ShareThisBy MIKE MULHERN
The transformation of Kyle Busch over the past six months has been remarkable.
Once denigrated by Tony Stewart, a two-time NASCAR champ _ not that long ago, really _ Busch, 21, will go to California Speedway this weekend to celebrate the first anniversary of his first Nextel Cup win and to try to take another step toward his first championship.
And this is only his second year on the Nextel Cup tour.
Sometimes Rick Hendrick, who owns Busch's car, looks like a magician: There is simply no more skillful car owner on the stock-car scene today when it comes to getting the most from his drivers.
The dramatic change in Busch is the most recent case in point.
Busch's second at Bristol Motor Speedway last Saturday night pulled him up to fourth in the points standings, with two races until the Chase cut next week at Richmond.
The title? "We've got a legitimate shot at it," Busch said. "We've got a very strong team. We ran well (at California Speedway) last year, and we finished 10th this spring. Richmond, I don't think we've had a finish worse than fifth.
"The biggest tracks for me to work on are Texas and Atlanta. We run so well at Charlotte, and we can run pretty well at the two-mile places like Michigan and California."
One key to Busch's technical success is crew chief Alan Gustafson, one of the best "unknown" crew chief in the NASCAR garage.
"Alan is very strong, he knows what he's doing, he knows what he needs in his race cars," Busch said. "And I feel like I know what to tell him, and what I want to feel in the race car so he can help me get that feel.
"The biggest thing is trying to make sure we play our Sundays right. You want to make sure you are in the right position and making the right pit calls and doing right strategies."
But the most important factor for Busch may come in his newfound touch at avoiding disputes. That has been good for his spirit as well as his finishes.
"It just somehow makes its rounds," Busch said.
"I didn't look for it in the beginning of the year. I didn't want to get involved in any of that, because you don't want to have to deal with all of the pressures of media answering all the questions.
"We've just been going along finding our own way and finding our own peace with the series. It was something I found on my own. I haven't really done anything different, though I might have become a bit smarter racer.
"It's all about coming into the sport and realizing it's not all about you.
"Being able to learn more about what NASCAR is all about has helped. Mr. (Mike) Helton (the NASCAR president) and I sat down and had lunch, and I've been getting a closer relationship with him, as well as with John Darby (series director) and Robin Pemberton (NASCAR competition director), and some other NASCAR officials."
Busch realized early this spring he had to change his approach.
"Coming out of Daytona ... We had a great car in the beginning and got tossed up with Tony Stewart somehow, and we were running fifth when we got our penalty and finished 23rd," Busch said.
"Then we came into Phoenix (where Busch won last fall) with a very strong car, sat on the pole and led the beginning of the race _ and we had a pit road mishap and got tangled with Casey Mears and wrecked.
"At Talladega we got taken out. A couple weeks later we were at Charlotte and got tangled up and had a terrible effort, and had 25 points taken away.
"So probably after Charlotte was really when it all came to me and hit me. We've had very fast cars this year, I just keep making mental mistakes and putting myself in wrong positions. I kept overdriving the car, not understanding where I should be at that time.
"So I just settled back and thought about racing and not trying to lead every lap."
In NASCAR's recent youth movement, aiming at a younger fan demographic, Busch has been the poster child. In fact, it seems like a long time since Busch was bounced out of a Truck race at California Speedway for being too young.
"We showed up in 2001, we were leading practice, and then we were not able to qualify for the race," Busch said.
"It was a tough decision, changing the race requirements. It was tough for me to swallow that."
Clearly, it wasn't much of a setback. Hendrick took him out of the Jack Roush camp and signed him to a Cup deal, and last year, as a rookie, Busch showed the brash bravado of a young hotshot, aggravating his elders.
But there's no denying talent. He followed his Labor Day weekend win with a victory at Phoenix, and last month's win at Loudon was one of a number of solid performances.
Of course, it takes more than simple talent to do well in NASCAR. It takes maturity, and Busch has made big strides, since being called down by rivals for driving too aggressively. He credits teammate Jimmie Johnson.
"I think the biggest thing is watching Jimmie and how he races," Busch said. "He's always a very fast and particular racer. But he's always very smart. He knows how to how to adjust the car throughout the race, and he knows how to handle the beginning and the end of the race.
"You look at him _ he's been successful every season he's been in Cup; he's finished top 10 in points. So he definitely knows how to race, how the season plays out, and how to work with it."
