Kurt Busch and Brittany Force test each other at the Charlotte dragstrip

Busch, an avid motorsport enthusiast who has dabbled in a Super Gas entry at the Gatornationals in 2010 (Pro Stock class), gave Top Fuel driver Brittany Force a run for the money — or at least bragging rights — as the two tested their reaction time in Camaros at the four-lane dragstrip before moving over to the 1.5-mile oval across the road. 

“It’s a pride factor when you come race when you race here at Charlotte,” said Busch, who considers North Carolina his second home. “When you get a win, you know you’ve done something special because it was in your backyard where all of motorsports seems to be getting focussed on.”

The Monster-endorsed pair participated in the contests to promote the NHRA Carolina Nationals on Sept. 16-18 and the Oct. 8 Bank of America 500 during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. 

I felt the butterflies for sure going up against Brittany Force 

Kurt Busch

Brittany Force enjoying breakout season

Force, 30, the daughter of 16-time Funny Car champion John Force, is enjoying her breakout season in the Top Fuel ranks. Her first victory came at Gainesville, Fl. in March. She beat Antron Brown at Charlotte to become the first female to win the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

She’s hoping to repeat the feat next weekend.

“I’m excited to be back here,” Force said. “This is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit — zMAX Dragway. It’s such a beautiful facility and definitely our confidence is up knowing that I won here in April. It was four-wide — a whole different game.

“That was a big win for us, especially me as a driver because four-wide is tough. It’s such a challenge. You pull up to the Christmas Tree and you have to wait for three other cars to pull in…but we dominated that day, brought home the win — our second of the season — and that was big for us.”

Though most of the sizzle came from the burnouts in the street Camaros at the starting line, Force was finally able to top Busch on the final round. Busch dominated the runs prior but admits had the racers been lined up in nitro cars he "would not have even made it off of the line."

“I felt the butterflies for sure going up against Brittany Force — another Monster athlete — a professional in the NHRA world,” Busch said. “A lot of fun to drive these Camaros up and down the strip today. It was fun. I thought she was going to pull possum on me. I was waiting. I knew she knew this game better than I did.” 

Looking ahead to the Chase

Busch, 38, is clearly focussed on this weekend’s activities at Richmond International Raceway — the final event of the regular Sprint Cup season before the Chase. Busch won on the 0.75-mile track last spring during the day, but admits conditions will be different at night. Goodyear is also bringing a new tire this weekend that should add another element to the event. 

Most importantly, Busch says the team will use Saturday’s race as a dress rehearsal to prepare for the playoffs. 

“It’s a great opportunity to use this as a tune up, to pretend this is a Chase race,” Busch said. “There’s no consequences. Of course we want to go out there and win for our sponsors. But most importantly the Chase is on the horizon.

“On the 41 car, it’s full steam ahead. With the way the crew chief/engineer communication has been going, pit strategy and the calls that we’re making — and the pit crew has been great for us. We’re consistent. We have great stops some times and every now and then we have a stub your toe kind of stop, but no big worries. 

"Our team is doing really well and on the Haas Automation team, we’re just going back to basics now. We’’ll give our best effort at Richmond and sees how it works out. Then we’ll have everything dialed in for Chicago.”

Business as usual

The 2004 Cup champion — the first driver to win after the Chase was introduced — is currently sixth in the standings following two wrecks in the last three races. Before his accident at Bristol, the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing team had finished on the lead lap in the first 22 races of 2016. 

Busch knows he’ll have to regain some of that consistency if he hopes to be one of the final four Chase contestants come November. He believes preparation has been the key to the team's strength. 

“It’s business as usual in the first Chase round,” Busch said. “As we move through Kansas,  Charlotte, you have to see how things play out. You hope you have good runs there, that way you’re not reliant on Talladega to get a solid finish. If you have to go to Talladega and get a top 10, that’s the worse possible scenario. But Kyle (Busch) was able to do it last year and he went on to win the championship.”