CONCORD, N.C. – Kurt Busch may have only gotten a handful of practice laps on Friday ahead of the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, but he came off the track buzzing about his view of the action.
Busch’s excitement wasn’t only about the package being utilized for the weekend, either – with restrictor plates sapping horsepower from the engines, a taller rear spoiler and aero ducts in the front noses of the cars to funnel a bigger wake off the leading car and allow trailing cars to suck up in the draft.
His eagerness as he spoke to the assembled media was also about Charlotte Motor Speedway’s willingness to try something different in order to spice up the racing for the fan base, as well as the special feel that NASCAR’s All-Star night provides.
“This is quite the event. Over the years the All-Star race has always had a fun, exciting and different feel at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” noted Busch. “Whether it is pre-race for the Open or the Monster Energy All-Star Race, there is so much to see and absorb and feel that is different from a normal race weekend.
“This year what makes it fun is that you have the All-Star Race with this rules package, then the (Coca-Cola) 600 with a standard (oval) package … and then when we come back here for the playoffs in September, we’re running on the Roval. You have three unique tickets in Charlotte, and that’s something you can’t get at any other track,” Busch added. “It is a fun time for Charlotte and I want to congratulate Marcus Smith and everyone at SMI on what they’re doing to move the needle. With Monster’s involvement in the All-Star Race, I always feel compelled to promote it as best I can.”
While Busch admitted there wasn’t much to be learned from his grand total of four practice laps turned on Friday, he and his team did glean one nugget that they feel will give them some additional speed.
“We found out that the car’s travel wasn’t as far as we thought, so we can go lower, but our simulation model said that we would run a 32.20 and I think we were spot on,” Busch explained. “Now we know we can go a little quicker by lowering the car.
“It felt like I was in third gear for six miles down the straightaway,” he added, speaking in regards to how long it took his No. 41 Ford to come up to full speed due to the restrictor plate. “The horsepower is choked down so much. It’s a unique feel at a 1.5-mile to be this choked down on power.”
Busch also noted that the approach by teams for Friday’s practice, at least before the rain washed most of it away, appeared to vary depending on the organization.
“I saw the Hendrick guys lined up to go do drafting practice and we are at a 1.5-mile track,” Busch pointed out. “I wish we were on track gathering data right now. If I could create one big topic, it would be that it seems like there are 10 different ways to approach practice for this All-Star race.”
