The moment the HANS safety device left Kyle Busch’s fingers, the torch was passed.
At that moment, unfairly or not, he became NASCAR’s bad boy.
His brother, Kurt Busch, last held the not-so-coveted title. Before him, Tony Stewart. But over a month ago, at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 28, the younger Busch flailed his neck device at the oncoming No. 42 car of Casey Mears and sealed his fate.
He was the new “love to hate him” guy.
“I know it’s out there and I hear it,” said Busch, when asked if some of the boos bug him. “But you can’t let it bother you, because if you do, you’re not going to be here for a long time. [Kurt and I] let it roll off our shoulders and try the best we can. We go to one person at a time to change opinions. Every time we have a autograph session, we here, ‘Oh, you’re not such a bad guy.’ It’s all you can do. You have to be patient with it.”
Here’s how you earn the “Bad Boy” moniker: Drive super-aggressively. In interviews, Busch is mostly well-spoken, calm and courteous. On the track? Not so much.
For instance, during the Daytona 500, he got into a bumping match with now fan-favorite Stewart. That’s a no-no. After calmer words, things settled. But then, three weeks later, Busch had another run-in with Stewart. Controversy sparked, and any chance Busch had at being lovable died.
When asked how he thinks he got his reputation, the 21-year-old said, “[Being] myself, being a Taurus and being bull-headed. I don’t pay attention to much. I just do everything that I want to do and what I think is right for myself. And not really pay attention to criticism.”
At least he’s honest.
Whether fans love him or hate him, they have to admit he’s having nothing close to a sophomore slump. Last year’s Rookie of the Year and winner of two races, Busch now sits in eight place after a second-place finish at last week’s Pepsi 400.
For the record, Casey Mears and Kyle Busch will be teammates next season.
“Well, I guess I better get to like the guy, because I’m going to be spending an awful lot of time with him,” Busch said when asked his opinion of Mears was coming to Hendrick Motorsports. “I don’t know the guy. I’m curious to see what he’s about.”
Today, the Nextel Cup circuit runs the “cookie cutter” 11/2-mile Chicagoland Speedway. Roush Racing Fords usually dominate at tracks like this, though Chevys have won four out of the five races held here.
Three who can take the checkered: Matt Kenseth (Roush car, won at similar California), Kasey Kahne (four wins this season with the car he’s running today), Carl Edwards (ran well last week before an unlucky wreck).