"We're going for the Busch Series title with
Martin,'' Junior told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "We had just kind of
planned on a three-quarter schedule, but, as things changed in the offseason, we
were able to justify running the entire season for him.''
He said the full-season deal came together when Yum! Brands Inc., agreed to
put its KFC, Taco Bell and Long John Silver restaurant brands on Truex's car for
14 of the 34 races, joining several returning sponsors from last year.
As much as Earnhardt Jr. wants to win the title in NASCAR's top stock car
series, his years racing in the Busch Series and winning championships (1998 and
1999) have made that circuit special to him.
"It's a series that I have a lot of love and appreciation for,'' said
Earnhardt, who will drive a second Chance 2 car in two Busch races at Daytona
and one at Talladega in 2004.
"The style of racing, the personalities, the attitude, just the whole feeling
you get when you're around that series and inside that garage area is totally
different than the Cup series,'' he said. "It's just a little less stressful and
... there's just a lot of excitement and enthusiasm and energy in that whole
program.''
Being around the Busch Series as an owner has also been an education.
"You're out there in that race car on Sundays all day long, driving, and you
really don't know what's going on in the pits,'' Earnhardt said. "You're really
not there to see what all's unfolding and what the strategy is."
"I've learned a lot just being able to sit in the pits on Saturdays with the
Busch team and learn what they do and what their strategy is and what their
goals are throughout the day and how things work themselves out. It's given me a
lot of appreciation and more respect for the guys I've got on Sunday.''
Earnhardt wound up a career-best third in the 2003 Cup points and said he
believes his Dale Earnhardt Inc. team can make a strong run at the championship
this year.
"Each year we're just a little bit better,'' Earnhardt said. "We have never
made any massive gains as a team in the past and I don't see that happening in
the future. I just think we continue to improve little places at a time and
little parts of the team that need it and we'll get a shot at winning the
championship.''
By MIKE HARRIS
The Associated Press
Jan 14 2004
