Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Kurt Busch finds second home in Calif.

Friday, April 30, 2004 | 9:48 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

FONTANA, Calif. -- Las Vegas Motor Speedway may be his hometown track, but Kurt Busch may look forward to racing at California Speedway more than any other track on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit other than Bristol Motor Speedway.

Busch, a Las Vegas native, has four career victories at Bristol but has turned in three impressive runs in each of his three career starts here.

As a rookie in 2001, Busch twice had to battle to get back on the lead lap -- before the advent of the "lucky-dog" rule -- en route to a 13th-place finish in his first Nextel Cup race on the 2-mile oval. A year later, Busch led 102 of 250 laps before settling for a second-place finish when Jimmie Johnson, who was running second at the time, elected not to take on new tires during a late-race pit stop.

Last year, Busch improved his finishing position one spot when he outraced veterans Bobby Labonte and Rusty Wallace in the closing laps for his first career victory at California Speedway.

"I always enjoy heading out to the West Coast and the track in California," Busch said. "We've had a lot of success the past couple of trips out here to this racetrack.

"We were able to pull off the win here at this race last year and finished second the season before that, so it's definitely a welcome trip after last weekend's DNF at Talladega. Hopefully, we'll be able to go out and compete and make up for some of the points we lost last week."

Busch slipped from second to fourth in points as a result of his 36th-place finish last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Busch was collected in an 11-car wreck after being hit from behind by Tony Stewart.

Hmiel said his top priority is to run the full NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this season for Billy Ballew Motorsports. He is replacing Mike Harmon in the No. 24 GIC Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend -- his first Busch Series start since NASCAR suspended him last September for violating its substance-abuse policy.

"We have a top-10 team that is capable of running for the championship," Hmiel said of the truck team. "We've been running in the top five to top 10 so far. It's a championship hunt for the team and I plan on being right there in the thick of the action.

"I love the NASCAR Busch Series; it's great to be back. Right now our plans are to run the race at California Speedway for GIC Motorsports and if we get a chance to run a few more, then that would be great, too, but my primary focus is on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series."

Busch, who was 16 at the time, was competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and had just turned the fastest practice lap of the day when NASCAR officials informed him that he would not be allowed to qualify. The event sponsor, Philip Morris USA, told speedway officials that their sponsorship agreement called for all participants to be at least 18.

Busch was not allowed to qualify or race that weekend and NASCAR later implemented a rule that no driver under the age of 18 would be allowed to compete in any of its touring series.

"I don't think it will be any different than going to a track that I've never been to before," Busch said earlier this week about returning to California Speedway. "I just have a few laps around the place so I know what the scenery is like going around there. It'll be fun to get back there."

Busch, who turns 19 on Sunday, is fourth in Busch Series points going into Saturday's Stater Bros. 300.

"I can't think of any sweeter birthday present than to win my first Busch race," Busch said. "That would be the ultimate. I can't even imagine how awesome that would be -- I hope I get to find out."

Gordon, who will attempt to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte on May 30, posted the fifth-fastest lap (218.921 mph) through two days of practice for the 88th Indy 500. Sam Hornish topped the Indy speed charts at 220.113 and Penske Racing teammate Helio Castroneves was second at 220.075.

Three drivers -- Buddy Rice, Darren Manning and Alex Barron -- crashed during Thursday's test but were not injured. Dario Franchitti crashed during Wednesday's session but was not injured. All four have been cleared to drive. The track will reopen on May 9 for the official start of practice for the Indianapolis 500. ...

Rahal/Letterman Racing announced Thursday that injured driver Kenny Brack would not race for the team in the Indy 500. Brack was seriously injured in the Indy Racing League season finale last season at Texas Motor Speedway and had hoped to return in time for next month's race at Indy.

Rahal/Letterman's driver lineup for the May 30 race will be Buddy Rice, Vitor Meira and Roger Yasukawa. Rice had been hired to replace Brack until his return to racing.

Late Models, Chargers, IMCA Modifieds, Legends Cars, Thunder Roadsters, Bandolero Cars and Bullring Bombers also will be racing Saturday night. Spectator gates open at 6 p.m., qualifying begins at 6:20 and racing is scheduled to start at 7:20.

Gates open at 10 a.m. and racing continues to 10 p.m. both days. General admission is $25 daily for adults, $5 for children 7-12 and children under 6 years of age are admitted free.