Kyle Busch Model Of Perfection At Texas

April 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Kyle Busch is all smiles after his victory in the NRA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver swept Texas as he won the Cup race pole, the Nationwide Series race and the NRA event.

There is such a thing as perfection, but to achieve it is very rare.

At Texas Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch was the model of perfection. He could not have performed better – nor could anyone else.

The 27-yeard-old driver for Joe Gibbs Racing won the pole for the NRA Sprint Cup race, followed that with a convincing win in the Nationwide Series race and then he took the big one.

He dominated the field to win the NRA 500.

Busch won everything there was to win at Texas.

It was the seventh time in his career that Busch has swept the NSCS and NNS events during a race weekend – and all seven sweeps have been while driving a Toyota for JGR.

Now, all of this may not sit well with the fans that love to hate Busch – they disapprove of his perceived arrogance – but no one can deny that Busch is one of the most talented drivers in NASCAR.

Yes, he was the last man out in the 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup, losing out to Jeff Gordon.

But he closed the season with seven-top five finishes in the Chase’s 10 races.

After a slow start early in the season, Busch finished fourth at Las Vegas, first at Auto Club Speedway and fifth at Martinsville a week ago.

And now he has won at Texas, which means that over the last 17 races, dating back to 2012, Busch has earned 12 top-five finishes, including two victories.

Busch is fashioning his best season since 2008, when he won eight Cup races, 10 Nationwide events and three in the Camping World Truck Series.

Busch moved from fourth to third in the point standings, just nine points behind Brad Keselowski and 18 behind leader Johnson.

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56) finished second at Texas after leading 142 laps. For Truex Jr., it was very disappointing since he hasn’t won in six years.

From the pole position, went on to lead 171 laps, more than any other driver.

However, he lost his lead to Martin Truex Jr., in Michael Waltrip’s Toyota, when Truex Jr. got off pit road first following a caution created by a crash between Marcos Ambrose and Jeff Burton that ended on lap 290.

Truex Jr., having one of his best performances in a long time, led 25 laps before another caution period began on lap 315 due to debris on the track.

This time it was Busch’s turn to lead the field off pit road. He remained the leader until the checkered flag fell.

“Dave Rogers (crew chief) and these guys gave me a great piece today,” Busch said. “We ran up front all day long.  If it wasn’t for my pit crew, who is the most awesome crew ever – and since 2008 we’ve been together and haven’t had any changeovers.  Man, those guys were awesome.

“They pulled out one heck of a stop right there at the end to put us up front and give us that lead and to be able to bring it home.”

The long-suffering Truex Jr., who has not won a race since Dover in 2007, admitted his loss was extremely disappointing.

“Finishing second is good,” Truex said. “I’m not saying that’s not the case. It’s just when you’ve been so close to winning so many times since your last one, it really sucks to run that good and finish second. Circumstances, the way they play out sometimes, they go that way … ”

“It’s so hard to get in position to win these races. It is so hard to make your car good enough to beat Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch and all these guys; and we had that tonight. We’ve got to get better at taking advantage of that.

“That’s where we’re missing and that’s what we need to work on. So that’s why I’m upset. Second is a great accomplishment, but it’s not what we’re here for.”

Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle led the Roush Fenway Racing contingent – normally very strong at Texas, by finishing third and fourth, respectively.

After failing to pass prerace inspections NASCAR confiscated the rear end housings of the Penske Racing Fords of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.

Keselowski’s team got it driver on the grid on time but Logano was late and had to start from the rear of the field.

Logano rallied to a fifth-place finish while Keselowski came home ninth.

NASCAR may impose penalties on Penske later this week.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who came into the race third in points, had peculiar race at Texas.

He was in third place when he pitted on lap 188. It was thought his battery was dead and he switched to the backup battery – but had to serve a penalty for being too fast on pit road.

While serving the penalty, Earnhardt Jr. stopped on pit road – which is not allowed. He had to make a second pass and by the time it was all over, he was five laps down and no longer a contender.

He finished 29th and fell to sixth place in points, 35 behind Johnson.

Busch’s night at Texas was, obviously, much the opposite of Earnhardt Jr.’s.

It was flawless.

“It’s good, really good, Busch said. “We’ve had a good start to the season.  It feels amazing to keep this roll going.  It’s so much fun to race with this group.

“We had a talk over the winter and Dave and I had a talk a few weeks ago and things have kind of jelled. We’ve been doing really, really well.

“I’m proud of this bunch and couldn’t say enough about Joe Gibbs Racing.  Everybody back at the shop — all the guys and gals — these cars are amazing to drive, they’re fast, and they’re fun.”

And now we have the proof they can be perfect.

 

 

 

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Kyle Busch Confident As Hectic Day For Cup Cars At Indy Moves In

July 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Kyle Busch was the fastest driver in final practice for the Nationwide Series race, which is part of a hectic Saturday schedule at Indianapolis.

SPEEDWAY, Ind. – It was kind of surreal.

On a Friday, just two days before the Brickyard 400, there wasn’t a single NASCAR Sprint Cup car on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

There was no practice, no qualifying – nothing.

This was unlike anything in the past. Normally, a Friday before what is generally accepted as NASCAR’s second-most prestigious race would be a day swarming with activity.

The garage area would be teeming with crewmen scattering in every direction as they went about their tasks. Whistles would be shrilling constantly, warning everyone that a rumbling car was on it way to the track – or coming back to the garage.

But on this Friday, there was none of that.

