genuinely appreciative of his race day visits with the fans at his trailer.  It’s really cool to see other drivers’ fans come through the line and make it a point to thank Kurt for coming out, because most of them really are disappointed that their driver does not offer such an opportunity at the race tracks.  Kurt’s been changing them over to wearing the blue No. 2 colors on a weekly basis.”

--“Ride With Kurt for the Kids” events coming up on October 18 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and on November 6 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  These high-speed, white-knuckle rides with Kurt behind the wheel will be in a special NASCAR Nextel Cup-style stock car provided by event sponsor – the Richard Petty Driving Experience.  For complete event information and to purchase one of these exciting experiences, please visit www.kurtbusch.com, send an email to ridewithkurt@kurtbusch.com, or call 704-799-2428.

All proceeds will go toward the completion of the Kurt Busch Superdome at the Victory Junction Gang Camp.   The new 28,000-square foot facility will allow camp-goers to play sports in a climate-controlled atmosphere, which some of the children require due to their medical conditions.

--You are cordially invited to participate in the 23rd annual Miller Lite Motorsports Journalism Award for Excellence in honor of Russ Catlin.  The program, independently judged by the Indiana University School of Journalism, seeks to recognize and encourage outstanding motorsports coverage.

The categories for the 2007 Miller Lite Racing Motorsports Journalism Awards are:

Please remember that any motorsports coverage from 2007 is eligible to win.  We encourage you to send your best motorsports work from this year.  The judges' only consideration is the quality of work and its ability to generate interest and excitement, not the type of racing covered.  A Rolex watch and special commemorative plaque will be awarded for the judges’ selection in each of the seven categories.

Entries must be postmarked by December 7, 2007.  Winners will be announced in early 2008.

Entry blanks are now available in media centers during the remaining races on the Cup schedule and are available by special request to TR.  They are available for downloading on several web sites, including www.trpr.com

--“Originality is the fine art of remembering what you hear, but forgetting where you heard it.” –Laurence J. Peter

KURT BUSCH LOOKING FOR “A COMPLETE RACE” AT LOWE’S
-Miller Lite Dodge Driver Optimistic Entering Saturday’s Bank Of America 500-

CONCORD, N.C.  (Oct. 9, 2007) – Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch is quick to get to the point when asked about his team’s goals in Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

            “That’s simple,” Busch said without hesitation.  “We want to put together a complete race where we are competitive from the beginning until the end.  Over the last couple of years, it’s been the case where we’ve had a really competitive car and led a ton of laps, only to see the handling go away during the race and end our chances for a win or a good finish.

            “Charlotte (Lowe’s) has always been a track that continuously changes during the course of a race,” said Busch.  “It’s certainly more prevalent during the spring race, when we start in the daytime and race on into the night.  But even with starting under the lights like we do now in the fall race, it’s a challenge to stay ahead of the curve in dealing with a changing track throughout the race.

            “There could be a 20 to 30 degree swing in the temperature between the beginning and end of the race and everybody knows that it’s one of the most temperamental surfaces that we race on,” continued Busch, now up to seventh in the NEXTEL Cup points after finishing seventh at Talladega, Ala., last Sunday.  “It seems like it has almost always been the team that is able to stay on top of the situation from pit stop to pit stop, making all the right changes along the way, that winds up in Victory Lane at the end of the race.

            “We’ve made tremendous progress on these intermediate, 1.5-mile tracks and we’re hoping that the trend will continue Saturday night,” said Busch.  “Since Pat (Tryson) came aboard as our crew chief, one of his biggest priorities has been updating our cars and having the most competitive Miller Lite Dodges prepared for all the races.  His hard work and the great team preparation have certainly paid off in that we’ve proven to be competitive everywhere we go.

            “It seems like if we can just figure out how to stay consistent throughout the race, we can be a major threat there on Saturday night,” Busch concluded.  “That’s our goal and I have all the faith in the world that we’ll be able to pull it off.”

            Busch is certainly accurate in his description of his recent races on the 1.5-mile LMS quad-oval track.  In the last race there, the May 27 Coca-Cola 600, Busch started on the outside pole and dominated the first quarter of the race.  He led 102 of the first 112 laps (and 107 total to lead most laps) and enjoyed as much as a straightaway lead during the early portion of the race.  A flat right-rear tire and extremely loose handling conditions led to a 32nd-place finish when Busch tagged the backstretch wall after completing 296 of the 400 laps.

            “In many of the races, Kurt has definitely had the fastest car in Cabarrus County, that’s for sure,” said Tryson.  “I know that for a fact because I’ve been working with the other teams that were trying to chase him down.

            “I’m confident that we’ll be able to have just what he needs under him to get the job done.  We faced a similar situation at Kansas a couple of races ago and we learned from it.  Kurt wasn’t comfortable at all with our car during the final practice, but you remember what happened once the green flag fell.”

            Busch started 12th in the Sept. 30 LifeLock 400 at Kansas, but blasted to the front to lead three times for 76 laps (led most laps) and have the dominant car before adverse weather conditions changed the course of the race.

            “It was just the small changes we made to tighten the car up and keep him comfortably fast that paid off at Kansas,” said Tryson.  “I expect that to be the same case this Saturday night.  We’ll just be continuously making changes – tweaking here and there – to keep him fast and happy all race long.  It’ll be all good, I think.”

* * *

            Busch, Tryson and team will be racing their PSC-109 Miller Lite Dodge Charger this weekend in the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.  “It’s the car that we raced for the first time at Chicago back in July,” Tryson explained.  “It hasn’t been raced since and we think it will be a great car for Saturday night.  We found that it’s naturally a little bit on the tight side, so it should match up really well with the demands we’ll be facing in the race.”  Busch started 35th in the July 15 USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway after having to change engines before getting only 18 total minutes of practice.  The team made steady progress throughout the race, becoming a fixture in the top-10 with 100 laps remaining.    He was running in the top-five with 15 laps remaining, but had to settle for a sixth-place finish.

* * *

            This weekend’s schedule at Lowe’s Motor Speedway calls for practice on Thursday from 3:00 p.m. till 4:30 p.m. and from 2:45 p.m. till 3:30 p.m.  The single round of qualifying on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. will allocate all 43 starting positions for Saturday night’s race.  Friday’s schedule features practice from 3:00 p.m. till 3:50 p.m., with the final “happy hour” session scheduled from 6:20 p.m. till 7:20 p.m.  Saturday’s Bank of America 500 has a 7:30 p.m. EST starting time and the 334-lap, 501-mile race features live coverage by ABC/ESPN-TV and PRN Radio.

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