November 14, 2011
By Matthew Pizzolato
Matthew Pizzolato
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What Kyle Busch did to Ron Hornaday Jr. two weeks ago in the Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway was unprofessional, immature and reprehensible.
Busch clearly crossed a line in the eyes of many fans and of NASCAR officials when he spun out Hornaday while the race was under caution.
Hornaday entered the race in contention for his fifth Truck Series championship, but the wreck effectively ended his chances. Busch, on the other hand, doesn't even compete in the series full time. Ruining his championship hopes pales in comparison when one realizes that Hornaday could have been seriously injured.
Busch's actions were not without consequences. NASCAR sidelined him for the remainder of the weekend, not allowing him to compete in either the Nationwide or the Cup race. He was fined $50,000 and placed on probation for the final two races of the year. NASCAR also stated that "if during the remaining NASCAR events in 2011 there is another action by the competitor that is deemed by NASCAR officials as detrimental to stock car racing -- or to NASCAR, or is disruptive to the orderly conduct of an event, the competitor will be suspended indefinitely from NASCAR."
Since the incident occurred, Busch has issued several apologies and taken full responsibility for his actions. Yet that has done little to stem the tide of public opinion.
Busch's primary sponsor, M&M's asked to have their logos removed from his No. 18 car for the remainder of the season. They haven't left Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), but it's clear they don't want to be associated with Kyle Busch and that is quite understandable. The actions of his sponsors draw more attention than the penalties from NASCAR, which were not nearly severe enough.
At the least, Kyle Busch should have been parked for the remainder of the season, not just the race weekend at Texas. He should have been banned from both the Truck Series and Nationwide Series, and he should have been placed on permanent probation and given a warning that another such action would result in being banned from NASCAR entirely.
People have been saying that because he has recently gotten married, he turned the corner and had begun to mature. His actions at Texas proved that act was clearly a façade.
His team owner, Joe Gibbs, is just about the only person left that still believes in him.
"I think for me personally, I just want to make a point that when you're put in a situation like this, you really can make one of two decisions. I think the one would have been devastating and I think really discouraging for everybody associated with Kyle -- everybody around him and for the sport," Gibbs was quoted as saying in a press conference at Phoenix. "What I've chosen to do, I want to support Kyle and I feel like this could have a positive impact on Kyle and I'm committed to him as a person. I like him -- we've gone through a lot together. As far as us at Joe Gibbs Racing, we're looking forward to a long relationship."
More than likely, Busch will put up a good front for a while. People will start wondering if he's finally grown up, and then he'll have another episode like this one.
Jeff Gordon believes the consequences of this incident should finally make Busch realize that he can't keep endangering other drivers on the track.
"I think that if this doesn’t teach him the ultimate lesson then nothing will. I would certainly have to believe that this would be an eye opening experience," Jeff Gordon said at a press conference this weekend at Phoenix. "Sitting out Saturday and Sunday and seeing the magnitude -- I’m sure at first he was pretty shocked at the magnitude of this incident. I think once he saw that -- it had to have gotten his attention."
Gordon is correct to an extent. But there comes a point when one has to wonder that if NASCAR hasn't gotten Busch's attention by now, will they ever?
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