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July 12, 2008
It's Kyle's time
By DAVID GREEN
Understatement: Kyle Busch winning a NASCAR race is getting to be a fairly regular occurrence these days. All Busch has done is win 13 races in the three national touring stock car series, in roughly half a season. That's a pretty darned fair share of winning.
How to explain this? Is the younger brother of Kurt Busch, nicknamed Shrub, really that good? Is his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team that good? Is the Toyota that good?
Whatever the answer, consider this: Busch has a chance of winning as many races in major NASCAR competition in a season as the winningest driver in stock car racing history -- Richard Petty, who won 27 in 1967.
Yes, yes, I know Petty won all his races in what is now the Sprint Cup Series. There was no Nationwide or Craftsman Truck Series back then, and the Grand Nationals ran a mix of approximately 50 or more major and minor races, from the Daytona 500 to a 50-mile chase at the quarter-mile Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. Sometimes there were a dozen or so cars in the field.
Arguably, the competition Busch is facing in three series today offers a much stiffer test than the 48 Grand National races Petty ran in '67. So, even if the pursuit of King Richard's victory total is bogus, it's not a completely contrived suggestion.
It's all but certain no driver will ever win 27 Cup Series races, not in the foreseeable future. But if Busch wins 27 or more races, it's certainly valid to suggest his accomplishment is at least as significant as Petty's was 41 years ago.
Fans of Shrub, also nicknamed Rowdy, probably aren't worried about explanations. They're just enjoying it. As for the rest of stock car racing's fandom, looks like they just have to grit their teeth and take it. There's no sign Rowdy is going to slow down.
July 12, 2008 | Permalink
Comments
I can't stand Kyle Busch. I believe he is an arrogant punk. But he can drive. Hell if I were him I might be an arrogant punk too, I don't know. As has been observed many times by the commentary guys during these races, he sees opportunities while driving that most other drivers would only think about taking. He takes them, sometimes gambling, and most of the time it pans out for him. He is pretty much fearless, and has an innate ability to get the most out of a car that other drivers would call the crew chief with "it's driving like crap".
That said, I think he needs to be humbled once or twice. May not happen though. He appears to have a personality not easily humbled. Fans need to quit throwing stuff at him; I think folks who do that are idiots. (Me throwing beer cans at my TV after a Kyle Busch win doesn't count).
The King is The King for a reason, and it's going to take more than a Kyle Busch to even come close to his accomplishments, regardless of the differences in schedules between then and now.
Posted by: Joe | Jul 12, 2008 7:48:17 PM
Oh one more thing, I've always wanted to do this.....
FIRST!!!!
lol
Posted by: Joe | Jul 12, 2008 9:21:55 PM
How to explain this? Is the younger brother of Kurt Busch, nicknamed Shrub, really that good? Is his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team that good? Is the Toyota that good?...
David the Answer is Yes, Yes and Yes, Now I will by no means compare Rowdy to the King with all due respect. I have silently(for the most part) watched Kyle mature before my eyes in the past few seasons, and now that he's out from under Hendricks thumb he has shown what a driver he ism along with Brian Vickers...Funny how that works, Hey Casey Mears there IS life after Hendrick.
Remember a couple of hard chargers that got boo'd when they first debuted...Darrell Walrtip and Dale Earnhardt...I just love how Rowdy absorbs all the disdain and grows stronger!
Posted by: Fan #5 | Jul 12, 2008 10:36:19 PM
I am no Kyle Busch fan either but I love the way he is showing 'who the better driver' is. I also love the way he shows the fans at the track how much their disdain bothers him with the bows and the 'thank you' after each win, now he just needs to start throwing kisses. Priceless.
Posted by: 9fanatic | Jul 13, 2008 9:41:10 AM
#5, you mention having watched Kyle mature. True, and remember, He's STILL only 23! For no real reason, I have always felt that people become reasonably mature at age 28, so even by my standards, he has a ways to go. He and his team are, as they say, scary good.
Posted by: Doug in CA | Jul 13, 2008 12:08:31 PM
God knows this is not a popularity contest, its racing. What makes me more insane than anything is when people talk about things like respect and maturing, what they are telling you is that your driver should wait in line for their turn. Waltrip Gordon and Kurt Busch were all accused of it. Some how Stewart got the pass but thats my problem. Drivers may from time to time make a mistake on track but as long as you not earning a reputation for intentionally dumping people for the win or as they said in the old days "intimidating", I love it
Posted by: Bob | Jul 13, 2008 2:47:29 PM
The only reason the "TWIG" is that good is because he has no respect for anyone or anything!I will give him due respect for being a "wheelman", BUT: he doesn'thave any respect for anyone or anything!He doesn't care if he hits the wall or anything else when he makes a haphazard move.Someone else has to fix it if it doesn't work out for him.Even his own brother stated in an interview that he will run right over you to be first!!!!{not the EXACT quote, but close enough to get the drift!}
Posted by: The Bear | Jul 13, 2008 4:25:31 PM
Bear, with the exception of hurting someone, which, I agree, he could do,but so could some others... they should all be 'in it to win it'. He has made some dumb moves, but I've seen dumber ones made by some now called "heros".
Posted by: 9fanatic | Jul 13, 2008 5:40:13 PM
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