Kurt Busch has 13 career Cup victories in 171 starts, with 41 top-five finishes and 72 top-10s. Credit: Autostock

Busch leaving Roush, joining Penske stable

CONCORD, N.C. -- Defending Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch has signed to drive for Roger Penske, starting in 2007.

Roush Racing announced Tuesday that Busch advised team officials that he has signed with another team commencing in 2007. Busch also requested a release from his contract for 2006. However, due to sponsor and team considerations, Roush Racing said no decision on that request will be made for an indefinite period.

Inside the Numbers Kurt Busch's career Cup stats Year Races W T-5 T-10 2000 7 0 0 0 2001 35 0 3 6 2002 36 4 12 20 2003 24 4 9 14 2004 36 3 10 21 2005 21 2 7 11 Totals 171 13 41 72 The 2004 ChampKurt Busch says he is living a dream racing Nextel Cup TrackPass VideoCatch all the highlights from Kurt Busch's Cup career Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

Penske Racing South released a statement later Tuesday to say it has signed Busch to a multi-year contract.

"I met with Jack Roush personally Tuesday morning to let him know that I am committed to Rousch Racing and the No. 97 team as we attempt to defend our Nextel Cup Championship this season and through the remainder of my contract," Busch said in a statement released Wednesday morning, "but that I have signed a multi-year agreement to drive the Penske Racing South No. 2 car beginning in 2007.

"We did briefly address, solely as a matter of timing, the possibility of a release from my 2006 contract with Roush Racing, but that is Jack's decision. There are a lot of factors involved in a release and no immediate decision was made. All of this, however, is in the future.

"For as long as I am in the No. 97 car," Busch said, "my total focus and commitment will be to Roush Racing, its sponsors and on our collective goal to win another Nextel Cup championship. I look forward to success this weekend at Watkins Glen and hopefully solidifying our position in the 2005 Chase for the Cup."

Rusty Wallace, driver of the No. 2 Dodge, is retiring after the 2005 season and speculation had been rampant in recent months over who would replace him. Penske's other drivers are Ryan Newman and rookie Travis Kvapil.

The 1989 Cup champion, Wallace is fourth in the point standings, 218 behind leader Tony Stewart.

Busch is fifth in points, 277 behind Stewart. Busch, who turned 27 last week, was the third-youngest champion in NASCAR history when he won the title last season.

Busch has 13 career Cup victories in 171 starts, with 41 top-five finishes and 72 top-10s.

After running a full Truck Series schedule in 2000 and finishing second in points, Busch made the full-time jump to Cup in 2001. He won his first race March 24, 2002, at Bristol.

Roush Racing, which recently announced it had signed Jamie McMurray for 2007, also has Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards in its Cup stable.

However, Kenseth was upset after the McMurray announcement -- not so much that McMurray was joining the team, but rather in the way news leaked of the signing.

"I just felt like being [at Roush] for eight years that they'd at least have talked to me. And [Greg] Biffle, too. He's been there seven years," Kenseth said. "So I figured they'd at least have talked to some of the guys who've been there about who you want for a teammate.

"I think it happened fairly fast, and on the 42 side they leaked it to the press. So I'm sure they were probably going to talk to us before they made an announcement, but to this day nobody's still talked to me about it. So it is a little frustrating."

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Jimmy Fennig, crew chief for the No. 97 Ford, said earlier this year that he is looking to retire after 2006. The longtime Roush employee has enjoyed a brilliant career, including a Daytona 500 win in 1988 and the title with Busch in 2004.

"Probably a couple more years and that will be it for me," Fennig said in February.

Fennig, 51, cited the exhausting 36-race schedule -- plus testing and non-official events -- as the reason for wanting to slow down.

"I would like to be home once in awhile," Fennig said. "Being away from home all these years, you got to sit back and say, 'Time to cut back.' "

Busch has a history of feuds with rival drivers -- Jimmy Spencer punched him in the nose in 2003 -- and run-ins with NASCAR officials.

Earlier this year, after a tantrum at Darlington that included expletives directed at NASCAR officials over his in-car radio, Busch was placed on unofficial probation and given notice that the sanctioning body would not tolerate more bad behavior.