NASCAR responds to Kyle Busch’s marketing campaign remarks

NASCAR has responded to Kyle Busch’s recent remarks about how the drivers used in marketing campaigns seem to be only young drivers.

NASCAR Cup Series veteran Kyle Busch, 32, recently made comments about his stance on the sport using the young and up-and-coming drivers for their marketing campaigns as opposed to the series veterans. Busch is set to enter his 14th full-time season in the sport this year.

Busch’s stance on the matter, which is that the use of these younger drivers in these marketing campaigns is unfair, has drawn a lot of criticism from other drivers, namely Kevin Harvick and Ryan Blaney. Clint Bowyer also voiced his support for these young drivers

NASCAR has now responded to Busch’s comments. Surprisingly, the didn’t completely disagree with him like many people have.

Here is what NASCAR Chief Global Sales & Marketing Officer Steve Phelps had to say about NASCAR marketing their younger drivers in response to Busch’s remarks, according to ESPN.

"“It was a miss on our part [in his day]. Until four or five years ago, most of our marketing was about the racing itself. It wasn’t about the stars of our sport. It’s fair when he came into the sport and started winning right off the bat, I think it’s a fair statement that we did not give that kind of sport.“Kyle does a lot for our sport. I think we expose Kyle in a good, meaningful way and Toyota does as well and [his sponsor] M&Ms does working with [his Joe] Gibbs guys, and that’s important for us. It’s not about veterans complaining they’re not getting their fair share.”"

More from Kyle Busch

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• NASCAR: Ryan Blaney rips Kyle Busch for his recent remarks
• NASCAR: Kyle Busch not thrilled with young driver marketing campaigns
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Seeing as how Busch is one of only 15 Cup Series drivers who are participating in at least one marketing initiative this year, according to ESPN, it really makes no sense whatsoever that he would even have an issue with this. Nevertheless, Phelps justifiably commented on the matter.

Phelps also mentioned the fact that the need to market the younger drivers was realized by NASCAR when Trevor Bayne came out of seemingly nowhere to win the Daytona 500 in 2011 the day after he turned 21 years old. At that time, not many people know who Bayne was, and Busch was already in his seventh full-time season in the sport.

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Are Steve Phelps’ comments on Kyle Busch’s remarks about NASCAR using younger drivers in their marketing campaigns fair? When and how will Busch respond to these comments, if indeed he does? We will just have to wait and see.