It's a privilege to blog about Kyle Busch...

By DAVID GREEN

Kyle Busch got a pretty good working-over in Mark Young's post this week, but that doesn't mean we can't pick on Shrub again today, does it? I'm referring, of course, to Kyle's sarcastic comment about feeling "privileged to be out there on the same track as Ryan Newman" after last night's tangle with Newman.

Wonder if Dale Jr. had similar feelings about six days earlier after the incident involving the No. 8 and No. 5 cars at Texas?

We all know Kyle is an outspoken young man. That shtick worked pretty darned well for a young charger named Waltrip about a quarter-century ago, and quite possibly Busch has driving talent that's in a class with what the Waltrip guy proved to have.

We also know that a good many of our blogging family are on record as favoring outspoken drivers, in comparison to bland, politically correct ones.

But is there not something to be said for just a little bit of restraint sometimes?

I mean, after all, Busch hung his right rear on Newman’s left front and then bought the wall. That was hardly the first time in racing history such a thing had happened.

Should Newman have slowed down and given Busch the spot? Well, in retrospect – heck yeah. The wreck ruined Newman’s car, too, remember. But neither driver had the benefit of retrospect. It happened in a split second. From this perspective, regardless of whether it turned out to be right or wrong, a misjudgment or a miscalculation, Newman was under no obligation to give Busch anything. And, therefore, he was not a legitimate target for a sarcastic remark.

Even if Newman did something stupid or reckless – well, doesn’t that just make him a little bit like Busch on Saturday at Texas?

It’s hard to avoid comparing what Junior said (and did) after the Texas incident. Sooner or later, chronological age notwithstanding, Busch is going to be labeled a jerk, rather than given a pass as someone who is showing his lack of maturity.