BUSCHWHACKED; What is NASCAR doing about its Busch Series problem?(Motorsports)

Byline: AL PEARCE

The "Buschwhackers'' were at it again in Phoenix (see Scoreboard, page 39), and where have we heard that before? Everywhere, it seems. The top eight and 12 of the top-13 finishers in the Bashas' Busch Series 200 are full-time Nextel Cup drivers. They have won all nine Busch races this spring, taken 41 of 45 top-five spots, and rank 1-2-3-4-5-8-10 in points.

It might seem unfair, but it's not illegal. And despite furrowed brows and feigned concern, neither NASCAR, its television partners, track operators nor sponsors are too upset. After all, they have got Kevin Harvick, Mark Martin, the Busch brothers, Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman on speed-dial. Why sweat Johnny Sauter, Jon Wood, Ashton Lewis Jr., Kertus Davis, Jerry Robertson, Joel Kauffman and the Green brothers?

More than ever, Cup's dominance of the Busch Series has become an issue. Perhaps unwittingly, Jack Roush, Roger Penske, Joe Gibbs, Richard Childress, Ray Evernham, Chip Ganassi, Robert Yates and Rick Hendrick are strangling it. Their well-heeled Busch teams-often called Cup Lite-take grid spots from real Busch teams, then thrash the leftovers and cash the biggest checks.

"Whackers'' were top 11 at Fontana and top 10 at Vegas, and have been top five the last six races. A Cup driver almost certainly will win the Busch title and Cup drivers likely will win all 35 Busch races.

"People say it's like Michael Jordan going down to play minor-league basketball,'' says 1994 Busch champion David Green. (Green's win last summer at Pikes Peak was the last for an "unaffiliated'' Busch driver.) "But it's more like Michael Jordan going down, then having Phil Jackson, Scotty Pippen and Dennis Rodman show up, too. It's not so much the Cup drivers beating us as it's the Cup teams. Nobody in this garage is scared to race those guys even-up. The problem is nobody over here has the money, personnel, equipment or technology to compete with them.''

Given how many seats they must fill, it's no wonder track operators want Cup drivers in their support races. "It's a mixed blessing,'' says Humpy Wheeler, longtime head of Lowe's Motor Speedway. "On one hand, you need Cup drivers to draw fans. Without them, you would only have about half a crowd. On the other hand, they get a lot of money the Busch guys would get. But having Cup guys also gives Busch guys a lesson in driving. We've thought about how to handle this, but NASCAR is an open market for those who qualify. Legally, nothing can be done.''