Kurt Busch is feeling like No. 1 with his new No. 2

Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006 | 8:01 a.m.

For a moment Tuesday, Kurt Busch assumed it was a case of mistaken identity.

Busch, not exactly one of the most popular drivers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series garage area, found himself inundated with fans waving and shouting support during breaks in a test session at Daytona International Speedway.

"I'm like, 'Guys, it's me; it's not Rusty,' " said Busch, who is replacing Rusty Wallace as driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge. "And then they come up to the window and (say), 'Man, we're happy that you're in the car.' It's been different already in that aspect of it."

Busch, a Las Vegas native, said the move from Roush Racing to Roger Penske's team has entailed more than a change in car makes and driver's suit.

"I am very happy," Busch said. "It's obviously new, and things are so different. And when things are new, it's easy to get caught up in the newness of it.

"It's fun, really, to smile and walk around with a Miller Lite suit on, knowing the guy in charge is Roger Penske."

Busch announced in August that he had signed a contract to drive for Penske beginning in 2007 and had asked team owner Jack Roush to release him from his contract after the 2005 season. That began three months of contentious negotiations before Roush finally agreed to release Busch.

Less than a week later, Busch had his well-publicized run-in with sheriff deputies near Phoenix International Raceway and was suspended for the final two races of the season. Busch said he was surprised at how quickly his relationship with Roush deteriorated after he announced his decision to leave, but accepted part of the blame.

"I was very surprised that it got that personal," Busch said of comments that came out of the Roush camp. "With the way that everything came about, looking back on it, maybe I could have done it a different way. But I thought the best approach was to notify them early on. That way they would get their sponsors lined up (so I could leave at the end of 2005)."

All-star event

During the past several years, the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance race has slowly evolved into a live version of Who's Who in North American racing, with drivers from other disciplines streaming to Daytona to join the regulars from the road-racing set.

Among the approximately two dozen crossover drivers expected to take part in this year's 24-hour race are Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace, Casey Mears and Randy LaJoie from NASCAR and Paul Tracy, Patrick Carpentier, Jimmy Vasser, Eddie Cheever, Buddy Rice and Danica Patrick from open-wheel racing.

Also noted:

* Tony Stewart, who twice flipped his Midget racer during last weekend's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Raceway in Oklahoma and briefly had his arm placed in a cast, has been cleared to drive in next weekend's Rolex 24 and the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series test Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

* Many teams from the top National Hot-Rod Association classes, including Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, will invade The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday through Monday for the annual NHRA Nitro Blast-off preseason test session. Single-day admission starts at $22 for adults and $8 for children ages 6-12. Weekend "supersaver" passes also will be sold for the event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

BY THE NUMBERS:

14 -- Kurt Busch's career NASCAR Cup Series victory total in five seasons

39 -- The number of NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers committed to take part in a test Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

QUOTE:

Kurt Busch:

"I thought it was an honor to have them retire that number, or to move it off of the side. The number got retired quickly after the championship, so it'll be a dynasty all on its own."

on Roush Racing changing the No. 97 Ford to No. 26 this season after Jamie McMurray replaced Busch

Brian Hilderbrand can be reached at 259-4089 or at bh@lasvegassun.com.