That’s because NASCAR’s weekend schedule at the Brickyard has changed radically. The Sprint Cup race is still the highlight event on Sunday, of course, but it is now accompanied by companion events in the Grand-Am Series and the Nationwide Series.

The new schedule had practice for the Nationwide cars on Thursday and Friday was turned over completely to the Grand-Am sports cars.

Then, well, talk about a busy day – on Saturday Sprint Cup cars would have two practice sessions, followed by qualifying for the Nationwide Series, then Cup qualifying. Finally, at 4:30 p.m., the inaugural Indiana 250 Nationwide race would get the green flag.

That’s a packed schedule …

Most Cup drivers were not at the track on Friday. Those that were either had personal appearances or chose to watch the Grand-Am events.

A few, such as Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray, competed in the Grand-Am races.

Many more Cup drivers were active on Thursday as part of two (and only) practice sessions for the Nationwide event, which will be conducted at the Brickyard for the first time after years at nearby Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Busch is in his fifth season with Joe Gibbs Racing and hopes to be the third driver from the team, along with Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte, to win at Indy.

Seven of the 10 fastest cars in the final practice session were driven by Cup regulars – which should come as no surprise, given that they are far more familiar with Indy’s 2.5-mile oval.

The Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, posted the two fastest speeds of the day. Kyle led the way with a speed of 175.838 mph, over a mile per hour quicker than his sibling.

“It felt good for the first time here,” Kyle said. “We’ve just been trying to make the car snug to make it better in the long run. You’ve got to be snug here because the place is so flat.

“Hopefully the car will stay with us all day Saturday.”

Speaking of Saturday, the younger Busch knows – as do all other Cup drivers – that it is going to be very hectic, which means there will be precious little time to make any needed adjustments.

“It’s going to be tight for the crews,” Kyle said. “Their time to relax for a little bit in the garage is not going to happen because they will be swapping back and forth between practice, qualifying and races. There’s a lot to do.

“It is a tight schedule. It’s a good thing I’m not a rookie and I’ve been here a few times in the Cup cars, so the limited time shouldn’t be a problem.”

Regardless of where he qualifies, Kyle will be considered a victory contender in the Nationwide race. He hasn’t won in 2012, but it’s hard to ignore the fact he has 51 series wins, including 13 in 2010.

As for the Sprint Cup circuit, Kyle is 13th in points with one victory. He is currently ranked as the No. 2, and final, candidate for a “wildcard” spot, behind Kasey Kahne.

That’s good, but it could be better.

Even though it is the Brickyard 400, Kyle, whose best finish was a fourth in 2007, maintains there is no real change in his strategy to make the Chase.

“You have to approach the races leading up to the Chase the way you have all the other races all season,” he said. “You go there and try to do the best job you can.

“You want to win on any weekend, so all through practice you try to figure out what you need in you car to make it the fastest you can.

“If the car handles and drives well, you can try a little harder to make speed out of it.”

Now in his fifth season with Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle hopes to join two former Gibbs drivers – Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte – as a winner at the Brickyard.

“I’m wishing I can put my name on that list by getting a win and running up front,” Kyle said. “You always want to win the big races, the Daytona 500, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Brickyard 400, before your career is over.”

For Kyle, like it will be for every other driver, the opportunity to win at Indy will be greater if, on Saturday, total preparation is complete – and the sooner the better.

 

 

 

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Danica, Kyle Busch: Observations On Two Key Daytona 500 Drivers

February 26, 2012 By 3 Comments

Danica Patrick has polarized fans, many of whom are her supporters but others who think she has far more marketing ability than driving talent. Patrick knows all this and deals with it.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Some observations on two drivers, each – or both – of whom could play a pivotal role in today’s Daytona 500.

To some Danica Patrick is a breath of fresh air; a catalyst to peak the nation’s interest in NASCAR and curiosity over a female competing in a predominantly male sport.

The proof, they say, is to simply look at the wealth of attention she brought to Indy Car competition before she switched to stock cars.

Others claim Patrick is nothing more than a bright, good-looking marketing magnet with more interest in promoting herself than a sport.

They add that the media has taken it upon themselves to shove Patrick down their throats – reporting on her every word and action to the point of distraction.

Some say Patrick is more smoke than substance and question her driving ability. They express the belief that if she didn’t have the wherewithal to lure sponsorship and media attention, she wouldn’t enjoy relationships with top teams in Sprint Cup and Nationwide – or the equipment they provide.

As for the fact she won the pole for Saturday’s Drive4COPD 300, well, NASCAR had the fix on.

Which is nothing but conspiracy theorists’ blather.

Patrick used her skill and JR Motorsports preparation and equipment to become the first woman to win a pole at Daytona International Speedway. Nothing more and nothing less.

It’s a mystery why some choose not to believe that. Why is it so hard to accept a unique, even historical, feel-good story when we all have done it freely, and repeatedly, in the past?

It’s because Patrick is involved. And with that comes the belief that her skills aren’t good enough to allow her such an achievement without “assistance.”

If nothing else, I hope I make this point strongly enough: Patrick does have skills. She has, and has had, the ability to drive a race car. Her peers know this.

While I’m sure that her marketing skills and sponsor dollars were part of her lure to JR Motorsports, let’s not forget the team is in the business of winning Nationwide races, among other things.

If the team thought Patrick didn’t have the ability to do just that, it wouldn’t have hired her.

Yes, Patrick is a rookie in a Sprint Cup developmental role with Stewart Haas Racing. She’s scheduled to compete in just 10 races this year.

