Busch tests at Bristol, prepares for Indy

Kyle Busch spent his week off from NASCAR Nextel Cup Series racing by testing at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. Busch won the Cup race at Bristol in March, the first race with NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow. But since that race in March, the track has been resurfaced. Busch participated in tests for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Busch Series and Cup Series at Bristol.
The next race for the Cup drivers is at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Busch has been in two Cup races at Indy and has two top-10 finishes. He was seventh in last year's race at Indy.
"Some guys put so much emphasis on this race and it kind of puts added pressure on you as a driver," said Busch, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. "If you can put all that aside, you can race the track and not worry about the trophy. Jeff Gordon has won there four times and it's because he races the track. He's been there at the end. The configuration (of the track) is so different than any other place we race at, that it truly is a driver's track. Hendrick Motorsports puts a lot of emphasis on this race because you need so much motor to get down the long straightaways. It's a total team effort and I believe we can win it."
Even though Busch was able to finish seventh in last year's race at Indianapolis, he said he could have finished higher. He credits crew chief Alan Gustafson for leading him to a better finish than his car was capable of.
"Last year, we could have had a better run and we were struggling a little," Busch said. "Alan made a great call for me to stay out on the track late in the race. I led a little, but was a sitting duck. All the guys behind me had fresh tires. We finished seventh with a 30th-place car. It's all about the finishes. This year I think we will be way better and maybe race our way to a top five or a win."