BUSCH: Duesenberg, Western Union team up.

Western Union has announced that it is to team up with the newly formed Keith Duesenberg and Leik Motorsports team for an entry into the 2006 NASCAR Busch Series.

Keith Duesenberg, grand nephew of Fred and Augie Duesenberg and Indy Racing League Infiniti Pro Series team owner has teamed up with Dwayne Leik, former business manager of Marcis Racing and part-time NASCAR Busch Series driver, to form the team which will operate out of a new state-of-the-art facility in Asheville, North Carolina.

"Starting a new team is a daunting task, but when I started my IPS team my dad made it clear to me that the name had to be respected and if the team was going to say Duesenberg, I had to build a first-class program," Duesenberg said. "I believe I lived up to that in IPS, and I plan on doing the same in NASCAR.

"The continued support we get from a leading brand like Western Union is the type of relationship racing teams covet. We have been given a great opportunity with Western Union, and we plan on making a real impact on and off the track.

"My family has a long history in open wheel racing but you cannot ignore the fact that NASCAR is booming and I look forward to being in the thick of it."

The team plans to field cars for the entire 2006 season, and Leik said the entry was looking to win races.

"I know that Keith and I share the same vision for a first class competitive team," he said. "We may be a new team in name, but we all have a lot of experience in racing and we have put together a team that we know can produce impressive results."

Western Union will be the primary sponsor of the #01 Western Union Speed Team Chevrolet Monte Carlo, the company having has a long history of motorsport sponsorship, including with the Duesenberg team in the Infiniti Pro Series.

"Our values of speed, reliability and trust map perfectly to the experience NASCAR delivers to its fans," Christina Gold, president of Western Union, said. "We are pleased to partner with Duesenberg with its rich heritage in motorsports to introduce the fans to our Speed Team and compete in America's fastest growing sport."