Sure, she brought the needed dollars that helped her cause. But if Tony Stewart, who is nobody’s fool, did not believe Patrick had potential and could achieve the goals she and the team have established, he wouldn’t bother.

Yes, Patrick wrecked in a Gatorade Duel and in the Nationwide race. Neither was her fault and should be considered part of her learning curve.

I haven’t said a thing here Patrick hasn’t already heard, likely many times.

She knows exactly what is going on and the perceptions people have of her.

Unfazed, she accepts it all.

“I think that people can choose to look at what I have done and like it. Or they can look at it and choose to judge it and think it is not enough,” Patrick said. “I don’t think you are ever going to change the people that want to cheer for you and the people that don’t want to cheer for you.

“It’s funny. I did see somebody say something right after my win (in Motegi, Japan). I saw something that said ‘Oh let’s see what she does against the people in the United States.’

“I thought how funny that a casual fan didn’t know that was the Indy Car Series racing in Japan.  I just thought that was a random funny thing.

“I really think that the people that write have the ability, and there are fortunately enough to be there every weekend, to see what I do.  They can draw their own opinions.”

While Patrick knows precisely where she stands in racing, the attention she draws and all that comes with it – good and bad – it is likely she will not change.

“No, I don’t I enjoy being different,” she said. “I enjoy being unique. I enjoy it all. I really do.

“I chose to look at the positives that come with it instead of the negatives, but it is a balance. The ups are really good and the downs are sure disappointing.

“Partly because I’m used to the down part is why I feel, what’s not to like? I’m followed well and I have lots of great fans and I’m always so grateful when people write nice things about me.

“I feel good. The people that don’t like me, well, I also respect that perspective as well.”

And now for another, quick observation:

Kyle Busch is recognized for his driving skill and his bad behavior. There's no indication Busch is going to change who he is, but it's certain he knows how he's perceived.

Kyle Busch knows exactly what is going on. He gets it.

The younger Busch brother is a driver who has repeatedly displayed his considerable skill.

He has won multiple times on NASCAR’s top three national circuits, including this year’s Budweiser Shootout. Perhaps the most graphic example of his talent came in that race.

Busch kept his car under control twice when he could have easily spun and wrecked. Then he made a masterful move to pass Stewart and win the race by the closest margin in its history.

I think most fans have accepted Busch’s driving talent, even if grudgingly.

But instead of being widely admired, Busch is vilified. He is NASCAR’s “bad boy,” its spoiled, sometime immature, brat.

In a bout of anger he’s been known to take matters in his own hands and not worry about the consequences.

Which he did last year when he deliberately wrecked Ron Hornaday in a truck race at Texas. NASCAR suspended Busch for the track’s Cup event. That cost him any chance at a championship.

I have said before Busch would serve himself well if he became a changed man. I don’t know if he has any intention of doing so.

But I do know he’s very aware of how he is perceived – both in talent and personality – and at least accepts and prepares for it.

“After the Shootout, there was just a lot of encouragement,” Busch said. “Things like, that it’s one of the best they’ve ever seen, it’s something that they’ve never seen – some would say that there’s few that can do it, but they know that I may be the only one that’s ever done it.  Just stuff like that.

“After the race, my phone was blowing up with over 100 text messages and 25 emails.  I had

a long next day getting back to everybody and answering everybody.

As for the other side, Busch might find it a little more difficult to swallow, but he seems ready for it.

“At races, I hear the fans a little bit,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to hear them when you don’t have your helmet on.

“I keep my helmet on when I get out of the car in case of unidentified flying objects.  I’ve learned from my past experiences.

“It’s always fun that you get to be able to get out of the car and hear the rants of the crowd, whether they be cheers or boos or applause or what have you – and get to do your victory bow.

“That’s the greatest satisfaction of winning a race.”

Yep, Kyle Busch knows exactly what’s going on.

 

 

 

 

 

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Can The Busch Brothers Change? Yes, And Here Are Ways How

January 27, 2012 By 15 Comments

 

Kurt (left) and Kyle Busch have clearly established their driving talents, but both have volatile personalities that have had negative affects on their careers. It seems obvious they need to make changes, but can they? Certainly it's possible - but up to them.

Kurt and Kyle. Kyle and Kurt.

Independently they have made magic on the track and mayhem in their careers. They are volatile, boorish, immature, outrageous, and devastatingly talented. Their accomplishments on the track, however, have paled considerably to their behaviors off.

Now the elder brother Kurt is trying to rebound from his recent (mutual) dismissal from Penske with a NASCAR Sprint Cup ride with James Finch’s lesser-tier Phoenix Racing, running both Nationwide and Sprint Cup. What else does he do to find work? Hitch his talents to brother Kyle’s Nationwide team to split the season.

Many see this move as incredibly stupid, citing the brothers’ inability to play nice with others, including one another. They say the union will self-destruct and no good will come from the pairing.

I disagree. Family may be exactly what these boys need to repair their images, get back on track and start winning the war of public opinion.

I remember clearly a time when Kurt was the only Busch brother driving in NASCAR. When being interviewed about his talents Kurt smiled slyly and said, “If you think I’m good, wait until you see my brother.”

This foreshadowing showed an older brother’s respect for his younger sibling and a bond that only family produces.

Once Kyle earned a ride in Cup, I distinctly recall him winning in his native Las Vegas in 2009.

It charmed me to see brother Kurt and their mother join Kyle in Victory Lane. Family, so much a part of NASCAR and which is so appealing to me, was strongly present and, obviously, important to the brothers Busch.

