February 8, 2006

By Rebecca Gladden

Rebecca Gladden

Kurt Busch needs to grow up.

He has said so himself, on more than one occasion.

Racing this season with a new team and a new boss, the biggest question facing Busch is whether this will be the year that he finally matures.

Busch ended the 2005 season under a cloud of controversy - one which has hung over him for most of his NASCAR career, despite winning the 2004 championship. In November, Busch was charged with reckless driving after allegedly mouthing off to sheriff's deputies during a traffic stop near Phoenix International Raceway. His original court date, set for December 22nd, has been continued twice; the issue is still pending and his penalty if found guilty still uncertain.

As a result of the incident, then car owner Jack Roush suspended Busch for the final two races of the 2005 season, stating, "Kurt has been a challenge for everybody that has interacted with him on the team at some time or another." Roush team president Geoff Smith added, "We're officially retiring as Kurt Busch's apologists, effective today."

Prior to the year's final race at Homestead-Miami, NBC commentator Bill Weber told viewers that he had spoken with Busch by phone a few days early about the incident in Phoenix. Weber reported that Busch, "realizes in the last few years he has matured in the seat as a racer, but not as much as a person," and that, "he plans to work on that." Weber said that fans will see an obvious change in Busch in 2006 and that Kurt had two words for his doubters: "Just watch."

Busch made a similar promise at the end of the 2004 season - his championship year - when he announced at the NASCAR award's banquet, "I'm going to do my best to be the kind of champion this year that everyone will be proud of."

Unfortunately, he fell short of that goal in 2005.

At Darlington in May, for example, Busch reportedly lashed out at NASCAR officials with a string of obscenities on his team radio after receiving a two-lap penalty for passing the pace car under caution. He then revved his engine while in the pits and threw a water bottle out of his car window, striking a NASCAR official in his pit. After the race, Busch received a stern reprimand from NASCAR officials about his conduct and was placed on what some called "unofficial probation" for the remainder of the season.

At New Hampshire in September, after early contact with Scott Riggs took Busch out of the race, he jumped out of his car in the garage and stormed down pit road to Riggs' pit box for a verbal confrontation with Riggs' crew chief, Rodney Childers.

But the biggest bombshell of the year came in August, when Busch announced that he had signed a contract to drive for Penske Racing starting in 2007. The surprise move caught everyone off guard, especially team owner Jack Roush, who said he had no idea that Busch was looking at other teams. Busch also asked to be released early from his Roush contract, which ran through 2006, in order to make the move to Penske after the 2005 season.

Now, in what might be seen as his first public relations snafu of 2006, Busch told reporters in Daytona last month that he knew why Rusty Wallace - long-time occupant of the #2 car that is now Busch's ride - and Penske teammate Ryan Newman didn't get along. According to Busch, Rusty Wallace couldn't keep team secrets to himself: "Newman is a new-school guy and Rusty is an old-school guy," Busch asserted. "When Newman would have good information and new things found by his team, Rusty was available to that, but Rusty didn't quite keep it in-house,"

Apparently, neither does Busch.

At the same time, Busch told reporters last week that he intends to pattern himself after Wallace: "I'm challenging myself to model myself after Rusty Wallace - legendary champion, a great spokesman for his sponsors, a great guy that could really go out there and get into the marketplace and reach the fans," Busch said.

Here's a bit of advice that might help Kurt live up to that lofty goal, as well as to similar promises made in the past: Stop worrying about being a "spokesman" and getting into the "marketplace." Just drive the car to the best of your ability every week, be respectful of those around you, and keep your temper in check.

The rest will take care of itself.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN. Although we may not always agree with what is said, we do feel it's our duty to give a voice to those who have something relevant to say about the sport of auto racing.