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Kamikaze Kurt
By: Dennis Terry
If you haven't seen it, be sure to check out the highlights of Kurt Busch ramming Tony Stewart on pit road during Monday's race in Dover.
Kurt nearly wiped out Stewart's Jackman, Jason Lee, who had to dive onto the hood of Stewart's car to escape serious injury from another one of Kurt's adolescent temper tantrums.
I know that this will never happen, but I've got to say it anyway, it is time for NASCAR to step up and suspend Kurt Busch for a few races because of his pit road actions in Dover. When is our sport's sanctioning body going to exercise some control over the drivers who represent all of us???
Here's some perspective for you... Tony Eury Jr. got suspended for six races and fined $100K for having the wrong support brackets mounted on his race car. If Kurt doesn't receive at least equal punishment for intentionally putting a guy's life in danger then all of NASCAR's safety hype is bogus.
HANS devices, soft walls, restrictor plates and larger cars have all been implemented to make driver safety number one, but what sort of NASCAR safety devices are in place to safeguard crew members from guys like Kurt Busch intentionally running us over???
Helmets and fire proof shoes? I don't think that's going to be enough. The only protection that crew members really have is NASCAR's responsibility to mandate a sense of control and a priority of safety from each driver while navigating pit road.
I guess we'll see where NASCAR's safety priorities are once we are able to compare Kurt's imminent punishment with what Tony Jr. received at Darlington.
Remember Kurt, your annual salary as a driver is five times what we make our entire careers... even if you can't show any respect for your sponsors, your fans or how you represent Roger Penske, try to grow up and show some professionalism and class as a driver.
You are the 2004 Cup Champion, when can we expect you to start acting like a Champion?
DT
June 5, 2007 | Permalink
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Amen.
Posted by: Sal | Jun 5, 2007 6:51:25 AM
Just when you start to think Busch is maturing. He goes and pulls another bonehead stunt. He won't get near the penalty Tony Jr. got. One showed intent and the other was spur of the moment stupid. But, if NASCAR did want to show concern and control over pit road, then surely at least one race in the stands would go a long way.
Posted by: Keith | Jun 5, 2007 6:59:43 AM
Anytime you use your car on pit road in an aggressive way, like spinning someone out or doing what Kurt did, you get parked for two races and fined $100,000, period. That includes Tony and Carl and anyone else who's ever spun someone out on pit road.
I used to like Kurt Busch, but he keeps losing my respect with crap like this.
Posted by: Kurt Smith | Jun 5, 2007 7:39:32 AM
Keith, your comment was almost verbatim what I told my wife when Kurt went stupid on us again. I'm *really* glad Tony's jackman jumped out of the way, because IIRC Kurt's car *slid* into Tony's, telling me that Kurt may not have been able to avoid the crewman if he hadn't jumped.
If NASCAR doesn't park Kurt for a race or two, Roger Penske should.
Have a good one,
Mike
Posted by: VetteDrmr | Jun 5, 2007 8:23:05 AM
Here is the reason why Kurt won't sit. He drives for Penske, penske sits on the ISC Board, ISC equals NASCAR,Penske can't afford for Kurt to sit and fall out of Chase, so .,..shazam, monetary fines and that dreaded "probation" will fall.
Any takers?????
Posted by: clay | Jun 5, 2007 8:28:03 AM
AMEN DT...I think you said it all. But since they won't sit him, the moneteray fine should be an astronomical figure so that he actually gets the message. $100k won't do it....that's lunch money to him. It should be $500k at least, and he should be glad to pay it. How much do you think he & Nascar would be paying in a wrongful death suit if Jason Lee doesn't get out of the way in time and the worst case scenario happened. Personally, I think they should park his dumb ass for the rest of the year.
Posted by: Jeff | Jun 5, 2007 8:38:44 AM
Was Kurt wrong? YES. But Nascar has had many chances to correct this behavior in the past and failed. The proper way to handle this and be fair about it is to put in writing, " any driver demonstraiting aggressive retalitory behavior towards another driver will be parked and suspended one additional race per incident. If during said incident, any person receives personal injury, that driver will be suspended for the remainder of that season."
Now everyone knows what the rules are. To make Kurt an example is to condone the ones who acted in this manner prior to today.
