Busch returns to defend title in 2004 IROC series.

Defending 2003 IROC series champion Kurt Busch and Roush Racing team-mate Matt Kenseth will compete for the champion's $1 million purse in the 2004 Crown Royal International Race of Champions series.

The new series title sponsorship brings a significant increase in the champion's prize money. The combined purse for the 2004 season will be $1.9 million, with a $1 million cheque to the champion. In 2003 Kurt Busch won the previous highest payout for the series champion, taking home $250,000 in his successful rookie campaign.

"Being invited to participate in the IROC series is such an honour, and being able to win the championship last year meant so much to me," Busch said. "These IROC races are a great opportunity for us to go out and compete against drivers from other series - and that's something we would otherwise never have the opportunity to do. And now with the new series sponsor coming in there are a million reasons to go out there and compete that much harder."

The 2004 IROC schedule will include the traditional Speedweeks opener at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday, February 13. The remaining three 100 mile races on the schedule feature new venues, including Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas and Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. IROC also announced intentions for a fall date for the finale at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"It's going to be exciting to head to some new racetracks," Busch added. "I wouldn't have minded heading back to Talladega where we picked up the IROC win last year, or maybe Bristol where we seem to run alright, but I'm looking forward to Richmond and Texas."

The $1.9 million series, which features 12 drivers from a variety of racing disciplines competing in equally-prepared stock cars on Goodyear tyres. The entire series, which consists of 100-mile races with points awarded for finishing positions, is scheduled in conjunction with NASCAR events.