Kurt Busch: Will the Fun End at Phoenix Racing If Sponsors Don't Step Up?

Kurt Busch will drive the wheels off of a car if he has to and is among the best drivers to pilot a car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. Now, his owner and team are struggling to give him equipment he deserves.

Busch has driven some of the best equipment in the series with Jack Roush and Roger Penske as his team owners.

The pressure to win and perhaps lack of appreciation caused the driver of the No. 22 at Penske to finally implode, resulting in the two mutually agreeing to separate.

Busch knocked on many doors before being welcomed in by James Finch at Phoenix Racing. With a handshake agreement, Finch promised not to fire the driver and Busch agreed not to quit.

Finch has been fielding Cup cars in NASCAR since 1990 under the banner of his own company, Phoenix Construction. He is known as a perennially underfunded team, but Finch loves the sport.

It was a jackpot win for Phoenix Racing to secure a driver of Busch's caliber, but now they must elevate the team to meet his demands for performance.

Busch wanted to drive for the old-school team because it was less pressure and more fun. He not only drives the car, but works on it too.

The outspoken driver took a serious pay cut from his elite Penske Racing ride to his current job as wheelman for the No. 51 Chevrolet.

Busch needed to regroup mentally and work through some issues that sparked the verbal eruptions with his former team.

Does Busch still get hot on the radio with his team? Of course he does, but not in the same way he did when he was with Penske.

He still doesn't tolerate mistakes by his team or remain silent when his car is running near the back of the field.

The driver knows part of his job is to help his team, led by crew chief, Nick Harrison, get the most out the limited number of cars in the Phoenix Racing stables.

Busch knows he has to try and keep his car clean because wrecked equipment costs the team dearly due to lack of backup equipment.

Phoenix Racing uses chassis and engines from Hendrick Motorsports, but as with most things, you get what you pay for. They may not always have the option of the latest and greatest equipment out of HMS.

Money is tight with this team and Busch spends a lot of time trying to bring in sponsorship dollars.

He did bring in some funding from Tag Heuer, but it may come down to the dollars from a healthy sponsor to enable the team to continue racing the full season. It is their intent to race a full schedule.

Sponsors know Busch has the talent, but they don't know if he is still a loose cannon or if he has truly regained control of his emotions enough not to cause any embarrassing situations.

Busch is the 2004 Cup champion and has 24 career wins in NASCAR's top series. Currently, he is 26th in the point standings.

This season started with a crash at Daytona, but he got a top 10 at Fontana, finished 15th at Phoenix, 18th at Bristol and 13th at Texas. The other two races found him struggling with his car.

It is obvious that Busch gets the absolute most there is out of the cars he is given. The cars have been fast at times, but the team still doesn't have the resources to get him to the front and keep him there.

Many are waiting for Busch to realize he is not having the fun he thought he would have at Phoenix Racing. Finch, on the other hand, is hoping to hang on to his driver and find Victory Lane.

It is an ongoing battle for Busch to remain relevant in the Cup series. The driver is also looking ahead to 2013 and any chance of getting back to a top-tier team.

Right now, it is all about sponsorship dollars. A strong sponsor could make all the difference if they put their faith in Busch's driving ability and a team that is willing to do what it takes to win.