Sports

AUTO RACING

The Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — When Kurt Busch’s wife surprised him with a spot in a drag racing school, the NASCAR driver had no idea what he was getting into.

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NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, right, talks to radio host Joe Castello about his upcoming NHRA super gas racing debut during the 41st annual Gatornationals weekend at the Gainesville Raceway on Friday. Busch will be driving his rebuilt ’70 Dodge Challenger.

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He still doesn’t really know, either.

Busch spent two days waiting to make his NHRA debut at the Gatornationals, but heavy rain and flooding forced the sanctioning body to postpone his race until Sunday at the earliest.

It was a small setback for Busch, who has grown accustomed to delays in NASCAR. There was the pothole debacle at Daytona International Speedway last month and then he had to drive several extra laps last week to secure a victory in Atlanta.

He has waited considerably longer for this. Two years to be exact.

“Little did I know how serious that we were going to jump into it,” Busch said.

Busch’s venture began at the U.S. Nationals in 2008, when he watched the event with legendary drag racer Don Prudomme. About the same time, a drag strip was being built near his home in Charlotte.

“I said, ‘Well, I’ve got to have a car,’ ” Busch said. “They’re going to have ‘NASCAR Night’ and there’s going to be nobody out there that’s going to beat me on the NASCAR side. That’s really the main objective.”

Busch certainly could have the car to beat.

He bought a 1970 Dodge Challenger off eBay for $15,000 and started getting into race shape. The street-legal car puts out nearly 1,200 horsepower now.

Busch got it on a track for the first time Monday, when he took it to Rockingham Dragway and made about a dozen passes in preparation for Gainesville — the only NHRA event that coincided with an off weekend for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.

“We’re here and we’re enjoying ourselves,” Busch said. “It’s really neat, the camaraderie with the guys, hanging out in the pit area and just being one of the group. It’s just fun hanging out and having an off week and spending time with my guys and just enjoying the weekend.”

But Busch is still waiting to get behind the wheel.

After he got the “bug” to race, his wife sent him to the famed Roy Hill drag racing school.

“When I followed him and learned more about the drag-racing world, I learned that there was quite a bit that I didn’t understand,” Busch said. “Roy has taken me under his wing, and when you do something wrong, he’s the first one to tell you straight to your face. It reminds me a little of how my dad taught me how to drive in the oval ranks.”

But don’t expect this to be a full-time venture anytime soon.

“I still hope I’ve got 10 or 15 years left on the Cup circuit,” he said. “But the fun meter’s been pegged and I’m having a great time doing it. Who knows? The opportunity could be out there to do something in NHRA racing later on.”