Rousch won’t let Busch go
Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch will be back to fulfill the final year of his contract with Roush Racing because his car owner will not let him go early.
Jack Roush said Busch sought a release for 2006 after telling him earlier this week that he had a deal for 2007 with Roger Penske.
“He said, ‘I don’t want to negotiate with you for 2007,’ ” Roush recalled Friday at Watkins Glen International. “I said, OK, and he said, ‘I want to be released for 2006.’ I said not OK.”
Busch said he understood that and is focused on winning another title or two before moving to Penske. He has called the Penske ride an “opportunity of a lifetime,” and a challenge to prove he can win with a different team.
He’s hoping something can still be worked out that will let him move into the No. 2 Dodge next year, but didn’t sound optimistic.
“It’s Jack’s decision,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”
Roush already is faced with trying to fill one of his five cars for next season. He has signed Jamie McMurray to replace Mark Martin in 2007, but is leaning on Martin to delay by a year his retirement from full-time Cup racing. Martin wants to move to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series next season.
Tracy in front
Paul Tracy set a track record in the preliminary round of the Grand Prix of Denver, edging Forsythe teammate Mario Dominguez on the temporary street course to earn a spot on the front row for Sunday’s race.
Tracy made it through the 1.657-mile course in 59.759 seconds (99.821 mph), winding through the outskirts of downtown Denver to beat defending champion Sebastien Bourdais’ track record by .18 seconds. The second round of qualifying is today.
Patrick isn’t looking for switch
Danica Patrick’s success as a rookie on the Indy Racing League circuit has led to questions about her future driving plans.
Would she consider leaving the IRL to race for a NASCAR team? Patrick reiterated at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky., that while she won’t rule out anything, she’s happy racing Indy cars, if for no other reason than the season is shorter.
The IRL has a 17-race schedule and only occasionally has events on consecutive weekends. NASCAR’s Nextel Cup series features 36 points races.
“That’s a lot of races,” Patrick said. “For me, that’s probably the biggest thing. I’m not sure I’d be prepared to do that many weekends. I enjoy every aspect of my life. … There are just so many things that I enjoy doing that are outside of sweaty motor-home life at every track.”