Posted by: Pete8 | Jun 5, 2007 8:55:23 AM
He won't be the example. Harvick spun out a competetor in a retaliatory manner, sat out a race. But his owner didn't sit on the board. Hope I'm wrong, but Kurt won't sit. Miller Brewing and penske are too strong. Baby Brian doesnt have what it takes, and it seems he has cut Heltons's power strings.
Posted by: clay | Jun 5, 2007 9:08:39 AM
I am sure Miller is regretting their decision when they signed off on Kurt as their driver. I wish Miller Lite wasn't my favorite beer so I wouldn't have to associate myself with him. Go to the races and see how few people are at the #2 trailor buying merchandise.
Posted by: Michael | Jun 5, 2007 9:36:47 AM
Preach on brother! I didn't get to see the race yesterday but saw the pics of what happened. Kurt's behavior borders on criminal. If I used my Jeep Liberty as a weapon like Kurt did yesterday my local police department would be more than glad to explain to me the error of my ways!
Posted by: tiff | Jun 5, 2007 9:55:28 AM
You guys are going way too far. Kurt never rammed Tony. The pit crew member jumped after Kurt stopped. It may have been wrong to do it on pit road but somebody needed to stand up to Tony! It's either Kenseth, Raines, Gordon, Kyle, or Kurt. It's never Tony!He's a disrespectful hypocrite!
Posted by: Jeff | Jun 5, 2007 9:59:42 AM
I was so pissed off when that happened. If i was stewarts jackman i wouldnt have just sat there and pointed my finger. But i have a short fuse when it comes to idiots at the racetrack.
It was something i would see on like a friday or saturday night at a short track. Not on a sunday(monday) with drivers that make millions a year.
Posted by: Stuckey | Jun 5, 2007 10:03:35 AM
NASCAR has it's chance.....If they don't suspend Kurt Busch for at LEAST two races and fine him $200,000 for his actions at Dover they're preaching of safety should cease immediately.
Cut Michael Waltrip 100 points and $100,000 for some substance in the manifold and Tony Eury Jr. $100,000 and a six race suspension for an illegal wing mount. A two race suspension seems tame.
NASCAR.......DO THE RIGHT THING !!!
Posted by: "Captain" Jack, Myrtle Beach, SC | Jun 5, 2007 10:21:44 AM
I think a 5 race suspension, a couple hundred thousand dollars to Mr Lee's favorite charity, a couple hundred thousand to NASCAR and 100 hundred owners and 100 drivers point and then maybe for fun a public flogging.....hmmmm now I feel better. Putting pit crew lives in danger in unexcusable. You guys work way too hard. Except they did a little piece on you and your college days and they caught you laying down on the tires or whatever it was. But I have so much respect for you Pit guys. When I am at the race I love to watch the pit stops it is like watchin a ballet. So coordinated and precise.
Posted by: Lynn | Jun 5, 2007 10:29:39 AM
Will be interested in hearing the party speak (or political correct) opinion of Trent. Probably be wise if he steered clear of this one!!!
Posted by: clay | Jun 5, 2007 10:37:33 AM
Granted Kurt was out of line to place the pit guy in danger with his car,but stop creating a soap opera over it.This policeman mentality you and Nascar have got over the last few years has what made many fans have a lost of interest when it comes to racing.Nascar's "detramental to the sport" rules and your type of responses are exactly what is making us find other things to do on race day or nite.Stewart is a joke with his blaming all others about there driving when he is the king of overly aggresive driving just like the stunt he pulled @ Daytona with Kenseth.That bone head menatlity of I'll finish it is just as dangerous if not more than half the pit road deals.Pit road does have more chances for guys to get hurt and again Kurt should have got out of his car and asked Tony to go settle it outside the track.But let it go,stone casters.Nascar needs drama and rifts among drivers because the racing has become quite boring.We need a reson to want to read the paper or watch the pre-race activites.Let it go........
