Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Kyle Busch has busy weekend ahead

Friday, June 3, 2005 | 9:41 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.

A week after driving in both the NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch plans to pull triple duty this weekend at Dover International Speedway.

Busch, a 20-year-old Las Vegas native, will compete in this evening's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race and Saturday's Busch Series event in addition to Sunday's 400-mile Nextel Cup race on the 1-mile concrete oval.

"I love to race, so any chance to do that is always cool," Busch said as he prepared for his busy weekend. "Dover's not one of my favorite tracks but it's definitely going to be a benefit to our Cup effort for me to get all the seat time I'll be getting in the truck and Busch races.

"Dover's a place I still need to get a better handle on. (Hendrick Motorsports teammate Brian) Vickers was able to win a Busch race here a couple of years ago, but my best finish was a fifth-place in the Busch race last June and we brought back a very beat-up racecar after that race."

Busch, who is winless in 18 career Nextel Cup starts, has won each of his most recent outings in the Busch and Truck Series -- both at Lowe's Motor Speedway near Charlotte, N.C. He will start fifth in this evening's 200-lap Truck Series race.

His doubleheader last weekend, driving (and winning) the 300-mile Busch Series race and the 600-mile Nextel Cup event at Lowe's, helped prepare Busch for this weekend's 800 miles of racing.

"I was really surprised at how good I felt after the 600," Busch said. "I was kind of surprised when we hit the halfway point of the race, and then it got down to the end and I was like, 'that's it?' It really didn't feel like 600 miles.

"I get time to recover between each race this weekend and the truck and Busch races are short enough to where I don't think I'll get too worn out. The key is just to stay hydrated and to try and eat healthy and I think I'll be fine."

Busch has six Busch Series victories in 46 career starts and his May 20 Truck Series victory was his first in eight career starts in that series. A Nextel Cup victory by Busch would place him among group of 13 drivers who have won races in all three of NASCAR's national series.

BOURDAIS ON MILWAUKEE: Sebastien Bourdais has an opportunity to regain the championship lead when the Champ Car World Series visits The Milwaukee Mile on Saturday.

Bourdais, the reigning series champion, trails Newman/Haas Racing teammate Bruno Junqueira by one point in the standings and Junqueira temporarily is out of action after being injured in a wreck Sunday in the Indianapolis 500. Newman/Haas Racing has hired Oriol Servia to fill in for Junqueira this weekend and Bourdais said he would miss Junqueira.

"The race is pretty difficult for me and I feel like a rookie every time I go to Milwaukee because I don't have the knowledge and comprehension about it," Bourdais said of the flat Milwaukee oval. "It is going to be even more challenging without Bruno or the input he provides; he is more experienced on this type of track and the weekend will definitely be more difficult without him."

Junqueira had surgery Monday to repair two fractured vertebrae he suffered after making contact with A.J. Foyt IV and spinning into the wall.

"We will be thinking of him every day though while he is recovering," Bourdais said of Junqueira.

Bourdais had his worst finish of the season last year at Milwaukee. He crashed 50 laps into the 250-lap race and finished 18th in the first of two oval races of the season; he rebounded and won the event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last September en route to his first series championship.

STAYING PUT: Seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher dismissed speculation that he is considering retiring from driving.

"I am not thinking of retiring," Schumacher told the German newspaper Bild this week. "I've said that I'd retire when I can no longer hold my own against the younger drivers -- I think I can still do that very well."

After dominating Formula One last season with 13 victories en route to his seventh world championship, Schumacher is winless in seven races this season and is eighth in the championship.

Formula One begins its North American swing next weekend with the Canadian Grand Prix. The 2005 United States Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is June 19.

NO STORYBOOK ENDING: NHRA Pro Stock driver Dave Connolly advanced to the final round of eliminations last weekend in Topeka, Kan., in a one-race deal with Carrier Boyz Racing.

Brothers Mark and Andy Carrier footed the bill for Connolly to race after his previous team, Bullet Motorsports, ceased operations at the beginning of last week. Connolly, who was third in points, lost to two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson in Sunday's final.

"It was a Cinderella story in the making," said Connolly, who remained third in points. "Greg Anderson got in the way and it didn't have the finish we had hoped. But Greg is tough and he made a good run.

"For us to even be here, then get qualified and make it to the final was a win by itself. Even though we didn't get the win light, we have nothing to complain about. The way the Carrier Boyz stepped up to the plate and carried us through this weekend was just terrific. You couldn't ask for better guys to work with."

Andy Carrier said he would continue to negotiate with Bullet Motorsports owner Mike Dzurilla about buying the team's assets and fielding Connolly under the Carrier Boyz banner. The NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series next races in Joliet, Ill., June 10-12.

SPORTS CARS: The Las Vegas Region of the Sports Car Club of America's seventh Autocross event of the year will be Sunday in the Drift Lot Paddock at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Additional information can be found at www.lvrscca.org.