When [Kevin] Harvick entered the Cup Series, it wasn’t without controversy. In 2002, his second season in Cup, he was suspended for a Cup race due to aggressive driving in a Truck Series event at Martinsville. Six years later Harvick finds himself as the team owner of the defending Truck Series champion. [Hit his pic for unique/unrelated Q& A with 'From the Marbles' blogger, Jay Busbee.]
“I’ve been in the same boat and you learn to respect the people around you,” Harvick said. “That’s probably the biggest thing I learned as I came in and was kind of the same way, is that you think you’re invincible and pretty soon you’re not. And then you don’t have anybody to turn to in the garage, and that becomes a little bit of a problem as you move down the road or you need a favor for somebody to come do something or you need a new job or whatever the case may be. At some point, all that disrespect comes back because no matter how good you’re doing, because you’re not going to be good forever.”
Speaking on the Gordon incident and told that Harvick addressed
the topic of respect in the garage area earlier in the day, Busch said: “It’s not Harvick’s fight and he shouldn’t be involved in it.” Story at NASCAR.com
Young Busch might have a point there, though I think Harvick’s advice was well-intended — even if part of his “growth” is just as much related to the very serious responsibilities and stresses involved with owning race teams rather than a simple matter of “maturation”.
Besides … Busch already seemed to have this particular situation well in hand, on his own:
“I tried to get a reasoning there [with Jeff Gordon] after the race and it was just the wrong time to do it,” the 23-year-old Busch said. “All is cool now. We talked … and he just told me that his car wasn’t balanced the way it needed to be and he was just fighting for position. I recognize that and feel for him there that he didn’t have quite the car he wanted to pass people so he just had to fight a little harder to hold onto it.”
“I think he was just – the adrenaline was still going after the race and whatnot,” Busch said. “My mistake, but I learned from that. He gave me a bit of advice if there was a next time for that.” Story at SceneDaily
So, all is not quite as ‘evil’ in the Busch camp as most mediots would like us to believe. In fact, I’m sorta’ sick of everyone telling this kid to calm down and grow up. He’s on top, doin’ one helluva’ job, and if he has “attitude”? Good.
There’s respect, and there’s respect. I consider too much respect boring as all hell, as well as a whole lotta’ PC-BS — both on and off the track. Which is why you might understand the parts of the NASCAR.com story, linked above, at least in terms of Jeff Burton givin’ his two-cents, sigh … is pretty much the reason why I might like Burton, but also why I’ll never like him or be overly enthusiastic about anything he does or says. He’s about as bland as dry toast where it concerns racin’ hard — and I mean hard racin’ — and just about everything else to do with NASCAR. I feel the same way about the mostly sanctimonious Mark Martin, by the way. I may respect both of these veterans very much, but I’ll never respect them from the gut. (If you can’t figure out that difference just by italics? Maybe I should’ve put ‘em in caps, instead, lol … there’s a difference between the two, and one is a generalized. sorta’-gotta’-because-they’ve-earned-it, while the other is A LOT of gut-level respect. There — maybe that’ll help, unless I just switched ‘em up somehow — but you get the idea, anyway, I hope! What can I say — it’s after 4am and insomnia sometimes sucks, 
grin …)
On the other hand, as I’ve often said here … maybe it’s time for Busch to lay off all of those energy-drinks-sponsor “sips” (like the NOS in Kyle’s hand here, during one of his NCTS events). It would appear that “energy” isn’t something this guy needs much more of anyway — especially of the flash & crash sort so many of these beverages offer their drinkers. Maybe coolin’ off with a smoooooth Bushmills would be a better plan — post-race, of course, grin …
Damn, though … “energy drink this” and “energy drink that” lately — meanwhile, the beverage industry has reported that the market has peaked, and except for a few products (each associated with racing sponsorship, by the way), sales of all of them are slumping after such a meteoric rise. Sorta’ like what they do to your body, when you think about it, lol …
In my opinion, someday energy drinks might be considered somewhat like steroid use is in sports … or, should be. After all — too much consumption of this crap could well explain all of these really nasty post-race moods lately, ya’ know … though, if anything or anyone could use some steroids/energy-drink boosts, it’d have to be that damned COT pos (which could also be the reason for all of these really nasty post-race moods lately, lol). Talk about “alternative fuel” with some actual viability behind the idea, since ethanol is even more dangerous to public health than our present … NEVER MIND, lol …
I’m digressing again … go figure!
