Santa Fe New Mexican

Kurt Busch vying for second Cup title 14 years later

- By Stephen Hawkins

FORT WORTH, Texas — Kurt Busch knows he took his first and only NASCAR Cup Series championsh­ip for granted.

The one that came 14 years ago with another team.

“If it happens again, I’ll appreciate it that much more,” Busch said Friday.

Now 40 years old and with an uncertain future after this season with Stewart-Haas Racing, Busch arrived in Texas just outside the top four with two races left before the finale at Homestead, where four drivers will race for the championsh­ip. Three of those spots are still up for grabs.

“We have all the confidence in the world, we have all the right to be in the position we’re in,” said Busch, fifth in the standings and 25 points out of fourth. “Black and white is we have to win. That way we control our destiny. We can still point our way in, and that’s been our strength, the consistenc­y of our team this year.”

While Busch is still trying to clinch a spot, Joey Logano is the only driver already locked in for Homestead after his bump-and-run to get past defending Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. at Martinsvil­le last weekend.

Truex was clearly upset after the race, when he vowed to prevent Logano from winning the title: “He may have won the battle, but he ain’t winning the damn war.” He sent a text to Logano later Sunday night.

“I didn’t expect to hear from him, so I wanted to tell him how I felt,” Truex said Friday in Texas.

 ?? LARRY PAPKE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? NASCAR driver Kurt Busch is seeking one of the final three spots Friday in the championsh­ip.
LARRY PAPKE ASSOCIATED PRESS NASCAR driver Kurt Busch is seeking one of the final three spots Friday in the championsh­ip.

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