Busch says more attention to detail paid to No. 2 team with only 1 day to work with crew chief

Busch says 1 day with crew chief enough

DOVER, Del. — Kurt Busch says preparation for the Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway went “maybe better than normal” because having only one day to meet with his crew chief forced his team to focus.

Pat Tryson was asked by Penske Racing to only visit the race shop during the weekly competition meeting because he’s leaving at the end of the season. The team doesn’t want him to be part of the planning for 2010.

Busch is fifth in the Chase for the championship standings. Tryson is moving to Michael Waltrip Racing at the end of the year. Tryson, who said his decision has nothing to do with his relationship with Busch, will become the crew chief for Martin Truex Jr.

Busch, who won the Cup championship in 2004, and Tryson have said they are committed to winning it all this year. Their meeting on Tuesday showed the one day of work before leaving for the track just might work.

“Instead of it being strung for a couple of days, or little meetings here and there, it was, boom, one after the next,” Busch said. “Everybody was sharp and focused It went that much better in my mind. We all have to work a little bit harder and do things a little bit different with the position we’ve been put in. It seemed exciting.”

Busch is fifth in the standings and is 65 points behind leader Mark Martin. He finished sixth Sunday in the Chase opener at New Hampshire.

“There seemed to be a bit more attention to detail and that was exciting,” Busch said. “That’s what we have to do the next nine weeks, is continue to communicate at higher levels.”