I am a staunch believer that all people can change. Kurt and Kyle have worn their snottiness and intolerance as badges – if not the armor they wear into battle.

I hoped that after Kurt lost his ride at Roush and Kyle his at Hendrick, the two would mature a little bit.

And, at first, it seemed they tried. Once Kyle got married to the former Samantha Sarcinella I was certain he’d make a strong run for the championship in 2011. Alas, I was wrong. But I am not closing the door to the idea that both of these men can change for the better.

Dale Earnhardt once told a young Jeff Gordon, “At least they’re making noise. It’s when they stop making noise that you know something’s wrong.”

Kurt and Kyle still garner huge attention, passionate responses from the crowd and are polarizing. But Penske could no longer stomach the elder Busch’s tirades and lack of control. Finch has already said that if Kurt had behaved with him the way he did with Penske, “He would have gotten his ass beat on pit road.”

It was just a matter of time before Joe Gibbs would be forced to let Kyle go if his judgment didn’t improve. I have to believe that such facts will alter the drivers’ behavior.

A new girlfriend for Kurt and a savvy wife for Kyle may be what soothe the savage beasts that reside within the brothers Busch.

I’m hoping that for their sake, and for that of NASCAR fans as well, the Busch brothers can harness their ambition, talent, brattiness and rage and do what they truly do best – win races.

Perhaps a back-to-basics season for the two drivers will refocus and re-energize their efforts. Perhaps Kurt can parlay this season into a Chase contention and Kyle can, finally, make a decent run at the championship.


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Leffler to Busch, Courtney to Force, Hinchcliffe to Andretti, Senna to Williams?

January 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment


Jason Leffler, Courtney Force, James Hinchcliffe and Bruno Senna are all on the move. Leffler goes to Kyle Busch’s truck team while Courtney Force debuts for Father John Force. Not to be outdone James Hinchcliffe get’s the big break taking the Go Daddy/Andretti seat in IndyCar and in Formula One, Bruno Senna’s backer, Eike Batista insists that the deal is done for Senna’s seat at Williams.

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It Could’ve Been Better For Kyle Busch But He Offers No Excuses Or Regrets

December 1, 2011 By 4 Comments
Ky.-Busch

Kyle Busch is presented the Goodyear Gatorback Award for leading the most laps in each race more than any other driver in 2011. Unfortunately, Busch, ranked No. 12 in the final standings, won't be there when NASCAR honors champion Tony Stewart on Friday.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, will not be on the stage tonight when NASCAR stages its annual ceremony to honor 2011 Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart.

Only the drivers who finished among the top 10 in the final point standings will be on hand to receive recognition – and the monetary awards that come with it.

Kyle wound up 12th in points; his older brother 11th.

It seems a shame the two will not be at the festivities conducted at the Wynn Hotel on Vegas’ celebrated Strip. After all, the town called ‘Sin City’ is their home.

Now, it would come as no surprise if both of them decided to ignore the event, given they are intense competitors and seemingly wouldn’t care much to see glory heaped on others.

But as far as Kyle is concerned, that won’t be so.

“Yeah, I’m going to watch,” the younger Busch said. “To have Champions Week on home turf is nice.

It seems there’s a lot positive about it.

“Having it in Vegas, it seems there is a lot more areas for drivers to play, if you will, and spend some good times, whether they make money or lose money.

“We like it here, not just Kurt and I, but I think most of the guys think it’s a good place for it.”

It was widely anticipated that Kyle would indeed be a part of the celebration and, perhaps, even the driver honored as the 2011 champion.

He was No. 1 in the point standings when the 10-race Chase began after the 26th race of the year at Richmond. He had already won four races, strengthening his reputation as the driver whose ability to win on NASCAR’s top three national tours – which includes Nationwide and Camping World Trucks – is unparalleled.

But what has plagued him and his Joe Gibbs Racing team in the past reared its ugly head again. Busch’s performances in the last 10 races of the season were, by his standards, sub-par.

“All in all, there were certainly some highs and lows during the year,” Busch said. “And not having the right final 10 races hit us again.

“It seems like we just can’t figure out the Chase thing. But, it was what it was, and we’ll move on to 2012.”

“It was what it was” included an incident that effectively removed all hopes the younger Busch had of winning a title – and, for that matter, finishing among the top 10.

At Texas Motor Speedway, site of the eighth of 10 Chase races, Busch planned to run in three events – in truck, Nationwide and Cup.

In the truck race an angered Busch deliberately wrecked Ron Hornaday. The response from NASCAR was harsh.

He was not permitted to drive in either remaining event in Nationwide or Cup.

Naturally, his absence in the Cup event cost him an unrecoverable amount of valuable points and, obviously, removed him from championship contention. He fell to the rear of the point standings.

Busch did apologize for his actions at Texas. Beyond that, logic dictates that one of his regrets was they ultimately took him off the stage in Vegas when it could have been otherwise.

But when asked if he had a singular regret; any one thing he wish had happened or he had done differently, Busch was candid, direct and honest with his answer:

“Nope, nope, nope.”

Maybe he won’t be part of the ultimate celebration, but Busch got to enjoy time in Champions Week as one of the honorees at the annual National Motorsports Press Association’s Myers Brothers Award luncheon, which incorporates the presentation of all the season’s contingency awards, given to the drivers who have earned them.

One of the awards is the Goodyear Gatorback Fastest Lap Award, given to the driver who, over the season, most often established the fastest lap in each race.

The younger Busch was the winner and got his share of the more than $1 million in contingency loot.

