NASCAR MAKING A PUSH FOR BUSCH: MAKES SERIES A PRIORITY

          As the Busch Grand National (BGN) Series continues on
     Saturday with the Alltel 200 in Rockingham, NC, NASCAR plans
     to move the BGN Series "more into the foreground -- or, at
     the very least, keep it from sliding into the background,"
     according to USA TODAY's Steve Ballard.  NASCAR Senior VP
     Brian France has the BGN series a "priority" this year: "The
     first thing we're doing is identifying this as the No. 2
     racing series in the country.  There's plenty of data to
     support that" (USA TODAY, 2/18).  In Philadelphia, Pete
     Schantz writes that the BGN Series "is the strongest it has
     been since the circuit's formation" in '82, as it will have
     seven events televised this year, including "the first-ever
     race to be shown live on NBC" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 2/18).