Kyle Busch returns for racing fireworks

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It’s common for a local racer to weather 110-degree heat in Southern Nevada to work on his Super Late Models stock car.

In the middle of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Bullring late Monday afternoon, only a worn piece of carpet separated a driver from asphalt that must have been at least 140 degrees.

It’s what you do to get ready on the eve of a big local race when nearly 5,000 fans will watch you power around the track.

Monday’s scene was odd only because the driver and part-time mechanic was Kyle Busch, a NASCAR Nextel Cup star who finished 11th in Sunday’s race in New Hampshire and who will be racing in stock car’s premier series again Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway.

Busch, 22, committed earlier this year to compete in tonight’s “Night of Fire” stock-car race and thrill show at the Bullring, well before he knew he would be in the midst of interviewing prospective Cup teams that are lining up to sign him.

Becoming the hottest free-agent property in NASCAR was not going to keep Busch from returning to his hometown track to race on the eve of Independence Day.

Not even his own independence.

“It’s fun for me. It’s my favorite type of (race) car and racetrack,” he said.

Busch arrived at the Bullring on Monday afternoon and tested his new No. 51 Chevrolet into the early evening. He’s not at the track to run midpack or to make an appearance and sign a few autographs.

Busch is intent on winning tonight’s 75-lap feature during a holiday show that will include daredevil quad riders, Monster Trucks and the Ford Focus Midget Series.

“It’s the same old Bullring,” Busch said. “It’s a fun place to race and pretty much where my racing and life began.”

Busch expects to race “with a target” on his back, as is the scenario anytime a star driver returns to his hometown track. He wore a target as a Bullring regular when the Las Vegas native was a dominant driver on the three-eighths-mile track before turning pro at age 16.

After winning four Cup races for Hendrick Motorsports, Busch and team owner Rick Hendrick agreed last month to sever their relationship after this season. Busch gets out of his contract a year early, allowing Hendrick to sign Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Busch has hired Motorsports Management Inc. as his agent. His Cup spotter the past few years, Jeff Dickerson, works for MMI, which also represents drivers Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin.

Several Cup teams have voiced an interest in signing Busch, but the racer wouldn’t name specific teams Monday.

“The biggest thing is to find somewhere where you’ll be fast,” he said. “And the second thing is you want to find the right people and personnel who are going to be around you.

“We’re still in the stages of talking. We haven’t gotten to dollar figures or what else a contract might entail.”

It’s certain when the topic of money comes around that Busch, a Durango High School graduate, will sign for considerably more than he has made as a young driver cutting his teeth with Hendrick.

“It’s an exciting feeling, but it’s also the least expected,” he said of becoming a free agent. “It’s been a learning experience. To have the opportunities that are out there has been cool.”

Busch could face added off-track drama tonight. His No. 5 Hendrick Chevrolet and another car failed post-race inspection Sunday. NASCAR officials determined one corner of the car was too low and the vehicles were confiscated for further evaluation.

NASCAR could announce today if any intentional rules violations were detected, which could result in a fine to the team and loss of points to the driver.

“We’re not sure what happened,” Busch said. “It would be frustrating because you’ve worked so hard to gather the points, and when some get taken away, it’s tough.”

Busch ranks ninth in the Cup standings.

In the future, he might need to drag out that piece of old carpet and start checking his Cup cars as he did his Super Late Model at the Bullring on Monday.