but first, these notes of interest:

Kurt received Official Certificates of Commendation from the offices of State of Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons and Second District of Nevada U.S. Congressman Dean Heller for his outstanding humanitarian contributions, both personally and on behalf of the Kurt Busch Foundation, late Tuesday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  The final “Ride with Kurt for the Kids” fundraiser for 2007 is being held today in the 2004 NASCAR Champ’s hometown and the presentations from the government officials are set to close out today’s activities at LVMS.

Photo: © John Bisci

Brad Keating from Nevad
a Gov. Jim Gibbons' office presents a proclamation to NASCAR driver and Las Vegas native Kurt Busch for his "Ride With Kurt For Kids" fundraiser at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007.

Photo: © John Bisci

Andres Moses from Nevada Congressman Dean Heller's office presents a proclamation to NASCAR driver and Las Vegas native Kurt Busch for his "Ride With Kurt For Kids" fundraiser at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007.

--Kurt Busch and his Pat Tryson-led Penske Racing Team will be racing their PSC-520 Miller Lite Dodge Avenger in this weekend’s Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.  “It’s the car that we raced at Richmond back in September and it should be a great Miller Lite Dodge for Phoenix,” Pat said.  “Richmond is the only race that we’ve used it so far and it showed a lot of strength in that race.  We had a top-five car for most of the race, but got caught up in some other guys’ crash and damaged the rear of our Dodge Avenger.  Kurt drove a smart race and we came home ninth.”  For the record, this car was the first COT model that Pat “personally nurtured” through the team’s body shop en route to competition. 

--While Kurt’s fifth-place finish in the spring Richmond race rates as the team’s best finish to date in COT competition, Pat points to several other races since where the cars’ strength was not reflected in the team’s finishing position.  “You have to look back at Watkins Glen where we were running second, had to pit for fuel and got tagged for speeding,” said Pat.  “We led at Dover in September and were fourth with only 15 laps to go when we had the tire problem in Turn 2.  We started third at New Hampshire in the first Chase race back in September and definitely had a top-five car when we had the carburetor problem.  There were a lot of races where we had a lot of potential and just didn’t get the finishes we could have.  We’re looking to be really strong at Phoenix this weekend.  Kurt really likes the track and we all know that a win there is very much possible.”

--Kurt may be ninth in the current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, but he holds down the second spot in total bonus points earned during the 2007 season.  Only Jeff Gordon, with 150 bonus points, has earned more than Kurt’s 125.  Kurt has led laps in 20 of the 34 races completed thus far and has led the most laps in five races.  Points-leader Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart are tied for third in bonus points with 120 each.  “It just shows how strong we’ve been in so many races this season only to have problems stand in the way of getting better finishes,” said Kurt.  “Sunday’s race at Texas was another example of leading laps and getting bonus points, but not truly earning the finish we should have gotten because the problems we had to overcome.”  Stats certainly back up Kurt’s comments as he has five top-five finishes and 13 top-10s.  Gordon has 20 top-fives and an amazing 28 top-10s.  Johnson has 19 top-fives and 22 top-10s, while Stewart has 10 top-fives and 22 top-10s.

--Kurt is to receive Official Certificates of Commendation from the offices of State of Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons and Second District of Nevada U.S. Congressman Dean Heller for his outstanding humanitarian contributions, both personally and on behalf of the Kurt Busch Foundation, late today at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  The final “Ride with Kurt for the Kids” fundraiser for 2007 is being held today in the 2004 NASCAR Champ’s hometown and the presentations from the government officials are set to close out today’s activities at LVMS.

--Kurt started sixth and finished 18th in his most recent race at Phoenix, the April 21 Subway 500 at PIR.  “It was pretty typical of how much of the season has gone for us,” Kurt said.  “We had a strong top-five run going and had to pit earlier than the other guys due to fuel mileage.  We hit pit road and the caution flag waved the very next lap.  In just a matter of a couple of laps, we went from a top-five car to finishing 18th.  I remember the spring Phoenix race being another case of the 24 car (Jeff Gordon) catching a lucky break.  He was on pit road when the yellow flag flew and was able to complete his stop and wound up with the lead on the restart.  That’s the kind of breaks those guys have had this year and more power to them for being able to capitalize on it.”

--It’s the battle that seemingly nobody wants to discuss…the battle for the last spots in the top-10 in the final point standings and the perks that accompany that status.  Only the top 10 drivers are invited to participate in the celebratory ride through the streets of Manhattan on Wednesday, Nov. 28, and the opportunity to take to the stage during the annual NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Awards Banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria on Friday, Nov. 30.  With only this Sunday’s Checker 500 and the Nov. 18 Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway remaining on the 2007 schedule, ninth-place Kurt finds himself only 96 points out of fifth, but he currently holds only a one-point advantage over 10th (Matt Kenseth) and a 71-point buffer over 11th-place Denny Hamlin and 12th-place Martin Truex Jr., who both have 5,858 points.  It will certainly be disappointing for the two teams finishing 11th and 12th in the standings, having made the Chase and yet not getting to participate in these highly-visible opportunities.