“Yeah, the Goodyear Gatorback Award was pretty cool,” he said. “I didn’t know that we had won anything so I was kinda surprised when I had to go up there and accept it.

“I was trying to think of something to say. But in the end, to come out here and be a part of NASCAR’s Champions Week is fun. We’ve had a great time.”

Busch might have an even greater time when Champions Week rolls around at the end of the 2012 season.

There are more than a few who feel that it’s likely to happen if, somehow, he manages to keep his temper in check.

But what is certainly needed is for he and his team to keep the high level of performance they have clearly displayed over the first 26 races of each season intact over the final 10.

Busch apparently agreed when asked to grade his team for 2011.

“It’s hard to grade on your own,” he said, “because we always grade low because we feel, no matter how we did, that we did not meet our expectations

“But I’d say our No. 18 team, with all the accomplishments we’ve had this year, certainly through the first 26 races, we were an ‘A’ or an ‘A-plus.’

“Over the last 10 races, we were a ‘D.’

“You just have to keep working at it. You have to get better as a team and make the circumstances better.”

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What Ails Kyle Busch Can Be Cured By Maturity

November 10, 2011 By 2 Comments
Kyle-Busch

After his actions in Texas, Kyle Busch has been heavily penalized and may face even more serious sanctions in the very near future - if not already. Busch has immense talent but the cause of his woes is simple: He lacks maturity. He can change that and it will serve him well if he does.

Kyle Busch’s actions in the Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas nearly a week ago created, for a time, a firestorm of debate.

When Busch deliberately wrecked championship challenger Ron Hornaday, NASCAR responded by parking him for the rest of the event and the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races later that weekend.

That action effectively squashed any hopes Busch and the Joe Gibbs Racing team had of winning a Cup title.

Then, on the Monday after the Cup race, NASCAR announced that it had fined Busch $50,000 and placed him on probation for the rest of the year. Should he violate that probation he would be indefinitely suspended.

Admittedly, all of this is a very harsh judgment.

This week it has been reported that Busch might be pulled from the Gibbs’ ride for Phoenix and Homestead. The final decision was that of Gibbs and the team’s sponsors. NASCAR had cleared Busch to compete in the final two events of the year.

As of this writing nothing was official.

The controversy that boiled earlier in the week centered on the sanctioning body’s rulings at Texas and afterward. Was Busch punished adequately – or even not enough?

Or were NASCAR’s actions too harsh, even inappropriate, given that it has completely avoided any penalties for those who appeared to have committed crimes as great as Busch’s?

Does NASCAR carry a vendetta against Busch, who has been a constant source of irritation for years?

After digesting much that has already been said and written, I’ll offer an opinion – for what it may be worth.

I’ll start by saying something I think no one can deny.

Busch is an incredibly talented race driver.

In the space of only eight years in NASCAR, the 26-year-old competitor from Las Vegas has won 23 Sprint Cup races, a record 51 on the Nationwide Series and 30 in trucks.

That’s 104 wins in NASCAR’s top three national touring series. I can think of no other driver who has even approached that in so short a time. At his young age Busch has the opportunity to establish several all-time records.

He has risen to the top of his profession and in so doing has made himself a millionaire many times over. There can be no doubt he’s earned his celebrity.

Yes, Busch has a massive amount of talent.

But he also has a very meager amount of maturity.

Immaturity is, in fact, the cause of all of Busch’s problems.

I don’t know if he thinks he’s better than anyone else, or that he should be able to do what he wants when he wants, but I do know that his actions last week – and several times in the past – clearly indicate he allows his emotions to overrule his judgment.

To establish himself as a respected competitor whose interactions with others, and behavior on and off the track, match his obvious talent, Busch must grow up. It’s that simple.

If he doesn’t, I can assure you that in time, team owners and sponsors will become fed up with a person they perceive to be a spoiled brat who, for them, creates more harm than good.

I am very aware drivers are highly competitive and, in the heat of battle, can respond harshly when they think they have been wronged. It happens all the time.

For Busch, however, it has become routine. Afterward he has issued apologies coupled with the promise that it won’t happen again. He apologized one more time for his actions at Texas, to which many have responded, “Yeah, so what?”

A couple of Busch’s sponsors have expressed their disapproval and have issued their own ultimatums.

Busch is not unique. There have been other drivers rich with talent and short on maturity.

Tony Stewart, a two-time NASCAR champion, is a former Gibbs driver whose knowledge of anger management was nil. He virtually assaulted a photographer and a reporter and got into spats and on-track incidents with other drivers. He thus sustained, many times, harsh NASCAR – and sponsor – judgment.

There was a time when, because of his words and actions, he had to fight to keep his job.

But today, while some may suggest he is still somewhat of an obnoxious smart aleck, I think he’s realized that he has to act sensibly and hold his emotions in check, at least publicly.

Perhaps part of that is because he’s a team owner with multiple responsibilities.

Kurt Busch, Kyle’s older brother is another example.

Without going into great detail, the elder Busch was removed from his car for the final two races of 2005 in a joint decision from Roush Fenway Racing and sponsors after being charged by Arizona sheriffs for reckless driving.

Said Roush officials: “We are tired of being Kurt Busch’s apologists.”

Prior to that, Busch, the 2004 champion, had acquired a reputation as an incorrigible.

Today I think we see a different older brother. Yes, we’ve all heard how sarcastic and mean-spirited he sounds via radio communication with his team, but so what? He’s entitled. That’s within his territory and not the public’s.

