At this point in the season, racing involves a balancing act for many NASCAR teams.
They split their time between focusing on this year and preparing for next year.
That arrangement has caused a bit of a problem in the Penske shop as Pat Tryson, Kurt Busch’s crew chief, finishes his final season with the team. Tryson will move to Michael Waltrip Racing next season to be Martin Truex Jr.’s crew chief.
Penske Racing has limited Tryson’s access to the shop to one day a week, hoping to keep him from the team’s preparations for 2010.
“The concern on the management side is the development for 2010,” Busch said. “I can understand that, but at the same time, the present is now and we need to continue working as a group together. … A tough situation. We’re making the best of it.”
It is an extremely tough situation for a past champion working for another. Busch is fifth in the Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship standings heading into Sunday’s race at Dover International Speedway. Worrying about next season isn’t the way to win this season.
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Three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson said he hasn’t spent any time working on 2010. To the No. 48 team, this year’s championship is what matters. That has been the team’s philosophy throughout his Sprint Cup career, and Johnson has never finished outside the top 5.
Once a championship is out of the picture, every season is a preparation for the next. That begins earlier for some than others. Dale Earnhardt Jr. started looking ahead in July.
Penske’s decision to limit Tryson’s access was a good one — the shop doesn’t need to share its secrets with Tryson’s future employers.
But it’s still a situation that will damage Busch’s chance to win it all. Winning championships requires singular focus on that goal.