It's Schumacher's turf, but Busch wins duel

TOM SORENSEN, tsorensen@charlotteobserver.com

Wednesday, Sep. 03, 2008

Tony Schumacher once drove 337 mph in his dragster. Kyle Busch says the fastest he's ever driven is 227 mph.

Was that down I-85?

“My Lexus shuts off at 110,” Busch says.

There you have it, my fellow Americans. Busch drives a foreign car. So if you need to manufacture one more reason to dislike the guy, here it is.

Busch is a racing fool. He has been stunningly successful this season in big race cars, slightly smaller race cars and in trucks. He probably is sensational in boats and on bikes, and I wouldn't bet against him in a Soap Box Derby, a marathon or the Iditarod.

If you could measure raw racing talent, tell me who would have more. And he's only 23.

Busch would seemingly require all that talent Tuesday afternoon at the zMAX Dragway @ Concord. The competition is fierce – five-time NHRA Top Fuel drag race champion Tony Schumacher. Schumacher won his record-setting sixth race in a row Monday and his record-setting 11th in a season.

The idea was to publicize the dragway, which will host its first event Sept.11-14, by matching the leaders from two distinct forms of racing. The first to win two races would be the champ.

What do you know about drag racing?

“I know leave on yellow,” Busch says.

That's Schumacher's coaching right there.

At a news conference before the race, Schumacher probably says 25 words for every word Busch says. Busch is courteous. He simply doesn't talk as if he's getting paid by the word. Busch drives long and talks short. Schumacher drives short and talks long.

“This is the longest-talking guy I've ever known for racing four seconds,” Busch says.

When the talking ends, the racing begins.

Busch gets into a red and blue Toyota Camry, Schumacher into a white Camry. The cars are identical right down to their Florida license plates. In other words, neither car has turn signals.

They pull up to the starting line, Busch with a smile. The lights flash and, when they see yellow, they take off. The cars might have hit 100 mph, almost as fast as Busch's Lexus.

Finally the times are posted at the end of the quarter-mile track. Although the dragway is Schumacher's turf, Busch wins. Busch returns to the starting line laughing and honking his horn. He loves this.

Schumacher has a photographer from ESPN in his car, and figures the added weight might have given Busch an edge, so he kicks him out. But in the next heat, Schumacher leaves early, which means Busch wins by default.

Despite leading 2-0, Busch agrees to race one more time for the Tuesday Afternoon Championship. See how nice he is?

This time, Busch gets a flying start and smokes Schumacher. If you could lap a car on a drag strip, Busch would have.

After only three races, “I already don't like him,” says Schumacher.

He is kidding.

How many rivals does Busch need?

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