Last I saw, he didn’t deliberately wreck anyone nor throw a punch or two in the garage area.

I hope I am not proven wrong in the future but I do believe that two of Kyle Busch’s contemporaries, his brother and Stewart, have learned lessons.

He can do the same.

As for NASCAR, admittedly it set the stage for some on-track altercations when it established the “Boys, have at it” philosophy, which encouraged drivers to settle differences among themselves.

This was in response to fans’ complaints that drivers had become too politically correct and the true rough-and-tumble spirit of stock car racing had been lost.

But NASCAR also said that it would step in if things got out of hand – which is simply logical – and that it would know when that line was crossed.

Which is what it thought happened in the Texas truck race.

I have seen and heard reports that with the younger Busch, NASCAR went too far especially since previous fouls by others, seemingly just as blatant, occurred without punishment or even response.

It has been suggested that NASCAR simply overreacted with Busch.

This is utter nonsense.

What Busch did was so flagrant, so obvious that had not NASCAR responded harshly it would be considered impotent and the biggest joke in professional sports.

Who could have not clearly seen or understood what happened? A friend of mine, whose knowledge of stock car racing is miniscule, watched a replay and said, “Are they allowed to do that? Don’t people get hurt?”

There was no gray area here; no issue for debate. NASCAR had to strongly deal with it and it did – rightly so.

My conclusion to is that Kyle Busch’s talent and achievements are irrefutable. They should be, and have been, recognized.

What he lacks is maturity.

He can acquire that. Frankly, he must.

When, and if, he does, he may well indeed rise to the rank of champion and in time become one of the best, among fans and peers, NASCAR has ever had.

It’s all up to him.

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It’s Now Man Against Man And Just What NASCAR Wanted In The Chase

November 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Stewart

With his victory at Texas, the second in two weeks and fourth through eight races in the Chase, Tony Stewart is now just three points behind Carl Edwards, who finished second at Texas, as the season moves to its final two races. It's just the kind of scenario NASCAR wanted in the Chase.

What we have now is most likely the kind of scenario NASCAR coveted when it, first, created the Chase for the Sprint Cup, and second, restructured the points system for the 2011 season.

By virtue of his fourth win in the 10-race “playoff” in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, Tony Stewart moved to within three points of leader Carl Edwards, who finished second, with just two races remaining in the season.

While certainly anything can happen over the next two weeks, it has become abundantly clear that the championship will be most likely decided between Edwards and Stewart, man-to-man.

Use any adjective you wish here – tense, exciting, riveting – the conclusion to the 2011 season looms as all that and the perfect example of what NASCAR hoped to achieve when it created a “playoff” system seven years ago.

Hasn’t always happened, of course, but it has now.

And Stewart has helped make it so. Interestingly, when the Chase began on Sept. 19 at Chicagoland, Stewart hadn’t won a race all year and was ninth in points, 12 behind leader Kyle Busch.

Stewart said his Stewart-Haas team had not performed well enough to be in the Chase and added that he didn’t think he would win any of the 10 remaining races.

He won at Chicagoland to vault to second in points. He then took the checkered flag a week later in New Hampshire to take the points lead.

He was 25th a week later at Dover, then 15th at Kansas. He rebounded somewhat with an eighth-place run at Charlotte followed by a seventh place at Talladega.

By this time he was fourth in points, 19 behind Edwards, who, while he had not won, ascended to No. 1 in points with his remarkable record of consistency.

Stewart won at Martinsville to move within eight points of Edwards and now, with his fourth win in the Chase, he’s just three down.

Edwards has held his lead simply because he has remained consistent throughout the Chase. He has only one finish outside the top 10.

After his Martinsville victory Stewart declared that Edwards had better be worried and would likely lose sleep as the pressure of the championship increased.

“Well, if you can do simple math, you can figure out that we gained over half of the separation in one week and we have two weeks to go,” Stewart said. “It does not take much right now, it is one spot if a guy wins the race, we are doing exactly what we need to do. I am really confident right now.

“We got all the bonus points we could get and got the win. We gained more than we needed to gain on the average for the week, so we are doing good.

“I don’t think we have to say anything more. I think our performance today spoke for itself. Carl knows already, trust me!”

Edwards, who congratulated Stewart after the Texas victory, remains unfazed.

“I just told him ‘good job,’” Edwards said. “He did a great job today. Those guys stepped it up and I’m proud of my guys for hanging on and for still having the points lead.

“At the end of the day we’re going to the final two races. Although we would have loved to have won today in our Aflac Ford, to be three points ahead and then to have the third and fourth-place guys farther behind, it looks like it’s truly gonna come down to Tony and I and that’s gonna be a lot of
fun.”

Stewart dominated the race, clearly establishing himself as the man to beat.

But the situation was uncertain until the final round of pit stops. That happened with 33 of 334 laps to go. Jeff Burton stayed on the track in an attempt to steal the win by stretching his fuel mileage. But that failed with five laps remaining. That gave Stewart the lead for good.

Stewart and Edwards were two of five Chase drivers to finish among the top 10. The others were Matt Kenseth, fourth, Jeff Gordon, sixth and Dale Earnhardt Jr., seventh.

Kevin Harvick finished 13th and is fourth in points, 33 behind. Kenseth is 38 back, then comes Brad Keselowski (24th at Texas) 38 down and Jimmie Johnson, 14that Texas following a spin and 55 points in arrears.

Although Harvick, Kenseth, Keselowski and Johnson are still mathematically in the hunt of the championship, realistically their hopes are finished.

