Kurt Busch just trying to put himself in position to win in plate races

Kurt Busch is 12/1 to win at Daytona Saturday night.

KURT BUSCH, Driver of the No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing: 

What makes success in restrictor-plate racing so elusive? 

“I think being in the right place at the right time is one of the toughest things to do, but you have to have that to be successful. When you have a car built by (crew chief) Billy Scott and Stewart-Haas Racing, you feel like you have the best bullet possible when you show up for your first practice session. So, I’m thankful to have Billy Scott and everyone from SHR on my side when it comes to superspeedway racing.” 

While teamwork is a part of restrictor-plate racing, eventually you need to look out for yourself. At what point in the race do you do that? 

“You’re looking out for yourself on lap one, but the percentage of it changes throughout the race. You want to work together as much as you can with teammates and other guys and gals that you’ve worked with in the past. But once it gets down to the final set of tires and the final fuel run, you’re really working independently. If it comes down to a late-race restart at Daytona, what goes through my mind is it isn’t going to be the last restart. So you have to be ready to roll with whatever comes your way – what drafting lane you’re in, where your teammates are and what game plan you have put together with them. There are so many different things going on that it’s kind of like a roulette wheel – when you spin and you’ve got your money laid down, you hope you have your money in enough areas to come out on top.” 

You need drafting partners in order to be successful in a restrictor-plate race. How do you pick your dance partners? 

“You just quickly digest if they’re around you, in front of you, behind you. Every restart things change, every lap things change, but you’re always keeping them in mind to try and work with them.” 

How much of what you experienced in the Daytona 500 is applicable to the Coke Zero 400? 

“A lot of it. We finished second at Talladega. That’s all you’re trying to do – putting yourself in position to win, and that’s what we want to do again in July at Daytona.”