Busch is learning a ton about just about everything in life as he succeeds in racing at the pace of a comet … so, let him learn, for God’s sake, and get off his back. Any young man that good, at that age, is only going to dig himself into a negative behavior pattern that much deeper if you try to force him into behavior he’s simply not ready to exhibit on his own yet. Busch is trying to “become his own man” right now, aside from developing his racing career and the tremendous pressure involved in that part of his life alone. So, let him find himself, as all young adults must do on their own … over time.
This is classic psych stuff for kids growin’ up too fast, especially when they’re “kid wonders” in their respective industries … but I’m not goin’ there right now, either, grin …
I think he did what he had to do, and fixed it with Gordon in his own way, in his own time. I also think that he has a right to feel that HMS-chip on his shoulder, and that it’ll fade the faster everyone (especially every mediot who loves painting him black) stops freakin’ reminding him it’s there … which only makes him more frustrated and humiliated and angry about how HMS treated him, and thus, more resentful of how it all went down … see the vicious circle there?
So — cut it out, people! He’ll grow, just as Harvick and countless others have … in his own time. That’s his job to do in life, after all … not ours.
2 Comments
Kyle Bush is a swaggering ASSHOLE! there, I said it, and i don’t apologize for it. He should pay close attention to what harvick said. Harvick has walked the same path. It took a couple of years or more to gain the respect of his fellow drivers.
Just like a divorce, the best revenge you can have against your former spouse is to live well. Kyle is doing that at JGR. lets just say, he did not fit the HMS corporate image. Right now, Kyle Bush is riding high on a wave of success that is amazing. This too shall pass. When it does, he may need some friends.
LOL!! Geeez, Grump — why don’t you tell us how you REALLY feel?
I agree about Harvick walkin’ the same path not long ago, and Smoke before him, etc., and also believe the JGordon may have had some impact on him after their Pocono chat — and surely, when/IF it’s time, so will the Coach.
In the meantime, though … Busch IS developing friends in new/converted fans, at the very least, because of many of the same reasons Dale, Sr., Smoke, RGordon, Harvick, and more than a few others of late did — because they raced like hellions, KNEW they were good from the word ‘go’, and had NO problem swaggerin’ about it all, lol. (RG’s had a bit of a different ride in NASCAR, but he ROCKS at everything else, and when you think about it – it’s amazing that he’s done what he’s done, considering all of his other racing commitments, including his own teams, etc. He’s got swagger & ‘tude, but … again — he’s EARNED it.)
Sr. was different — granted. But in his early days, he wasn’t without “swagger” — AT ALL, grin …
In fact — he STILL has that, and we all STILL feel it (and WANT IT) out there … and even better — no one’ll EVER outdo him in that department. What he had that Kyle DOESN’T, however, is having to come up SO HARD, and SO HUNGRY … and he also had a rather hidden loving, shy humility about him that was difficult to spot until he, himself, matured into the level of confidence, peace in his family life and other ways that made that “swagger” not of the ASSHOLE sort. (Kyle may have, too — we simply don’t know that yet, though I’ve seen more gentle, ‘humble’ sides of him in more private interviews, etc. … where he feels “safer”, I suppose.)
Sr. had to earn his respect among his peers, too, who thought a lot worse about him at first than what present competitors even think about Kyle — remember? But, times were different. And HE was one of a kind.
