JUNE 29, 2003

Kurt Busch visits Nurburgring

NASCAR Winston Cup star Kurt Busch was a fascinated visitor at the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. The 24-year-old from Las Vegas was on his first trip to Europe, taking advantage of a rare weekend off from NASCAR activities. Busch was impressed by the technology of the Formula 1 cars.

"It is just surreal," he said.

Busch says that he began watching Formula 1 racing in 1993 when Nigel Mansell went to CART and has kept an eye on the F1 scene ever since.

"I always try to catch it on TV ," he said.

Busch tested a Team Rahal CART car last winter at Sebring thanks to his Ford connections and he hopes that Jaguar Racing might give him the opportunity to have a run in an F1 car at some point.

"I'd love to do a test if it was possible," Busch said. "But I am an oval racer and I am committed to NASCAR until at least 2006."

Busch drivers the Rubbermaid Ford Taurus for Roush Racing in the Winston Cup and finished third in last year's Winston Cup standings, earning $3.6m in prize money and winning three of the last five races. Busch graduated to the Winston Cup from the Craftsman Truck Series, having been signed by Jack Roush as a result of a talent search.