Busch calls crew chief ban non-issue
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kurt Busch said it was business as usual Tuesday, the only day of the week his crew chief is allowed inside the race shop.
Penske Racing has asked Pat Tryson to only visit the race shop during the weekly competition meeting because he’s leaving at the end of the season, and the team does not want him part of 2010 planning. Tryson is moving to Michael Waltrip Racing at the end of the year.
The practice of excluding a departing team member is fairly common in NASCAR, but the Tryson situation is interesting because Busch is a championship contender. He heads into the second round of the Chase for the championship fifth in the Sprint Cup standings.
“I don’t see it bringing up any issues,” Busch said Tuesday. “The fact of him still being there on race weekends and being the leader will definitely keep the continuity together Friday, Saturday and Sunday. With him just showing up on Tuesdays, crew guys are off on Monday, so everybody’s off Mondays.
“Tuesday, he was there this morning. We had the driver debrief, and business was usual. It felt great. And him sitting down with the other leaders of our team to go over the plan for this next week was business as usual.”
Tryson’s decision to go crew chief Martin Truex Jr. became public two weeks ago. He’s insisted his decision has nothing to do with Busch, the 2004 Chase champion, and said the two were work hard to win the championship before he leaves.
Busch finished sixth Sunday in the Chase opener at New Hampshire.
“It’s just one day in my mind out of the week that he’ll be able to rest himself and spend time with his daughter and family and come to the race track, hopefully, refreshed and ready to rip,” Busch said.
Still, he said Tryson’s impending departure is a “tough situation.”
“We’re making the best of it,” he said.
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