NASCAR Busch Series
Photos and story © 2005 Dwight Drum

Time: Early 2006
Place: Daytona International Speedway
Event: Preseason Thunder

Rookies arrive. Rookies achieve. Rookies fade away.

Not every aspiring driver can make it to the top. Both Todd Kluever and Danny O'Quinn Jr. are products of Roush Racing's "Gong Show", driver judgment procedures - Kluever in 2004 and O'Quinn Jr. in 2004 and 2005.

The Discovery Channel chose to feature the selection process of 1700 applicants Roush Racing calls the "Gong Show " in multi-part episodes for its "Driver X" story. Discovery has brought spirited reality to worldwide levels with its special focus (it seems) on anything that has unusual energy. Driver X on the Discovery Channel reveals the elimination process Roush Racing uses to filter candidates and choose drivers to graduate into the professional ranks of NASCAR.

Those who rise to the top have what is called in motorsports as "the whole package." It's a healthy mix of driving skills, and a show of marketing and PR abilities. It's a test of character and a display of personable traits. Many tests are necessary to delve into the high physical and mental prowess that it takes to represent a sponsor in NASCAR.

Moving up the ranks of NASCAR is more like a high-speed gauntlet where the walls do the pounding and the crowd judges the journey.

The engineer in Jack Roush seems to have constructed a comprehensive program that might eliminate the fade away factor for rookies.

NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray who joins Roush Racing this year in the No. 26 car had advice recently for young drivers advancing to the top.

"It's different now. I'm not very old, but it's different now than it was when I came along. I grew up in an average family with parents that didn't have the money, the income to buy me a ride. I was very fortunate that I kept finding the right deals. It seems now all the guys have independently wealthy families or they get picked up at age 12 by a wealthy individual to bring them along. I think what Roush has done with this "Gong Show" has been one of coolest things. We have guys who don't get other opportunities that finally get a chance. When I was coming up, I would have given anything to be able to be a part of the Gong Show."

Roush Racing tends to throw the finalists who are already experienced drivers into the fire of NASCAR competition. Here are a few good words from two among the 2006 rookie class in the NASCAR Busch Series.

"I've barrel-rolled down the back straightaway six times, had a car on fire, and I wrecked in practice. I've wrecked in the truck race, so the only thing I have left to do is finish one."

"It's just unbelievable. I don't know if there is a word that can describe how you feel when you get that opportunity."

Zoomster.com brings you more words via one-on-one interviews with Kluever and O'Quinn Jr. Neither rookie seems likely to fade away.

Dwight asked Todd Kluever:

"I actually have been coming to Daytona since I was 15 or 16b years old. I used to race dirt-oval motorcycles, so I used to come down for Bike Week every year. We did that up until I was probably 21 years old, coming down here every spring racing motorcycles. I would actually come here to watch the Superbikes or the Supercross races during Bike Week more so than any of the car stuff that was happening. I think my first lap here was in the truck last year, and then we came back and ran the ARCA race. I've only raced here a couple times, but I think I've seen about everything that this place can throw at me. I've barrel-rolled down the back straightaway six times, had a car on fire, and I wrecked in practice. I've wrecked in the race, in the truck race, so the only thing I have left to do is finish one."

"Chemistry is a big thing. I feel just as comfortable with the new guys that I have as what I did with those guys at the second half of the season. I believe we've got a really good team. We've got a really good sponsor in 3M. Obviously we are going to have really good equipment. The stuff that Carl drove last year in the Busch Series was phenomenal and I think they are going to be able to improve on it a little bit.

"As far as coming into the season as a rookie, it's going to be tough. The competition level in the Busch Series is really good. There's a lot of NEXTEL Cup guys that come down and run. I'm excited about that. That gives me a chance to run against those guys and if we run well it proves that maybe next year when I takeover the No. 6 car. Jack is crazy for putting me in there, but I'm a lot more comfortable coming into this season as a rookie than I was last year.

Dwight asked Danny O'Quinn:

"The first lap around Daytona is pretty crazy. Everywhere that I've ever been, I'm used to having to let off the gas and use the brake. I haven't been on that many speedways, so going around here for the first lap I was kind of hesitant. I'm like, 'for the first lap, guys, am I going to need to lift out here or what?' I saw that they were getting up there pretty close to the wall, and they're like, 'You're not going to have anything to worry about, just hold it to the floor and stick your foot up under the clutch and don't worry about the brakes.' It's pretty crazy going around there wide open. The cars handled really good out there by themselves. I haven't got to draft yet and I'm pretty sure that's going to be a whole new task, but I'm looking forward to it."

"Ever since I was a small child I wanted to race cars and this is ultimately my goal is to make it to NEXTEL Cup. It's something you know you want to do, but you never know if you are going to get an opportunity to do it. It's unbelievable that it happened. I'm just thankful that it did. It's just unbelievable. I don't know if there is a word that can describe how you feel when you get that opportunity."