Kyle Busch spent some moments in the sun in 2005. Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Consistency crucial for No. 5 team in new year

Not surprisingly, Kyle Busch isn't concerned about going through a "sophomore jinx." After all, the reigning Nextel Cup Series rookie of the year says he went through it a year early.

"I'm not into the 'sophomore jinx' because we had a 'freshman jinx' as far as I could tell," Busch said.

	Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Kyle Busch in 2005 Wins 2 Top-5s 9 Top-10s 13 DNFs 8 Poles 1 Laps Led 363 Avg. Start 19.8 Avg. Finish 23.0 Earnings $4,140,114

It's tough to imagine that a team that won twice in its rookie season went through a "freshman jinx." However, the numbers do bear that out, to some degree. Along with those two wins, the No. 5 bunch had 13 finishes of 30th or worse in 2005.

For them, 2006 is all about avoiding that type of roller-coaster existence.

Busch says they can -- and will do it.

"I think we have learned a lot as a team and will mature as the year goes on. As long as we can build some consistency, I think we'll be players week in and week out."

Crew chief Alan Gustafson said in order to build that consistency, the team will go into 2006 with a different mindset -- a more mature mindset.

"In order to make that playoff in September, or even to make the top-10, you have to finish races," Gustafson said. "Last year we focused on being fast and racing hard to win races; this year we are going to take a more conventional approach and improve our package as a whole."

One thing that will be different right off the bat is the new Monte Carlos that Busch will be driving.

"We have a new nose and tail, which will add more front and rear downforce," Busch said. "Overall, I think we will have good cars off the bat."

Gustafson isn't completely convinced.

"I think the primary changes on the 2006 Chevrolets will make them better," he said. "I'm sure the rule changes will hurt a little at first, but it's still a better car overall. It's good on speedways and it does have good downforce. I don't foresee any big problems."

Busch himself said he plans on changing his driving style -- slightly.

"I learned the hard way that it's a lot better to struggle along in a 20th-place car than to try to finish top-10, wreck the thing and finish 40th," Busch said. "Sometimes you have to wait on the car, see how the race is flowing and be patient."

	ACCELERATION 2006 There's more to the new season than just driver changes. Read more about what to watch for as we rev toward Daytona.  •   Testing archive,  click here •   Complete coverage, click here

Busch will certainly have plenty of practice. He plans to run both the Cup and Busch series full time in 2006. The momentous nature of that task isn't lost on him, either.

"There is no doubt it's going to be tough," Busch said. "I'll have to go out there and make sure my schedule is solid and have good people around me to make sure I get to where I need to be, when I need to be there.

"Even remembering to eat sometimes is a challenge for me," he said.

Still, in the end, Busch said he expects the experience to help his career.

"I think running on Saturdays will help me get a feel for how the race will pan out on Sundays," Busch said. "It's not so much the setups, but more or less what the track will do and what taking two tires versus four will do.

"Even though I'm going to have a lot less down time, I love to race so it's something that I really want to do."