It didn’t take long, just one day, in the new season to get the tempers and sheet metal flying. During the first day of Daytona practice for the Bud Shootout, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart were at it again. They tangled on the track and Busch let his temper show as they entered pit road.
It all started as they entered turn three. Busch was running in the middle of the track, passing another car. Stewart had a run going on the outside, so Busch decided to move up a bit to block him. The two got together, putting Busch in the wall. Stewart got loose coming down the track and collected Denny Hamlin in the process. As the caution waved and the cars headed for pit road, Busch came at break-neck speed to catch up to Stewart, who was just getting his car back under control. Busch rammed Stewart three times before the two came to rest on pit road trying to head back to the garage. Both drivers were called into the NASCAR trailer, twice. They emerged calmer, not knowing the full extent of the damage until Monday or Tuesday.
This is not the first time the two have tangled. Last year, while running up front at Daytona, both cars collected each other, ending their respective days. A few weeks later, they tangled again, prompting NASCAR to level fines and penalties at Busch. They were warned, then, not to tangle, but apparently Busch has a very short memory. Not trying to give Stewart a free pass in this, he does seem to antagonize Busch, and is not known for making the best of choices.
So, we wait to see what NASCAR will do. They have claimed to want the “good old days of the NASCAR we came to love.” I suppose they are referring to days with drivers would exit their cars and vent on one another, and anyone within earshot. They don’t want Yarborough-Allison altercations, but wouldn’t mind a few heated exchanges.
Busch has clearly shown, over the years that he has no control over his emotions. He has little care of what goes on around him, endangering pit road personnel in his second altercation with Stewart last year, the one that resulted in his being fined. He has no problem using his car as a weapon, which I suppose is to be expected with a little guy like himself with such a big mouth. NASCAR must make an example of him, since this is still so early in the season.
What would I like to see happen to him? For starters, his car should be pulled from the field of the Shootout tonight. Let his owner and sponsor suffer for their decisions to employ him and they’ll put some heat on him to get it under control. Second, he must be fined and penalized. The standard $100,000 and 100 driver and owner points are a must. Since he gave his owner points to Sam Hornish, Jr., this will hurt him from getting into races. He does have his past champion’s provisionals, though, to fall back on. But, since he’s not acting like a champion, these should be stripped, as well. Of course, probation for the remainder of the season goes without saying.
This now becomes the third season in a row that Busch has shown he has little respect for the sport and the other drivers. If he cannot learn to control himself, the sport would be better off without him. It really seems like only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt because of his immaturity. Hopefully, NASCAR won’t let it come to that.
Cinch up those belts and let’s go racing. JR
