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7. Tony Stewart 5515
8. Jeff Gordon 5486
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Is another points swap possible for Hornish, Busch?

By SceneDaily Staff

Friday, March 14, 2008

Article Rating: 0.0
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Jason Smith / Getty Images

Jason Smith / Getty Images

Kurt Busch (2) races Penske Racing teammate Sam Hornish Jr. at Auto Club Speedway earlier this season.

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BRISTOL, Tenn. – Penske Racing decided to swap owner points for drivers Kurt Busch and Sam Hornish Jr. before the start of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, giving both spots in the first five races.
 
But one race before ’08 points are used to determine guaranteed starting spots, Hornish Jr. is outside top 35 and would have to make the Martinsville race via qualifying if he stays there.
 
So would Penske switch points again, giving Hornish the points Busch has earned to lock him into a race? Would Busch like having to make races through qualifying again, as he has done in the first four races?
 
Busch does have a past champions provision at his disposal in case of problems in qualifying, but he didn’t sound thrilled about the possibility of having to continue to qualify for races, if the team decided to swap points again.
 
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Busch said Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway when asked about the possibility. “I didn’t know that was possible. Don’t tell [team owner] Roger [Penske]. Don’t tell anybody that you know that that’s possible.
 
“I hope [Hornish is] able to race as hard as he can, as smart as he can these next few races to get locked in. It’s a tough road. It’s an uphill battle when you don’t have points. Not only do you end up getting your tires last, the way you’re back there in points, trying to qualify in with all those other guys, it’s an uphill battle.”
 
And it’s an uphill battle Busch would rather not face.

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Comments

48 responses to "Is another points swap possible for Hornish, Busch?"
  1. 1
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 14, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  2. 2
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 15, 2008 at 8:34 AM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  3. 3
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 15, 2008 at 8:34 AM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  4. 4
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 3:50 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  5. 5
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 3:50 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  6. 6
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 3:50 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  7. 7
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  8. 8
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  9. 9
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  10. 10
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  11. 11
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  12. 12
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  13. 13
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  14. 14
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  15. 15
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  16. 16
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  17. 17
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  18. 18
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  19. 19
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  20. 20
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  21. 21
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  22. 22
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  23. 23
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  24. 24
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:18 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  25. 25
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 20, 2008 at 12:52 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  26. 26
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 20, 2008 at 12:52 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  27. 27
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 20, 2008 at 12:52 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  28. 28
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 20, 2008 at 12:52 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse
  29. 29
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 20, 2008 at 12:52 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  30. 30
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 20, 2008 at 12:52 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  31. 31
    Terry Duling said:
    Mar 20, 2008 at 12:52 PM

    The current points-swapping "rules" are embarrassingly contrary to the spirit of competition, but this? Busch may be gone as a second tier series sponsor, but the ol' "Bush League" spirit lives on at the Cup level. Major league quality, my eye.

    Report as Abuse
  32. 32
    Len Grafstrom said:
    Mar 20, 2008 at 12:52 PM

    Nothing I've seen shows me that Hornish can cut it in Nascar. He couldn't get it done last year and after the gift of points, he still can't do it this year. He's a very nice guy, but he should go back to running Indycars where the car does most of the driving for you.

    Report as Abuse