Busch’s parents keep watchful eye at home

Victoria Sun

Thursday, Feb. 28, 2002 | 10:33 a.m.

Whenever Gaye and Tom Busch can't make it in person to see their oldest son, Kurt, race in the NASCAR Winston Cup series, they retreat to their respective spots at their Las Vegas home to watch on TV.

While Tom sets up shop in the garage, Gaye positions herself on the living room sofa in front of the 61-inch flat screen TV that Kurt bought the family for a Christmas present.

Sometimes, she doesn't stay on the couch for long.

"I was just pacing the floor up and down when Kurt was at Talladega last year," she said. "Thank God we've got tile or the carpet would have been worn."

It can be downright frightening to watch your son compete against other drivers at speeds approaching 200 mph.

Even worse, for Gaye, is not being there to see it.

She prefers to attend the races so she can keep a close eye on Kurt, driver of the No. 97 Rubbermaid Ford.

"The races I don't go to, it's very hard," Busch said. "The coverage you get, obviously they're not going to keep the cameras on my child every second, so when you go to commercials, you wonder what's going on.

"If there is a caution, you wonder is he OK, where is he? What happened? It is nerve-wracking."

On Sunday at the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Gaye Busch will be in the stands along with more than 130,000 fans.

Her favorite place to sit is high above the track near the start/finish line, so she has the best view.

To ensure she gets the right seat, Busch orders tickets months in advance.

Like throngs of race fans, she will be cheering for her favorite guy. But unlike the masses, she will be praying just as hard for his safety.

"You've always got that in the back of your mind, that there will be a tremendous crash, but you try not to think about that," Busch said. "They're all professionals, but you never know what's going to happen.

"Every race I pray. After the national anthem, that's when I start doing my praying for every single race whether I'm at home or at the race track. I don't care where he finishes, just bring him home safe."

Soon, she'll have two sons to pray for.

Busch's youngest son, 16-year-old Kyle, will begin racing full-time in the American Speed Association after he graduates early this June after his junior year at Durango High School.

Busch attended at least one of Kurt's races per month last year, but this season will spend more time on the road with Kyle, whose first race will be March 24 in Lakeland, Fla.

Spending weekends at the race track is nothing new to Gaye or her sons.

Husband Tom used to race in the hobby stock division at Craig Road, then raced in the late-model division at the old Las Vegas Speedway Park.

"Ever since they were born they watched their dad race," Busch said.