Barring a miracle Johnson will not win a sixth consecutive title.

Stewart’s four victories tie him with Harvick for the most this season. Stewart, a two-time champion, has also gained 21points on Edwards in the last three races, to force what will very likely be a highly anticipated two-man battle for the championship.

“At the end of the day, it truly doesn’t matter what the No.14 team does or what Tony does or what anyone else does, all we can do is just go do the best that we can do,” Edwards said. “It might feel comfortable to them to be in the position they’re in, to be gaining points, but, truly, the past is history.

“We’ve got to go out and run these next two races
and, yeah, I don’t underestimate them for a second.  I know how good they are, but we’re gonna be good as well.”

As for Stewart, he remains defiantly confident.

“I told you guys all this last week but nobody listens to me when I talk anymore,” he said. “No, I mean we are set on it man, this is just the way it is going to be.”


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Edwards, Kenseth On Top, But Situation Is Tenuous At Martinsville

October 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – At least four drivers, perhaps five, have to be considered leading contenders for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship over the final four races of the Chase.

The first of the season-closing quartet of events is Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. As the only short track on the 10-race “playoff” schedule, the flat, 0.566-mile track – the smallest and oldest in NASCAR – will offer its own unique set of challenges for the competitors.

Believe me, they know it.

The top two drivers in the current point standings, leader Carl Edwards and Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, who is just 14 points in arrears, have to be a little leery at Martinsville.

Neither one of them has an impressive record at the track. Edwards’ average finish is 16.8; Kenseth’s is 15.8.

Edwards indicated he would be pleased if he got out of Martinsville with a decent finish, much less a victory.

“This place has been a really tough race track for me and our team,” he said, “but we have had some really good runs here.

“Matt’s good run in the spring (sixth place) is really what gives us the confidence we have here, and, hopefully, we can go run well and keep this points lead or extend it moving forward toward some tracks that we’re really confident about.”

Kenseth is also fully aware of what could be at stake at Martinsville.

“I really struggle at the track,” he said. “It hasn’t been one of my best tracks. Yet we’ve run really well the last two or three races so I’m looking forward to it.

“Unlike it was last week at Talladega, at Martinsville you have a little more to do, I think, with your finish at the end of the day. So I’m looking forward to that.”

I’ve said before that unless they put up some good numbers, Edwards and Kenseth are vulnerable. Waiting to pounce are third-place Brad Keselowski, 18 points out of the lead, fourth-place Tony Stewart, 19 points down and Kevin Harvick, who stands fifth, 26 points back.

Kyle Busch stands sixth and is 40 points down, followed by five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who is 50 points in arrears. The odds are heavily against both drivers.

However, that doesn’t mean they have given up.

“As long as we are mathematically in it, I’m not going to give up hope,” Johnson said. “I just never have been one to lay down on something, to quit or not to try.

“We have four races left of the schedule and stuff can happen.”’

It’s obvious Keselowski and Stewart are in the best position to challenge Edwards and Kenseth and thus break the Roush grip on the top point positions.

However, being in a good position to do something is not, certainly, the same thing as actually doing it.

Johnson alluded to that when he said there are four races left and anything can happen.

Kenseth would agree with that – fact is, all the others would as well.

“It is hard for me to comment about racing Carl down the stretch because, honestly, there is so much racing to do,” Kenseth said. “I haven’ t really looked at the points. I don’t know who is out of it or who is in it.

“I know we are in a pretty good spot right now but yet I think we have to outrun Carl every week. It seems he’s been able to get good finishes, even on his bad days. But I also think we’ve run better on all the tracks except Dover.

“So we just have to get the good finishes, too, and I won’t race Carl any different than I do any other driver out there.”

While Edwards knows full well that his teammate is his most serious challenger, he echoed the sentiments express by all the contenders: Anything can happen and anyone can win.

“I think all of those guys (Kenseth, Keselowski, Harvick and Stewart) are gonna be tough,” he said. “I know how tough Matt can be. He could literally go win three out of the next four races and dominate this thing.

“I think from what we’ve seen out of Brad this year, I think he’s a huge threat. He hasn’t made any mistakes. He’s done a really good job.

“Tony is a two-time champion and only 19 points out. I think all of those guys are tough – even Jimmie. I know a lot of people are discounting Jimmie, but those guys (the No. 48 Hendrick team) can definitely win this race and any of the others.”

Given that anything can happen, it follows that it won’t take much at Martinsville to alter the point standings and thus the Chase.

Logic dictates that for Edwards and Kenseth to avoid that, they are going to have to perform well Sunday on a track on which their performances have been mostly mediocre.

“Martinsville has been one of those tracks, to me, that I come to and, I guess for the last few races, I’ve come to it dreading it a little bit,” Edwards said. “But now I come to it just realizing, ‘Hey, I’ve got my work cut out for me. I have to perform well. I have to go out there and give everything I’ve got.’

“To me, to come out of here with a top 10 would be a success. So I don’t dread it as much any more. Now, I just look at it as, ‘Hey, this is going to be a challenge.’ ”

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NASCAR’s Smallest Track May Be Big Player In Championship Outcome

October 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

H. Clay Earles, the late founder of Martinsville Speedway, had a goal of making his half-mile track one of the most unique in all of motorsports. He succeeded as the track today is one of the most fan-friendly in NASCAR. It's also been the site of some good racing and it could play a key role in this year's Chase.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – I truly believe that one of the goals the late H. Clay Earles had when he built the half-mile Martinsville Speedway was that it become a track that mattered; one that gained some notoriety in the world of professional auto racing.

