Second place. Another strong run. Ho hum.

It's all getting just a little too familiar for Kurt Busch.

	Kurt Busch, left, has posted back-to-back second-place finishes to kick off the 2003 season.

"It feels like this is the second verse same as the first," the 24-year-old Ford driver said.

And he's right -- not just because he's posted two straight second-place finishes to start the season, but also because he's starting out this season singing the same tune he did closing out last year.

That song is something akin to what Queen used to belt out before the kid was born. He wants to be a champion, my friend. And right now, heading into the third race of the season at Las Vegas -- his hometown -- Busch sits atop the standings and looks poised to make a run at the title.

"It feels good to get off to a great start," said Busch, who soared from 12th in the standings heading into the 29th race of last season all the way to third entering the 36th, and final, race of the year.

"We had a lot of things go our way at the end of last year to get into Victory Lane a few times. They were races that we were prepared for and that's what we kept working towards in the off season -- to get ahead. I think we've got our car built for Texas right now and that puts us a good two months ahead of where we need to be.

"As long as we can understand that and keep all the crew guys motivated and all the guys that jump over the wall (pumped up) ... then, I hope we're still up there in the points and we can continue moving forward. We're just two races in. I'd like to say that we're a championship contender with the way we ended last year, (but) we'll just try to keep our momentum rolling forward."

Busch ended the season with five top-fives and finished third in the standings. After beginning the season with two more top-fives, he's sending a ripple of concern along to every other driver.

"I see something that's a little bit scary for the rest of us in that he's getting smarter, too, out here, knowing when he can go and when he can't," said Ford driver Dale Jarrett, who beat Busch for the win last weekend at Rockingham, N.C. "When his car isn't exactly right, he doesn't try to force the issue. So they've done a really good job. You always wonder, and I think all of us wondered, if he would continue that coming into this year- but he's done that.

"I don't know if he would be a surprise to other people, but Kurt Busch is a guy that I think everybody is going to have to contend with. He runs well at every single type of race track. I don't know that he's won at each of those, but he's run in the top two or three at every type of track that we go to."

Jarrett was well aware of this when he snuck up to Busch's bumper late in the race last weekend. And when get got there, he didn't take comfort in the fact that he'd been tearing around The Rock for 17 seasons while Busch had only been around for three. He didn't take comfort in the fact that he is 22 years wiser than the kid, either.

In fact, he didn't feel any comfort, at all.

"I was just more concerned about whether I could get by a competitor like Kurt Busch and then when I did, could I hold him off?" Jarrett said. "I knew he really wanted to win. You go back to the end of last year and the start of this year, that young man is the hottest driver out here. That's what makes this win even more special is to know that we really beat the hottest guy in NASCAR right now."

Busch understands that getting attention as a championship favorite doesn't mean diddly when the circuit pulls into Homestead, Fla., for the season's conclusion. So he's not getting overly excited right now.

He's just happy to have the points lead and to be heading home.

"It'll be nice to get back," Busch said. "That's obviously a special place for me, so hopefully we can continue our little run here."

Rupen Fofaria covers NASCAR for The Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer and is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.