Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Now the other Busch might lose his ride

Just two weeks removed from watching his brother Kyle barely hold onto his job at Joe Gibbs Racing because of wreckless behavior, Kurt Busch put his own job in jeopardy.

Busch was caught ranting at Dr. Jerry Punch as he waited to start an ESPN interview after transmission problems sent him to the garage early in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.



Even after NASCAR levied a $50,000 fine and Busch, his owner Roger Penske and sponsor Shell/Pennzoil released their apology statements, rumors persist that Penske might release Busch in the next couple of weeks.

This isn’t the first time Busch has lost his mind and used disrespectful language to a reporter, or members of his own team, so why might this episode get him kicked out of the #22 car? It’s the same problem that plagued his Kyle Busch after he intentionally wrecked Ron Hornaday under caution during the truck race at Texas Motor Speedway.

It’s the reputation he has built.

Kurt Busch has always had his moments where he gets upset and does something that draws a fine from NASCAR, or at least the ire of fans and people involved in the sport. Busch routinely cussed out his team over the radio during races this season and has even taken his owner to task during the middle of a race.

This particular deal at Homestead wasn’t that incredibly different than much of Busch’s behavior throughout the season, and that’s the problem.

Kyle Busch had delivered payback on drivers before, but NASCAR and his sponsors threw the book at him this time because he kept pushing the envelope too far. Well, Kurt Busch has done the same.

In 2005, Busch was suspended by his then-owner Jack Roush for the final two races of the season after he was pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving. Since that point, Busch has had off-and-on controversies with other drivers, as has Kyle Busch.
Whether or not Penske fires Busch, who just completed his second year of a five-year contract, is yet to be seen, but don’t think it is a foregone conclusion that Busch will be gone.

Joe Gibbs worked incredibly hard to protect Kyle Busch throughout his ordeal after the Texas wreck and managed to keep him in the car even when his primary sponsor, M&M/Mars, pulled its stickers off the car for the final two weeks.
However, Penske isn’t Joe Gibbs, and that could hurt Busch in this situation.

Overall, it’s amazing that both of the Busch brothers continue to find themselves embroiled in a mess of their own making. At some point every driver either grows up and becomes a long-time figure in the sport, or he gets shuffled out.

NASCAR’s famous saying to drivers in the hauler after a controversial incident is, “You need us more than we need you.” While it might be tough to think of NASCAR without the Busch brothers after they have been grabbing headlines since Kurt Busch entered the Cup Series in 2000, the sport can go on without both of them.

Penske Racing can also go on without Busch. Brad Keselowski had a great season in the #2 car and finished fifth in the points standings, and there are three drivers who have won in the Cup series that don’t have a ride lined up for 2012: David Reutimann, David Ragan and Brian Vickers.

Plus, other young drivers such as Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are having a difficult time finding a consistent seat in the Cup series. Make no mistake, Penske could easily fill the #22 car with a qualified driver.

It’s a shame the Busch brothers can’t figure out how to handle themselves in a respectful manner. People have said ever since they entered the sport that they are incredibly talented, but they have to mature. Well, they haven’t matured, and Kurt just finished his 11th full season while Kyle completed his seventh. At this point, doubts start to arise that they may never mature.

In an era where sponsorships are difficult to find, the Busch brothers could become two of the biggest flameouts in the history of the sport.

24 comments:

  1. I've heard that Kurt getting the axe is set in stone. Penske is waiting until after the awards banquet in the Busch's hometown of Las Vegas to pull the trigger, though.

    To clarify a little on Kurt's arrest and suspension by Roush: He tested way below the legal limit for blood alcohol content. And, when Roush suspended Kurt, he was a lame-duck driver. The two races he missed were to be his last two there anyway. Have to wonder if Jack would have pulled the trigger if he was staying there.

    nascar without the Busch Bros? Great! The PGA on wheels.

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  2. All my inside contacts are gone so makes me think Kurt is too but the media hates him right now for his "abuse" and is doing anything they can to stoke the fire. Dunno on this one it would be really expensive to buy him out of the 5 year contract.

    Roger is no Joe Gibbs and is pretty absent on the Cup side. Roger likes the fire too but who knows what crosses the line. Kurt was super pissed about Addington and he essentially botched the rest of the Chase for Kurt so Kurt might get the pass on this one if Pennzoil can let it go...thats the kicker.

    Love his fire on the track but no doubt Kurt going to have to do something about it off the track or he wont be able to keep a team around him...and he wont talk to me so forget that! LOL

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  3. There are four drivers not three with wins looking for rides, You forgot Casey Mears, He has not signed with Germain, Plus his uncle Rick still works for Penske. If they need a replacement this late in the game Mears would have the fast track to the seat.

