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Kyle Busch's Take on Daytona: Tony Stewart "dumped" him the last lap, and should have been blackflagged
Kyle Busch's crash (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
By Mike Mulhern
mikemulhern.net
JOLIET, Ill.
An irate Kyle Busch said he's still upset that Tony Stewart "dumped" him on the last lap of the Daytona 400, even after talking with Stewart Wednesday about the incident.
Busch, and other drivers, say that such last-lap wrecks are becoming too common at Daytona and Talladega: "I think NASCAR can take a step to look at it. And if the second place driver 'dumps' the leader, then blackflag him. He doesn't get the win," Busch says.
"If he's on him from behind, and moves him out of the way, and there's no wreck, then it's fine and he can win the race.
"But if you're up along side the guy and dump him, then blackflag him and give the win to the third place guy."
And Stewart's move?
"It would be considered a dump," Busch said flatly.
Stewart himself declined to say much more about that Daytona incident: "I called Kyle Tuesday and we had a good conversation....and that's all I want to say about it."
Busch had just passed Stewart for the lead with less than two laps go in Saturday night's 400 at the beach, and coming off turn four toward the checkered flag, Stewart lightly tapped Busch, to try to get him a bit out of shape. Then Stewart made a move to the high side to pass Busch back, and Stewart's car was up just to Busch's rear wheels when Busch moved to block him.
The collision turned Busch head-on hard into the outside wall, and Busch in turn was hit by several other cars, in one of the worst crashes of the season.
But Busch – and thank NASCAR's safety features in the car-of-tomorrow – was able to crawl out of his car and walk across the track to the pits and then the infield hospital.
At Daytona Stewart profusely apologized for the crash and said he didn't like to win races that way. Stewart was remarkably contrite about the incident, though it appeared to be a rather typical – if hard – racing incident.
Busch left Daytona without comment, but Thursday afternoon at Chicagoland Speedway Busch finally spoke.
And Busch was almost sullen, clearly still angry, when pressed about those final moments of the race:
"I got bumped from behind off turn four, and that sent me low a little bit. I got my stuff gathered up and then tried to block high, but was too late. Tony was already along side."
Cut and dried maybe.
But Busch still isn't a bit happy, despite Stewart's apologies.
If Busch had that last lap back and could do it again?
"I wouldn't so anything differently. I don't have it back. It's over and done with. I did everything I could to try to win the race, and didn't.
And Stewart's talk with him? "I really don't have feelings, so it didn't mean a whole lot.
"But I think him for checking on me to see if I was still alive.
"It is like what he said: a racing wreck that seems to happen more often than not on the last lap at Daytona and Talladega."
What can a driver do in that situation? Does a driver have to be out front to win, by blocking?
It isn't an academic issue, since Talladega will be a championship chase race.
"Whenever I'm second, I normally finish second…and when I'm leading, I guess I'm getting wrecked," Busch said. "So I guess I don't know how to win restrictor plate races."
The 'setup' (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR), with Kyle Busch leading Tony Stewart the last lap at Daytona
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Good stuff, Mike. Well, we
Good stuff, Mike. Well, we got our answer on Busch and the block. He did a good job correcting it to that point just to try to get back up the hill. Many drivers would have been sliding across the grass after the contact. What I love about him is what got him 14th and wrecked race car instead of 2nd with no marks. It's refreshing.
thanks, i am trying to make a
thanks, i am trying to make a point with some of these drivers that i won't accept the pro forma answers....kyle is refreshing...and i am still struck by tony's apologia at daytona -- that's is so uncharacteristic...
Tony's apologia at Daytona
Tony's apologia at Daytona was striking. I'm also glad Kyle Busch actually defended himself because every site I go to people scream "Busch blocked! Busch blocked!" That was never what I saw in that wreck - blocking is what we saw Ryan Newman do on the last lap in the Alabama 312 in April. Busch held his line in the Firecracker finish and got dumped.
In the end, drivers need to stop worrying about it and just race - they're there to fight for the win; they need to start accepting and owning up to consequences.
"I got bumped from behind off
"I got bumped from behind off turn four, and that sent me low a little bit. I got my stuff gathered up and then tried to block high, but was too late. Tony was already along side."
-Kyle Busch
Let me get this right Kryle. You acknowledge that Tony did his job to get you to go low. And you are ok with that, based on your thoughts abot a driver being able to move you, but not crash you. And since Tony was already along side you (using your words Kyle), what was he supposed to do?
In my opinion, Kyle thinks that if he swerves up toward Stewart, Stewart is supposed to move, and break his momentum, allowing Kyle to win. Are you crazy Kyle? If you were alongside a car, and they "wrecked themself" by trying to block you, what would you do? I'll answer that for you, you would have wrecked him.
If Kryle thinks that he got dumped, I wonder how he feels about the Richmond incident with Dale Jr, where he dumped the 88. Oh wait, nevermind, in Kryle's mind, he is entitled to every win
When Kyle screws up, it's
When Kyle screws up, it's always somebody else's fault. If he would have kept his line, he would have finished 3rd at least. But he blocks, wrecked, and throws another stomping tantrum fit. If he had a good attitude to go with his talent he might be worth watching; but every time he acts like that, it makes me wish for the racing of old where men were men and not spoiled children. I mean, could anybody imagine Earnhardt, DW or Terry labonte acting like kyle? There was a reason Hendrick got rid of him, and it was not because of his racing ability, it was because he was tired of his tantrums.
i agree that kyle busch needs
i agree that kyle busch needs to grow up. a little bit of it is okay, but he goes over the top too many times. perhaps a case of too much too soon? i mean dale sr. had to work his butt off to make it to the big leagues; kyle had it all handed to him. now kyle has to figure out himself how to mature, and for a while it looked like he was finally getting it -- but this year he's 24 going on 14 again. if rick hendrick gave up on kyle busch, that says something, because rick can make things work, usually (though i still think he should have done a better job of keeping tim richmond under reins)....but i have no confidence at all that joe gibbs can or will or will even try to do much with kyle...considering the way he handled -- mishandled usually -- tony stewart. if bill france jr were still around, he'd call kyle down to daytona for a sit-down and let him know the facts of nascar life -- but apparently there's nobody in daytona who is willing to make that phone call.
Can we stop pretending Busch
Can we stop pretending Busch blocked? He held his line and got turned by Tony Stewart. And no, Hendrick didn't get rid of him for temper tantrums, he got rid of him so he could get Dale Junior - Busch was a far better fit with Hendrick than Junior has any hope of being.
"Can anyone imagine Earnhardt, DW, or Terry Labonte acting like Kyle?" Uh, yes, we can, because they did - Earnhardt was always petulant when someone actually stood up to him, Waltrip was a chronic jerk, and even Terry Labonte acted like an idiot from time to time.
The Labonte brothers have
The Labonte brothers have always been gentlemen under the worst of circumstances. You owe Terry an apology.
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