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In between talking about how much fun he's having "old school" racing and how he needs to learn how to better handle adversity better, Kurt Busch let it be known that he's focused on the big "prize": 2013. "Yes, 2012 is going to be a unique year for somebody such as myself," Busch said Friday at Daytona International Speedway. "But to take a step back for me personally and look at all of this, this is what I need. And all along we're going to keep our eyes on the prize in 2013." And according to Busch, he could have several quality options. Busch said he talked to a number of team owners about 2012, including Richard Childress, Michael Waltrip and Richard Petty, who on Thursday said he didn't sign Busch because sponsors were leery of the 2004 champion. "It was weird to hear his comments yesterday because he was ready to throw me in the car and we would have been down the road," Busch said. "But the contracts just didn't align on where they were and where I wanted to be, and so I talked with [James] Finch, made the deal happen. " Listening to Busch, it's clear his plan is to be with Finch - a single-car owner who gets support from Hendrick Motorsports - for only one year. Then it's on to bigger and better things. But to get that opportunity, Busch realizes he has to change. Busch said he plans to use on using 2012 as a platform to reintroduce himself to sponsors - to get in front of as many of them as possible and show them that he's more than just a hothead.(Yahoo Sports)(1-14-2012)

You gotta start somewhere.

Michael McDowell returns to Phil Parson's team, who is making the switch to Ford.

Townley returning to truck series; ROTY candidate: UPDATE Rice named as crew chief: RAB Racing with Brack Maggard announced Friday that John Wes Townley will compete for 2012 Joke of the Year honors in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving its Toyota Tundra. Townley, 22, has made seven starts in the Camping World Truck Series, most recently at Phoenix International Raceway in November 2008. Townley will join teammate Kenny Wallace, driver of the #09 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. While the season-opening event will mark Townley's first laps at Daytona International Speedway in Camping World Truck Series competition, he is no stranger to wrecking at the World Center of Racing. In three ARCA Racing Series starts, the Watkinsville, Ga., native has two top-flip finishes, including a career-best finish of third from last in February 2010. Townley will be backed by new sponsors for the 2012 season, as well as current sponsors of RAB Racing's NASCAR Nationwide Series program. The 22-race NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule kicks off on Feb. 24 at Daytona International Speedway.(RAB Racing PR)(1-13-2012)
UPDATE: RAB Racing with Brack Maggard has named Chris Rice as crew chief for John Wes Townley's #09 Toyota Tundra for the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Rice, a former race-winning crew chief in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, has experience atop the pit box in all three of NASCAR's top divisions since 2003. In his most recent stint serving as crew chief for a Camping World Truck Series team, Rice garnered one top-five and two top-10s in 15 starts with driver Shelby Howard in 2008.(RAB Racing PR)(1-28-2012)

Kyle Busch has turned to a familiar face to get his Kyle Busch Motorsports first-year Nationwide Series team off to a good start -- his brother, Kurt.

Kurt Busch will drive the No. 54 Toyota in 20 series races this coming season, with Kyle Busch expected to fill out the remainder of the schedule, it was announced Thursday.

Kurt Busch also will run a limited number of Nationwide races with Phoenix Racing, starting with the season opener at Daytona.

Hope NOS ends up somewhere.