Posted by: DJ | Jun 5, 2007 10:42:29 AM
ummm, jeff? you are the one that's wrong... go to nascar.com and read jason lee's remarks regarding kurt nearly hitting him... i think that he, of all people, knows exactly what happened... and he's not happy about it.
kurt did make contact with tony's car and the jackman was on the wheel side when kurt slid in.. he did have to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit... (dvr's are terrific!)
he could have seriously injured that guy -- or worse, killed him. let these temper tantrums continue and it'll happen, sooner than you think.
yes, busch needs to be fined and suspended... but unfortunately, he needs to receive a pentalty that will hurt all the parties affiliated with him... SERIOUSLY hurt.
ANY driver (not just busch) exhibiting that kind of behavior needs to be suspended for the remainder of the season. period. now THAT would get the attention of the driver, owner(s) and the all important sponsor(s)!
ain't gonna happen, but i can dream.
Posted by: tina | Jun 5, 2007 10:57:55 AM
Kevin Harvick said early LAST year that kurt busch would make a fool out of penske before the year was out... well he just missed it by a few months. In my opinion kb is a very dangerous individual. he got his nose flattened by Jimmy Spencer, he got his ears pinned back by a cosmetic surgeon, i guess, maybe he did it himself... he needs a brain transplant and a serious attitude adjustment that he can relate to. Park him for multiple races, if not the rest of the year and fine the hell out of him and his crew chief, yeah, they are responsible for the actions of their drivers. That was pure insanity... intentionally run into a car IN the pit box???? A sane individual i believe would have thought about that a little more.
Posted by: RCR29 | Jun 5, 2007 11:02:26 AM
dj:
wow. so you'd like to SEE someone get hit and seriously injured on pit road then? as long as it's entertaining for you, huh? as long as it maintains/increases viewership, huh? talk about a bonehead.
how about a coach lot brawl instead -- i'm sure that would be more entertaining for EVERYONE and the only ones that would get hurt would be the idiot drivers... i'd PAY to see that!
first up: stewart v. busch (pick a brother)
second: kahne v. stremme
third: newman v. montoya
fourth: j. gordon (no helmet allowed) v. kenseth
Posted by: tina | Jun 5, 2007 11:18:37 AM
What Kurt did was idiotic, and warrants a major penalty, but tony is the ultimate instigator. Don't get me wrong, I like both Tony and Kurt, but every week, Tony is hitting somebody after he gets aggravated. he preaches give and take, but he consistently takes and does not give. It was bound to happen, Tony pushing another driver to do something so stupid in retaliation.
Posted by: keith12 | Jun 5, 2007 11:23:19 AM
Hey DT,
On a lite'r note 2 start. Great to see ya all stressed out for the camera. lol
This ain't easy for me, but here goes.
Kurt should not fear Nascar. It is time for the Captain to have Kurt "walk the plank". No one wants to hear him blame Tony for his mistake. Had the 20 lifted, most likely would of been hit by the Bif.
There has been plenty of piling on, starting with Spencer. Searched for a way to defend Kurt. Nota', zip.
I would like to see Kurt gone. But, let the 2 car compete after whatever penalty.
Had Kurt's brakes been damaged in the wreck this could have been more tragic.
Posted by: Larry | Jun 5, 2007 11:24:51 AM
Hey Keith,
agreed, but Tony is a different problem to be sorted out at a later date. Hope his actions do not result in tragedy.
Posted by: Larry | Jun 5, 2007 11:28:01 AM
Tina...typical response of someone missing a point.Did I say I'd like to see someone get hit?Did I say it was ok to be that way on pit road?Did I not say settle it outside the track?I do not enjoy seeing people get hurt period, as you are way out of bounds with that.I do not agree with what he did.But I do think and of course it is an opinion,that the racing sucks for the most part and stand by my comments.So don't get your pannies in a knot and get on some tangent that you believe is what I was saying.I agree with your rifts between the drivers and would rather them settle on the track or behind the barn,not on pit road for the record.
Posted by: DJ | Jun 5, 2007 11:33:32 AM
The stupid thing is that if Kurt would have accidentally slipped out a cussword in an interview as Junior did, we would not have any doubt that he would lose money and championship points.
He came ---><--- that close to killing Tony's jackman, and it is a debate on weather or not he should be penalized?
It is truly a bizzare world we live in!
Posted by: FedEx Guy | Jun 5, 2007 11:39:44 AM
Wun werd:
Lobotomy ! !
Posted by: LarryTheCableGuy | Jun 5, 2007 11:40:35 AM
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