Kurt Busch won three times in 2005. Credit: Autostock

In Review: Kurt Busch

Otherwise strong season defined by season-ending suspension

Sometimes a man must face adversity to be reminded of his blessed good fortune, a lesson Kurt Busch learned the hard way in 2005.

Busch, the defending Nextel Cup Series champion, entered the year with every intention of repeating the formula that earned him the 2004 title: use cautious aggression, stay out of trouble, be around at the end.

Credit: Autostock

Inside the Numbers Kurt Busch in 2005 Race Start Finish Daytona 500 13 2 Auto Club 500 20 3 UAW-DaimChrys 400 5 3 Golden Corral 500 24 32 Food City 500 26 35 Advance 500 9 19 Sam/RadShack 500 19 7 Subway Fresh 500 2 1 Aaron's 499 10 7 Dodge Charger 500 11 37 Chevy 400 4 17 Coca-Cola 600 35 43 RacePoints 400 10 9 Pocono 500 2 22 Batman 400 13 12 Dod/S. Mart 350 6 3 Pepsi 400 28 37 USG 400 19 8 New England 300 5 2 Penn. 500 2 1 Allstate 400 37 18 Sirius at the Glen 5 39 GFS 400 17 7 Sharpie 500 13 10 Sony HD 500 3 12 Chevy 400 5 1 Sylvania 300 12 35 RacePoints 400 10 23 UAW-Ford 500 21 8 Banquet 400 10 14 UAW-GM 500 7 2 Subway 500 14 6 Bass MBNA 500 30 36 Dickies 500 18 10 Average 13.6 15.3 NOTE: Busch did not start the final two races of the season due to his suspension from Roush Racing. NASCAR TodayKurt Busch goes home and Kyle Busch goes to Victory Lane Chase Update 24/7Kurt Busch's suspension added to the drama at PIR Down and outBusch, Roush and Penske on the former champ's suspension Short-track successBusch takes the checkers at Richmond in September Three-sided winnerBusch finishes first at the tricky Pocono triangle Desert roseBusch beats the field in the first night race at Phoenix Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

He accomplished none of the above.

Busch's mid-November run-in with Maricopa County, Ariz. sheriff's deputies resulted in a misdemeanor citation for reckless driving and his subsequent dismissal from Roush Racing two events before season's end, dropping him to 10th in the final championship standings.

Disappointing doesn't even begin to describe his feelings.

"I spent five years with Roush Racing. I loved it there. I loved the guys," Busch told the Associated Press in the week following the incident in Arizona.

"I wanted desperately to finish off the season in style, not only for myself as a champion, but for the team as well."

Busch, of course, regretted his actions.

"I admit I became a bit argumentative with the officer when he continuously insisted that I submit to a field sobriety test and a breath test, which I ultimately did," Busch said in the same Associated Press interview.

"I later learned my (preliminary breathalyzer) test was .017. That's consistent with an individual my size having one drink. That's brought us to this point.

"I regret that my actions, including saying some disrespectful things to the officer, made the situation worse. I have apologized for this and I want to reiterate this apology to the officer and to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department."

Sadly, the run-in with the law and the falling out at Roush will define an otherwise stellar season for the 27-year old former champion. Busch won three races, scored nine top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.

His final victory of the season, at Richmond International Raceway in the final Race to the Chase, seemed to signal the No. 97 team was peaking at just the right time.

But as fate would have it, Busch's shot at repeating as Nextel Cup champion was dashed after just two laps in the Chase.

Busch started the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway in 12th position, and was racing side-by-side with Scott Riggs when Riggs lost control of his car and slid up into Busch, sending the No. 97 Ford hard into the outside wall.

The car destroyed, Busch drove the mangled machine back to the garage, quickly unbuckled, hopped out and stormed off to pit road to engage in a face-to-face verbal confrontation with Riggs' crew chief, Rodney Childers.

He eventually finished 35th, and headed to Dover International Speedway 142 points behind eventual champ Tony Stewart.

That would be as close as he'd get.

Prior to his dismissal from Roush Racing, Busch shocked the NASCAR world with another defining moment -- the announcement that he'd signed with Penske Racing South and would take over Rusty Wallace's fabled No. 2 Dodge in the 2007 season, and was seeking release from Roush.

He was eventually granted that release, of course, after Roush Racing, Penske Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing reached a three-way agreement that shipped Busch to Penske, Jamie McMurray to Roush, and placed Casey Mears in the No. 42 Havoline Dodge.

Busch regrets how his tenure at Roush Racing ended, and recalls fondly his time there.

"I'm very proud of the accomplishments at Roush," Busch told the AP. "The team was great for me and they gave me a wonderful opportunity. But I brought something to the table, too.

"That was a 100 percent commitment to excellence, both on and off the track."