--One more time for “Roger”…Kurt’s strong run at Atlanta in the Oct. 28 Pep Boys Auto 500 (started second and led four times for a total of 98 laps en route to an eighth-place finish), has led to the Miller Lite Dodge team electing to race their PSC-111 Dodge Charger in the season finale Ford 400 at Miami-Homestead Speedway on Nov. 18.  “Kurt really loved the way the car handled at Atlanta and wants to race it again at Homestead,” explained Pat of the car that won at Michigan on Aug. 21 and was named “Roger” in honor of team owner Roger Penske.  “Wouldn’t’ it be a great and fitting story to put the car named ‘Roger’ back in Victory Lane again in its final race?”

--Kurt is scheduled for his weekly “top-12 points” media interview opportunity/Q & A session on Friday at 1:45 p.m. in the Phoenix International Raceway 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’s visit to his souvenir trailer at Phoenix International Raceway this Sunday will mark the 244th time in the last 247 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 9:15 a.m. till 9:45 a.m. on Sunday.  Please verify that time by visiting the trailer in advance and picking up the free tickets for the autograph line.

--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:

• ·        writing entries for daily newspapers.
• ·        writing entries for other forms of written media.
• ·        broadcast entries for local television.
• ·        broadcast entries for national television.
• ·        photojournalism entries.

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 www.trpr.com  and several other sites.

--“To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn't know where he is going.” -Joe Namath

PHOENIX OFFERS KURT BUSCH FINAL SHOT AT 2007 C.O.T. VICTORY
-Miller Lite Driver Hoping To Achieve Goal He Set Earlier This Season In Checker Auto 500 At PIR-

AVONDALE, Ariz.  (Nov. 6, 2007) – One of the goals that Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch laid out at the beginning of the 2007 NEXTEL Cup schedule was to win in “Car of Tomorrow” competition this season.  Busch and his Pat Tryson-led Penske Racing Team will get one final chance to accomplish that goal in this weekend’s Checker Auto Parts at Phoenix International Raceway.

            “We look at it as a final shot this year to win a COT race and we’ll be doing everything we can to do that,” said Busch, who has recorded one win, two top-five finishes and five top-10s in nine career starts on the “Desert Mile.”  “Getting a COT win this season would definitely be a great accomplishment for our team, but with only two races remaining, we also have to look at the big picture, too. 

            “It’s come down to the 48 car (Jimmie Johnson) and the 24 (Jeff Gordon) battling it out for the NEXTEL Cup title this year, but it’s really tight further back in the points, especially from fourth all the way back through the top 12,” said Busch, currently ninth in the standings with 5,929 points.  “Depending on what happens at Phoenix and Homestead, we could climb on up toward the top five.  But if we get hit with bad luck in those two races, we could easily find ourselves all the way back in 12th.”

            With only this Sunday’s Checker 500 and the Nov. 18 Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway remaining on the 2007 schedule, ninth-place Busch finds himself only 96 points out of fifth (Carl Edwards), 80 points out of sixth (Tony Stewart), 22 points out of seventh (Jeff Burton) and 14 points out of eighth (Kevin Harvick).  But, Busch currently holds only a one-point advantage over 10th (Matt Kenseth) and a 71-point buffer over 11th-place Denny Hamlin and 12th-place Martin Truex Jr., who both have 5,858 points.

            “So, while we’re hoping to break into the win column in COT competition this weekend at Phoenix, there’s a lot on the line out there when you look at the big scheme of things,” added Busch, who enters Phoenix ranked second only to Jeff Gordon in total bonus points earned this season.  “Regardless of the outcome this weekend at Phoenix, when you look back how we started off with our COT program versus where we are today, it’s pretty phenomenal of how much progress we have made.”

            In the 15 COT races completed thus far this season, Busch has scored one top-five finish and four top-10s.  He has led laps in five of the races.  His best start was second at New Hampshire in July and his best finish was fifth at Richmond in May.  He has completed 97 percent of the possible laps.  His average start has been 16.267 and his average finish is 18.600, with that being hampered by two DNFs (did not finish).

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NOTE:  See attached release for Kurt’s complete 2007 COT Race Statistical Review.

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            This weekend’s schedule at Phoenix International Raceway calls for practice on Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  The single round of qualifying on Friday at 3:40 p.m. will allocate all 43 starting positions for Sunday’s battle around the “Desert Mile.”  Saturday’s schedule features practice from 9:00 a.m. until 9:50 a.m., with the final “happy hour” session scheduled from 12:50 p.m. till 1:50 p.m.  Sunday’s Checker Auto Parts (500 kilometers/312 miles/312 laps) has a scheduled start at 1:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. EST) and the race features live coverage by ABC/ESPN-TV and MRN Radio.

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