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Ever since Kurt Busch successfully tested an Andretti Autosport Dallara Chevrolet at Indianapolis this May he's been intrigued in attempting “The Double;” the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, on the same day.
The Indy 500 is run in the afternoon and Charlotte is a night race.
Now Busch, 34, says it's a “good possibility” that he be entered in the IndyCar finale at Auto Club Speedway in October.
The 2004 Sprint Cup champion added “we're working on it. We just have to keep our fingers crossed." He didn't name any possible teams, but, it would likely be a Chevrolet powered team because of his Furniture Row Chevy SS affiliation in NASCAR.
That would represent a double of sorts because IndyCar races on Saturday night, October 19th and the Sprint Cup Series runs at Talladega Superspeedway back east on Sunday afternoon. "Now that it has settled in, and I was able to find some speed and feel comfortable, I'd like to do another oval before I race Indy next year," Busch told reporters at the Watkins Glen test.
He was referring to the fact that he passed the IndyCar rookie test and turned his fastest lap of 218.210 at the 2.5 mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Busch, a versatile driver had tested Michel Jourdain's Rahal Lola-Ford at Sebring in 2003, but that was a different type of Indy car on a road course.
Auto Club Speedway is the only 500 mile IndyCar race between now and the 2014 Indy 500. As a full time stock car driver Busch feels it's necessary to get an entire oval IndyCar race under his belt before making any attempt at Indy.
If sufficient funding isn't found for Busch to run at Auto Club Speedway this season, he says he would feel "blind" at Indianapolis next May "and that's just going to be too much to make up."
Another issue for October for Busch would be to consider his NASCAR standing. At the present time he's 14th, and would need to advance to the top ten to make the stock car series playoffs call the Chase. With the one-car Furniture Row team it's a bit of long shot, but, still a possibility and a one-off IndyCar race would be in conflict with a shot at a second NASCAR title.
If the stars and the moon align and he does attempt the Double he'd be the fourth driver to do so after Robby Gordon (2004) who was the last driver to make the attempt, John Andretti, and Tony Stewart (who finished sixth at Indianapolis and third in Charlotte in 2001).
The Indy 500 is run in the afternoon and Charlotte is a night race.
Now Busch, 34, says it's a “good possibility” that he be entered in the IndyCar finale at Auto Club Speedway in October.
The 2004 Sprint Cup champion added “we're working on it. We just have to keep our fingers crossed." He didn't name any possible teams, but, it would likely be a Chevrolet powered team because of his Furniture Row Chevy SS affiliation in NASCAR.
That would represent a double of sorts because IndyCar races on Saturday night, October 19th and the Sprint Cup Series runs at Talladega Superspeedway back east on Sunday afternoon. "Now that it has settled in, and I was able to find some speed and feel comfortable, I'd like to do another oval before I race Indy next year," Busch told reporters at the Watkins Glen test.
He was referring to the fact that he passed the IndyCar rookie test and turned his fastest lap of 218.210 at the 2.5 mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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| Kurt Busch. (Photo: Indianapolis Motor Speedway) |
Busch, a versatile driver had tested Michel Jourdain's Rahal Lola-Ford at Sebring in 2003, but that was a different type of Indy car on a road course.
Auto Club Speedway is the only 500 mile IndyCar race between now and the 2014 Indy 500. As a full time stock car driver Busch feels it's necessary to get an entire oval IndyCar race under his belt before making any attempt at Indy.
If sufficient funding isn't found for Busch to run at Auto Club Speedway this season, he says he would feel "blind" at Indianapolis next May "and that's just going to be too much to make up."
Another issue for October for Busch would be to consider his NASCAR standing. At the present time he's 14th, and would need to advance to the top ten to make the stock car series playoffs call the Chase. With the one-car Furniture Row team it's a bit of long shot, but, still a possibility and a one-off IndyCar race would be in conflict with a shot at a second NASCAR title.
If the stars and the moon align and he does attempt the Double he'd be the fourth driver to do so after Robby Gordon (2004) who was the last driver to make the attempt, John Andretti, and Tony Stewart (who finished sixth at Indianapolis and third in Charlotte in 2001).