It was eventually going to happen. At some point this year this guy was going to make it to victory lane. It was last year in Indy when he last tasted that thrill, and he has come close many times already.
But finally, Kyle Busch has a victory in 2017.
So am I excited to see him get that win? Honestly, no. The reason being is that despite how big a win it is to him, it doesn’t erase the fact that he is a bitter loser when he doesn’t get first. Sure the slogan is, “If you’re not first, you’re last,” but he takes this way too serious.
Let’s be honest, Busch is a fantastic driver, and has shown success. But, despite that success, he’s still the same Kyle that broke into the sport back in the mid-2000’s with Hendrick Motorsports.
Busch has been very vocal when he’s upset at something in a race that costs him victory, even if it’s in the Xfinity or Trucks. This is the same guy who years ago in a Truck race, on a weekend where he was running all three series, intentionally wrecked another driver under caution for causing him to go into the wall. NASCAR parked him for that race, then the next day called him to their mobile office at the track and told him to go home. He’s the same guy who flipped off a NASCAR official on pit road for being held a lap as a penalty, and it cost him two more laps in the process when he got called back down to serve the second penalty.
This is also the same guy who broke his leg and ankle in an accident at Daytona, came back after 12 races off, and eventually won the championship. He’s the same guy who has a beautiful wife and a son at home to worry about.
What kind of example is he setting for his son, Brexton, when he acts like he does in defeat? How does it look when he goes after a driver and gets into a scuffle that causes him to bleed? Better yet, how does it look to his young son when he doesn’t lose with grace, and rather than take responsibility to say it was still a good day, view it as a day where he and the team found another way to lose?
I don’t make any bones about it, I am not a fan of his. I respect him as a driver, and if I’m interviewing him I also show him that respect because it’s been earned.
However, until he starts losing with the same amount of respect he gets when he is winning, you won’t see me cheering him on. Well, unless I lose a bet and I’m forced to wear the gear, but that’s another subject all its own.
Until that time passes, “Rowdy” Busch will still be that guy who’s trying to be like Dale Earnhardt, when in fact he’s not even deserving of being in the same sentence as the Intimidator.
STAGE 1 WINNER: Kyle Busch
STAGE 2 WINNER: Clint Bowyer
RESULTS: 1-Kyle Busch 2-Harvick 3-Truex Jr. 4-Hamlin 5-Keselowski 6-Bowyer 7-Suarez 8-Jones 9-Kenseth 10-Elliott
NOTABLE FINISHES: 11-Kahne 12-Earnhardt Jr. 13-Kurt Busch 14-Newman 16-Stenhouse Jr. 21-Dillon 27-Logano 30-Blaney 33-Larson 35-Johnson
CAUTIONS: 5 for 21 laps. Lap 2-7 (#3, 10, 20, 27, 32, 37, 43, 95 Incident-T3); 52-55 (Stage 1 Conclusion); 59-61 (#5 and 48 Incident-T3); 71-74 (Debris-T1); 102-105 (Stage 2 Conclusion).
LEAD CHANGES: 16 among 9 drivers. Kyle Busch 1-21; E. Jones # 22-24; R. Stenhouse Jr. 25-35; M. Kenseth 36-41; Kyle Busch 42-52; M. Kenseth 53-55; Kyle Busch
56-71; A. Dillon 72-73; D. Hamlin 74-89; M. Truex Jr. 90-96; C. Bowyer 97-101; M. Truex Jr. 102-125; Kyle Busch 126-134; B. Keselowski 135-140; E. Jones
# 141; D. Hamlin 142-143; Kyle Busch 144-160.
TIME OF RACE: 2 Hrs, 50 Mins, 7 Secs.
AVERAGE SPEED: 141.080 MPH
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 6.178 Seconds
POINT STANDINGS (Points/Behind Leader [Playoff Points]): 1. Truex Jr, 823 [29]; 2. Larson, -85 [13]; 3. Harvick, -97 [8]; 4. Kyle Busch, -100 [13]; 5. Keselowski, -174 [13]; 6. Hamlin, -174 [7]; 7. Elliott, -207 [2]; 8. McMurray, -208; 9. Kenseth, -229 [2]; 10. Bowyer, -246 [1]; 11. Johnson, -257 [16]; 12. Blaney, -294 [8]; 13. Logano, -298 [1*]; 14. Kurt Busch, -329 [5]; 15. Newman, -332 [5]; 16. Jones, -354; 17. Stenhouse Jr, -355 [10]; 19. Kahne, -409 [5]; 21. Dillon, -428 [5]