Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: LV to celebrate with Busch at Fremont Experience fete

Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2004 | 10:34 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.

Kurt Busch is about to find out whether the racing fans of his native Las Vegas are interested in helping him celebrate his NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.

Busch, a Durango High graduate, last week questioned whether there was enough support in Las Vegas to warrant having a celebration in his honor if he were to win the championship.

"I think if we were to obtain the championship and bring the trophy back to Vegas, people would be more worried about where the next buffet line was or where they could get some free slots versus hoisting up the championship trophy with me," Busch said last Tuesday during a national teleconference.

On Sunday, Dec. 5, officials from local, state and federal offices will honor Busch during a celebration on the First Street Stage at the Fremont Street Experience beginning at 3 p.m. Busch will be on hand as local, state and federal officials make presentations in recognition of his accomplishment.

"It's an honor to be recognized by the people of Las Vegas for what we have accomplished," Busch said. "I'm looking forward to having an opportunity to celebrate and share this championship with everyone in my hometown."

Busch, 26, was born and raised in Las Vegas and lived here until 1999, when he moved to Michigan after landing a ride in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Busch now lives near Charlotte, N.C.

HENDRICK SHUFFLES CREW CHIEFS: Alan Gustafson, a lead engineer at Hendrick Motorsports the past five years, has been promoted to crew chief of the team's No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet next season for driver Kyle Busch.

The move was one of several changes team owner Rick Hendrick made the day after the 2004 Nextel Cup season ended in Homestead, Fla.

Jim Long, crew chief on the No. 5 Cup team the past three years, will move over to the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Busch Series team. Lance McGrew, Busch's crew chief on the No. 5 Busch Series car this season, will be reunited with driver Brian Vickers on the No. 25 Cup team next season. McGrew and Vickers teamed to win the Busch Series championship in 2004.

Peter Sospenzo, Vicker's crew chief this season, will work exclusively with Labonte, who plans to run a 10-race schedule next season.

Busch, a Las Vegas native who will be running for Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in the Nextel Cup Series next season, said he was looking forward to working with Gustafson and the rest of the crew Hendrick has assembled on the No. 25 car.

"I've got a great bunch of guys that are coming to work with me and a new crew chief that's coming on board," Busch said. "It's been great to be able to meet with them and they're starting to build cars so I'm excited to hang out with them in the shop and work with them a little bit. It's going to be fun once we get out there in Daytona."

Busch, 19, finished second in the NASCAR Busch Series standings this season and was named the Raybestos Rookie of the Year. He also made six Nextel Cup starts in the No. 84 CarQuest Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports and made his Cup debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. His best finish was 24th at California Speedway in September.

BUSCH ADDS SPONSOR: Less than 48 hours after winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship, Busch picked up another crown.

Crown Royal brand whisky will become a primary sponsor of Busch's No. 97 Roush Racing Ford for select races in 2005, Crown Royal's parent company, Diageo, announced Tuesday. Crown Royal will join Sharpie and Smirnoff Ice, a malt beverage bottled under the Diageo umbrella, as rotating primary sponsors on Busch's car.

A spokesman for Diageo said Tuesday that Crown Royal and Smirnoff Ice would serve as the primary sponsorship on Busch's car at least 10 races next season. Busch will carry the purple-and-gold Crown Royal colors during the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August.

"I'm thrilled about the opportunity to continue the partnership with Crown Royal as they further commit to our sport," Busch said. "I know that as the NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion, I am in a great position to help Crown Royal reach our fans with the importance of responsible drinking."

NASCAR officials earlier this month lifted a longtime ban on hard-liquor sponsorships in its top three series as long as the distillers promoted responsible drinking as part of their NASCAR-related advertising campaigns.

SEATTLE TRACK UPDATE: International Speedway Corp., which owns and operates 11 tracks that host NASCAR Nextel Cup races, has dropped plans to build a racetrack near Seattle, the Bloomberg news service reported.

ISC, a publicly traded company controlled by NASCAR's France family, withdrew its offer to build the 75,000-seat track after local officials withdrew their offer to help pay for it. ISC was to pay about $50 million for the project, which had an estimated price of as much as $300 million. Snohomish County and Marysville, Washington, which would have paid the rest, dropped their support because of the cost.

An ISC press release said the company would continue to look for a site in the Pacific Northwest.