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  4. Penske does not have what it takes to fire Busch. He is old and afraid of confrontation. He has lost his Mojo. There are other drivers that can do the job. Kenseth-no sponsor, Ragan, maybe Hornish-much better spokesman, Casey Mears-name recognition, young guns Stenhouse, Bayne and Stremme. All can win and would be better spokesmen for Penske conglomerate and Shell-Penzoil sponsor any day of the week versus Busch.

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  5. Don't forget that Penske also has Sam Hornish that is available, although not a proven NASCAR winner.

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  6. If David Reutimann can't have the #22 seat, I'd love to see Trevor in that ride. He's a fine young man who would represent Shell with class and dignity; unlike that nut-case Kurt Busch.

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  7. While a great many reporters (title used lightly) may hope for people like the Busch's to be gone and have their jobs easier. The fact is that when you get your way and have a bunch of drivers who learn to tell you the lies you want to hear. You'll all have the same interview, the same lies and bore the dickens out of a dwindling reader base...... careful what you wish for ... you may get it.

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  8. Where Kurt goes I go. Buzz off all you haters...

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  9. Anon 1:00 p.m. -- is that you, Kurt?

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  10. Hit the road with your spoiled bratt bush brothers

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  11. What kurt has put his own staff through is Unbelievable ...Who would want to work with this guy...Gene H & co all seem to have the blinders on due to love ...Facts mean nothing to these people...Casey Mears (also ran who dosn't belong with an upper level team ...& I Don't think Rogers paid off all the damage Hornish did the first time around (still think he owes the other owners $500,000 for damages inflicted by this untrained open wheeler) & Please let us have a season in cup w/o vickers...Don't know if it's Roger or Penzoil whos pushing this but I know they A. Like TV exposure (U no interveiws etc) & B. They don't EVER want to be represented that way. ...& Anonymous You can buzz off with your spoiled brat buddy anytime...Perhaps take up F1 & leave the real racing lol Best to All (well most)

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  12. So Penske would drop Kurt Busch for Mears, Ragan, Stremme, Reutimann, Vickers, Bayne, Stenhouse or Hornish? Get real. Kurt Busch is a Chase caliber driver. I would be shocked if he were replaced and if he was replaced, there would be several owners and sponsors lining up to add him to their team and drop their current driver. Napa Auto Parts, I am sure wants a winner.

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  13. I've read Gene's comments and from that it sounds like a very real likelihood then I read Kristen's comments and it sounds like burning Kurt is not very likely...

    From my gut and knowing Kurt's a problem child just like his brother and I suppose these guys will never learn... But I can't imagine Penske cutting Kurt loose. On the other hand, if he is forced out I'm thinking he would move to the front of the line for any new openings on several other teams, maybe not the upper echelon, but there'd be a home for him... Perhaps a sponsor geared toward a potty mouth like Kurt would be in the works... Ivory Soap? Kleenex Tissue? Crest Toothpaste? How about Listerine? The options are many and the publicity would be BIG!

    Time will tell...

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  14. heck whats all the fuss about? nascar needs drivers like KURT AND KYLE.BUT MY DRIVER IS VERY DIFFERENCE TYPE DRIVER>> MARK MARTIN.

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  15. Mr. Penske has never tolerated a driver bigger than the team. He cut Paul Tracy loose for trashing the team. He cut Little Al loose for exactly the same thing. Kurt's as good as fired. He's off to NHRA any way as an owner driver. The next driver is Parker Kligerman.

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  16. Anonymous #1: I don't know where you heard Mears won't be back in the #13. Mears and GEICO both appear to be back for 2012. Jayski.com concurs: http://www.jayski.com/pages/2012teams.htm.
    Thanks!

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  17. Kurt is not leaving Penske but working with a sports psychologist at the behest of his sponsor and Penske. (and no its not me!) He'll be on a short leash I am sure and has lost some key people that support him.

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  18. You have to look at what happened to Kurt,First his crewchief ran him out of fuel twice,and then gave him a car that lasted two laps,I would,ve went insane myself

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  19. Kurt going or staying is as boring as he is...Kyle on the other hand is a different story. Until Texas, he showed a lot of improvement this past year. It's hard to condemn him to hell and the unemployment lines when he was goaded numerous times. Writers comparing him to Sandusky and Fine need to take Nascar's drug test and take a few more journalism courses and recognize that Kyle drives better than they write.

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  20. Tuttle at SI should be terminated for lack of journalistic integrity. He wrote this article for sensational calue only and without any facts at all.
    You haters have all been fooled.

    Penske and Kurt Busch for years to come!

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  21. Winning a race or two used to a good year, not now

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  22. And perhaps, in a total reversal of my previous comment, Kurt is gone. It would make some sense actually based on some of the things going on that I cannot actually say anything about if true.

    VERRRRyyyy interestin!

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  23. klvalus - Would love to hear what you know about that whole operation sometime.
    Thanks!

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