Now, where was I??? I’m getting so misty just missin’ him all over again than I forgot, damn it.
OH — you’re right about sweet revenge as a livin’ well deal … better for ALL involved. Kyle will learn this … in fact, I think he already is beginning to … but at his own pace, which, in this ONE case, might not be as fast as he is on the track, or outa’ the mouth when on the defensive in the “mass public”.
You’ve gotta’ admit, though, darlin’ … take out the personality of the kid you can’t stand, and merely look at that m&m on that track — even in that pos COT. He IS a JOY to watch out there, and CAN do what MOST CAN’T.
The rest will come. And when it does, either he’ll still have a few friends, or, he’ll also have to learn how to reconnect and re-establish the friendships in the garage area that are best for him. (Something, I have to admit … I know a little something about, even if not in a garage, grin …)
As far as his great performances “passing”, until he’s “medicore” again, at best… indeed, he’ll have his slumps, I’m sure, as they all do. But he’s a born Champ, Grump … I actually believe that, and last year at this time, no one could’ve held a GUN to my head to get me to write that, because I felt the exact same way that you do now.
Now — there’s just something different in and about him in my eyes/gut, and more and more, I’m liking what I feel in that creepy “celtic’ way I have, lol.
But, I WANT him to keep some of that swagger — it’s part of his racing personality, and drives him through the massive boos & insults & hate-mails, etc. … it’s his ARMOR right now, and remember his age. He NEEDS some armor right now, and especially in that business.
Plus, he missed out on a lot of normal growing up hurts and heartaches — now he has to do it in front of the world. That makes that ‘corner’ he often chooses a helluva’ lot harder to back out of, even if he wants to at times. Another lesson he’ll have to learn — how to back out ANYway, once realization connects with confidence so that he CAN without feeling too vulnerable (yet) in the process.
No more psycho-babble, lol … least for now … gotta’ take a break, actually, as I’ve been at this throughout a night of insomnia, mostly, and other than a few more cups of coffee, a cool shower with rosemary-mint (heavy on the mint, since I make it myself, lol) WAKE UP soap, etc., and maybe a trip to the cem. to make sure Dad’s flowers are goin’ good … I just need some me-time.
PS — that cemetery, by the way … piss me OFF. They missed placing a flag on a Navy vet’s stone on Mem. Weekend (just a marker, never tended, unfortunately, but still THERE) nearby Dad’s bench … so, I’m on their ass to get his flag UP, NOW, and planted some flowers for him yesterday, too … So, gotta’ make sure I didn’t mess THAT up, either, since I’m NOT A GARDNER, LOL!!!
Regardless … that flag & its WWII stand better be there today, or else SOMEONE’s gonna’ get their ass out there on their day off and make it SO, since I’ve called twice already this week. IDIOTS.
Oh … I was sorta’ thinkin’ out loud with my keyboard for a minute, huh? lol … tend to do that when I’m wiped … many apologies, then. NOW I’m off to coffee, that WAKE UP shower, and takin’ care of BUSINESS around this freakin’ town, GRIN … I mean, these people truly ARE “Village Idiots”, since it IS a “village” I’m dealing with, lol … at least that part makes me chuckle. (Just don’t count on THEM chucklin’ any time soon, especially if I don’t see what I EXPECT TO SEE THERE, and I mean NOW. NO EXCUSE for forgetting to honor a fallen Vet on Mem. Day — NONE.)
So, I guess I have a little “swagger” of my own in the asshole department, huh? grin … yeah, well, when I tell you the WHOLE story in an e later, you’ll get why I’m acting like this right now — SOOOOO pissed!!!
Have a great morn’, KEEP YOUR CHIN UP ABOUT YOUR CAR BEING FOUND (and your ARM IN A COMFORTABLE (?) POSITION, of course, if there IS one), and I’ll catch ya’ a bit later!
(And just CONSIDER Kyle’s 360 situation … JUST a bit MORE … perhaps???? lol)
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