Former Phoenix winner Kurt Busch hopes to keep his smiles this weekend despite being without crew chief Roy McCauley. Credit: Autostock

McCauley not going to Phoenix with No. 2 team

Crew chief recovering from minor surgery to treat a small blockage

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Roy McCauley, crew chief for driver Kurt Busch and the Penske Racing stable, will not make the trip West for this weekend's Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, per doctor's orders.

McCauley, who is in his first season as a Nextel Cup crew chief, experienced some mild chest pains and went to the hospital Monday for diagnostic tests. He successfully underwent minor surgery Tuesday to treat a small blockage.

"The procedure was 100 percent effective in alleviating the problem, but my doctor advised me to take it easy and spend this weekend relaxing at home," said McCauley, who will return to work -- and the next race at Talladega Superspeedway -- next week.

"Knowing that I can't be in Phoenix, it's going to probably be the most difficult couple of days of my life and I'm sure we'll burn out about a dozen cell phones before the weekend is over. We've been able to create a really tight-knit team with Kurt and all the guys on the No. 2 team, and I have full confidence that they'll do a job worthy of their caliber this weekend.

"Those guys are like family to me, and I wish I could be there to support them further."

McCauley, 36, a University of Maryland engineering graduate, has made the successful transition from head engineer at Penske Racing South to the crew chief position. He served in that spot for Ryan Newman's Busch Series effort last season and helped lead the team to six victories -- five of them consecutive -- and four poles in nine starts.

McCauley made the jump over to the Nextel Cup Series this year, leading the Dodge team of new Penske Racing driver Busch. The combination clicked from the very beginning, with the team claiming a victory in only its fifth race together, at Bristol, Tenn., on March 26.

With McCauley on the mend this weekend, Matt Gimbel, crew chief for Busch's Busch team, is expected to fill in on the Cup side for Saturday's race. He will work closely with team engineer Derek Stamets and car chief Corey Tucker.