Kurt Busch rejuvenated by move to Phoenix Racing

Sacked by Penske at the end of 2011 following a series of controversies, the '04 Cup champion has joined James Finch's small Phoenix Racing team for this year's campaign. Phoenix only has one victory to its name so far.

But rather than being downcast at the prospect of spending 2012 in the midfield, Busch says the experience of working with a smaller outfit after over a decade with top teams Penske and Roush has given him a chance to enjoy racing again.

"I've always been guilty of doing things the hard way, and working hard instead of smart I guess is my mentality," said Busch.

"And these guys, the way that we're understaffed, but yet they have such a big heart, they're just like me. So getting back to old-school racing, having fun with it, the pressure is not there.

"Right now it's just going to the track, having fun, and at the end of the day, like the first day when I was at the shop, Finch was there, we all looked at each other like we were done talking, it was quarter to four.

"I said, 'where's your beer cooler around here?' We went and cracked open a couple [of] beers and started chitchatting the rest of the day about fun stories. That's what this is going to be about for me in 2012."

Busch added that he is keen for his past controversies not to become his legacy, and will use 2012 to get his approach and career back on track.

"If I'm going to sit there and tell stories to my grandchildren, this is not what I wanted to tell them," he admitted.

"So in looking at the big picture, I've got to understand what it takes to be a competitive driver and to harness that fire in my belly the right way and to put it together in a 2004-style effort.

"When things are going smooth, this is a tough freight train to stop. When things are going rough, that's what I have to polish up on and knock the rough edges off.

"So working with a group like Finch, having fun while doing it, there's more to it than just settling down into 2012 and just going to the racetrack. There's going to be a lot going on behind the scenes and things just don't change overnight, though."