The Hastings driver has been close but has come up just short of the cigar. Buss finished second in the IMCA national Hobby Stock point standings in 2006 and fourth in the nation last year. Buss plans to go for the gold again in 2008.

"We've had a real good start to the season," Buss said. "It's my best start in four years in the IMCA Hobby Stocks."

Between rain drops and cold temperatures, Buss has raced three times so far this spring. A trio of second-place finishes have left this race team with high hopes.

"I don't know what the deal is with twos lately," Buss said. "We were right there all three times but just didn't get the win."

Buss has learned from being close the last two years that winning the points at local tracks plays a big part in deciding a national champion.

"Last year what hurt us was track championships because you get extra points from IMCA," Buss said. "We only had two track titles and a third would have really helped us in the national points."

If you're a Buss fan, fuel up because it's going to be a busy summer.

The "Bussman" has programmed his GPS for Deshler and McCook on Fridays, Mid-Nebraska Speedway in Doniphan on Saturday and a Sunday stop in Lexington.

"We're definitely going to try for the national title again this year," Buss said. "Plus our team really wants to three-peat as (IMCA) state champions."

IMCA keeps a close eye on car count at each track because a good number of cars normally spells great competition.

"Doniphan would be really sweet to win this year," Buss said. "It sounds like they've got around 40 cars pre-registered and bonus points are based on the number of cars at a track."

Wedding bells for Buss in March meant getting hitched on Saturday, then hitching up the race car on Sunday.

"My wife Kendra gets as excited about racing as I do," Buss said. "It was her idea to go racing the day after we got married."

Besides his matrimonial partner, Buss has added other family members to this season's race team.

"My brother Fred Valentine has come on to be crew chief," Buss said. "He's kind of a change for us because he gets excited when we have some success."

Chasing a national title means taking no nights off, even when it's raining.

"We watch the weather like a hawk," Buss said. "If it looks like rain we're looking for another place to go and race"

A lot of drivers work in the offseason to get a new car ready for the season. But Buss has started the year with an old friend.

"It's the same car we flipped at Doniphan last year," Buss said. "We are having a new car built but it's not ready yet."

Not that this car is a dog, Buss recorded a good number of his 22 total wins last year after tearing his car up.

"We won nearly every "A" feature we were in after that wreck," Buss said.

Buss plans to use a special silver anniversary, blue and silver paint scheme to mark his 25th season.

"We were going to change our number to 25," Buss said. "But, so many people know us as 12 so we stayed with the number we've had for years."

Even though the guys in the south have had a head start, it won't be long and Buss will make his annual climb up the national charts.

Test and Tune schedule

Today's Test and Tune Day at Mid-Nebraska Speedway has been postponed due to weather. Drivers will have a chance to turn a few warm-up laps Wednesday night at the Doniphan track. Gates open at 6 p.m. Practice will be allowed from 7-10 p.m.

Brad Fossberg is the news director at G.I. Family Radio.