Carl Edwards (car No. 60) passes Jason Leffler (car No. 38) for the lead during the Busch Series Pepsi 300 in April. Edwards has a 531-point lead in the Busch Series over second-place David Reutimann.

Busch Series drivers might feel like pounding their heads on the steering wheel sometimes.

With 22 Nextel Cup drivers switching over as Busch regulars, the second-tier series guys have to find a different perspective.

“If you don’t change your goals,” full-time Busch series driver Jason Leffler said, “you will self-destruct.”

The series is overrun with Cup superstars. Guess who can clinch the Busch Series title Saturday in the O’Reilly 300 at Texas Motor Speedway? That would be Chase for the Cup driver Carl Edwards.

Busch-whacking, as it’s called, puts big names in the Busch Series, but it can keep the young guys from rising to prominence. Busch-only drivers actually have to feel good about a 12th-place finish.

So it’s time to change the face of the Busch series. Time to limit the number of Cup drivers, change the series points system and give the up-and-comers their own Chase.

Maybe then we’ll know more about drivers such as Leffler, Marcos Ambrose and Stephen Leicht.

Whack the Busch-whackers

How about limiting the number of Nextel Cup drivers running in the Busch Series? Big names bring in the fans, but it also creates an unequal competition basis. Big teams with big money squeeze the full-time Busch drivers for track time because of limited testing. They have the technology others don’t.

Last year’s Busch series winner was Cup star Kevin Harvick, and Edwards is about to make it back-to-back for the big boys. Limit the Cup regulars based on starts they have had in the Cup series. It lessens the dominance of experienced drivers and opens a spot for a new Busch qualifier. That way they still draw the fans and level the competition.

Chase for the Nation

Next year the Busch Series becomes the Nationwide Series. Adding a Chase could give a major boost to NASCAR’s No. 2 draw. The Chase has added extra interest in the Cup Series and added to the already popular sport.

A Chase in this series could blossom more stars and talents that sometimes get shuffled to the back by Cup regulars. The Chase for the Cup started in 2004, so it has been around long enough for fans to know how it works.

“Definitely, I think they should go to a Chase format,” said Leffler, tops in points among Busch-only drivers at third. “The more you make them resemble each other the better.”

Point taken

Most Cup drivers in the Busch Series are not racing for points or titles. They are mostly driving for sponsors and track time. So let’s cut out their points all together.

With the points chopped for Cup drivers, they are dispersed starting with the top Busch-only driver and so on.