When the speedway was completed in 1948 that goal didn’t seem difficult to attain. With the exception of Indianapolis and a few other large tracks in the Midwest and Northeast, every racing oval in the Southeast was the same – dirt, wooden fencing and rickety grandstands.

A fan that went into the outhouses that served as restrooms didn’t find much in the way of plumbing. There was a flat wooden seat with a hole to the ground and the floor was dirt. So, uh, take you pick.

Earles wanted Martinsville to be nothing like that. He didn’t want his track to be a place fathers told their daughters never, never to go. That edict was prevalent in the ‘40s and ‘50s.

Earles’ reasoning was logical and financially sound.

He determined that if he converted his speedway into a place where a man would feel comfortable taking his family for a Sunday outing, Martinsville could attract more people, and sell more tickets.

So over the years Earles constantly made improvements and added amenities.

He paved the track in the ‘50s after he saw those few female fans that attended Martinsville races leave with their high heels full of dust. Many swore never to return.

To Earles plumbing was a good thing. So restrooms became exactly that – real bathrooms with flushing toilets, toilet paper, sinks, soap, paper towels and everything else. And there were plenty of them.

As time passed there was something else. These restrooms were actually attended by folks whose job was to see that the facilities were cleaned and restocked.

That was an Earles innovation that other NASCAR tracks didn’t adopt for years.

Earles didn’t have a problem with folks bringing beverages, or lunch into the track. But he reasoned that if he provided good food at his concession stands for a very reasonable price, fans would be more inclined to purchase rather than brown-bag.

He provided bargains. For many years the most expensive item on the menu was a hamburger for $2. A hot dog cost a buck.

As any NASCAR aficionado knows, the Martinsville hot dog has become famous – at least among those who like it, and there are plenty of them.

It doesn’t cost a dollar any more but that doesn’t stop anyone. Drivers and crew members have been seen leaving a concession stand with boxes, yes boxes, of them.

Some folks like to brag about how many of them they ate over a weekend. I’m sure someone has eaten more but I’ve been told by one rather hefty fan he once ate 16.

When International Speedway Corp. purchased Martinsville Speedway a few years ago it decided to make some changes, which, admittedly, is routine under new ownership.

But ISC tampered with the hot dog. It was a simple change. Instead of being wrapped in wax paper the dog was served in a Styrofoam tray.

There was outrage and a near mutiny in the garage area, so great you might have thought NASCAR had ruled all drivers must race in the nude.

It took less than a day for the issue to be settled. You buy a hot dog today and it’s still wrapped in wax paper.

As the years passed, Martinsville continued to make changes in an effort to remain a part of NASCAR’s elite Cup circuit.

Like what was done at other speedways, more seats and amenities were added and the garage area was completely renovated.

Martinsville remains one of just three short tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule. It joins Bristol and Richmond, which, like Martinsville, are unique in their own way and remain popular with competitors and fans.

Earles accomplished what he set out to do. After his passing others maintained his legacy.

It might be the smallest track in NASCAR and one not located in a major United States venue, but Martinsville is still a competitive lynchpin in virtually every season.

I don’t think that will be any more obvious than this weekend when the Tums Fast Relief 500 is held on Oct. 30

It will be the first of four races remaining in the Chase and could well determine which driver emerges as the champion.

If you think that is hype or at best far-fetched, consider the following:

Carl Edwards is presently first in the point standings and has a 14-point lead over second-place Matt Kenseth.

The Roush Fenway drivers have records that could be politely described as mediocre – or more bluntly, that stink.

Edwards has made 14 starts at the track, has never won, has only one top-five and four finishes among the top 10. His average finish is16.9 and he wound up 23rd in the speedway’s spring race.

Kenseth has 23 starts, no wins, two top-five runs, seven among the top 10 and has an average finish of 15.8. However, he finished sixth in the spring.

Given their past at Martinsville, I think it would be reasonable to assume that, this weekend, both Edwards and Kenseth would take any positive result they could get and be thankful for it.

That’s because the numbers clearly indicate both are vulnerable.

There are a few drivers who have to take advantage of this vulnerability, or at least turn it good performances, else their championship hopes are dashed.

Jimmie Johnson, who has won five consecutive titles, is in seventh place, 50 points in arrears. He has to gain ground at Martinsville or he’s finished.

Kyle Busch is one spot ahead of him and is 40 points in arrears. His brother Kurt is in eighth place, 52 points down and has to rely on a good run at Martinsville lest he is mathematically eliminated.

Judging by past records Johnson might be in good shape. He’s won six times at Martinsville and has an average finish of 5.0. Good stuff.

Kyle Busch has no wins and six top-five finishes but his average finish is just 15.0. His brother Kurt doesn’t have much to crow about. Yes, he’s won, but otherwise his average finish is a poor 21.0.

Of course, this is all about numbers, but it clearly establishes a very important Chase scenario.

Unless two drivers, who are, incidentally, atop the standings, can reverse their past fortunes at Martinsville it’s like they will fall prey to others.

Three drivers whose title hopes are fading will either see them restored or dashed altogether at Martinsville – and only one has a record to suggest any sort of positive outcome.

All of this helps make the Martinsville race intriguing. Indeed, all sorts of scenarios could play out, but then, that just adds to the anticipation of what might happen at the half-mile track Earles built.

His speedway has long since gained the notoriety and significance he sought.

And now, it’s likely to be a major player in the outcome of what may become one of the closest fights for a championship in NASCAR’s history.

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