NASCAR: Kyle Busch defends himself, rips haters over Las Vegas run-in
By Asher Fair
Kyle Busch defended himself against those ripping him on Twitter over his frustration with the NASCAR media and backmarkers in the playoff opener.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch appeared to have his chance at winning the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoff opener, the South Point 400, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, go out the window earlier as a result of contact with the wall.
Busch fell to the back of the field, yet throughout the 267-lap race around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval in Las Vegas, Nevada, he worked his way from two laps off the lead lap back to the lead lap through timely caution flag periods and getting the wave around.
The 34-year-old Las Vegas native appeared to be poised to finish in the top five until late in the race when he ran into the back of the #52 Rick Ware Racing Ford driven by Garrett Smithley.
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Two cars got around Smithley, who held his line through turns one and two, but Busch could not before making contact, resulting in significant damage to the front of his #18 Toyota.
As a result, he slipped down the order and ended up finishing in 19th place, still an improvement from where he looked like he might finish early on but definitely an overall disappointing.
Busch, who is in the midst of his longest win drought in over two years, was not hesitant to show his frustration following his run-in with Smithley, and in doing so, he called it “pathetic” that certain drivers are even allowed to race in the Cup Series.
Smithley responded to Busch, as did Joey Gase, who drives for the underfunded MBM Motorsports.
Many fans chimed in as well.
As a result, Busch was pretty active on Twitter throughout Sunday night and into Monday morning defending himself for driving the way he did and for responding to the incident the way he did to the media.
Here is how Busch responded to the criticism.
Top tier drivers get hired by top tier teams. Try winning... a lot... and u have a better shot of getting hired. https://t.co/Vi9iPuckA9
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
Omg... I can’t... just can’t https://t.co/R43oSFJhRT
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
Yup. Nope. Sure can’t. Thought plowing the back of a slower car would automatically propel me past the 24 I was racing and even quite possibly to the lead! https://t.co/bFwSjCFX7y
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
Trust me man... if I could have moved up or down without crashing, don’t u think I would have? C’mon man!! If I knew he was going to run that lane, I would have went higher. I can’t predict everything all the time. https://t.co/yiumMXsVzm
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
You’re right. My silverware at home is... wait for it...
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
not yet...
SILVER!! đź’Ą https://t.co/4UrefnyHdy
Nope. Was too busy #WINNING. And “was” doesn’t count in the final rundown. https://t.co/qOVLdYovbF
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
Last I checked we were talking CUP. But u can cherry pick your series’ based off my comments however u want I guess. https://t.co/vRrRJfOC3q
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
I did. Read between the lines. “Trust me man... if I could have moved up or down without crashing, don’t u think I would have? C’mon man!! If I knew he was going to run that lane, I would have went higher. I can’t predict everything all the time.” https://t.co/KL5xbSNZFN
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
Well... we weren’t going to win (top5 for sure) but thank u for seeing some of my point. https://t.co/lfx4cHchrT
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
I wouldn’t either! I’ve wrecked in a target parking lot before. https://t.co/Sr5HIL3tVz
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
A few other drivers chimed in as well.
So when you running the Chili Bowl? FYI no spotters there. @KyleBusch
— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) September 16, 2019
Percent chance on me making the A? https://t.co/2WB9dRa7Jn
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/KyleLarsonRacin/status/1173497975781371904
If someone looks strictly at the results every weekend, some guys who have made it here by winning in lower series (i.e Ross, MattD, Preece, LC and myself) are not separated much from the ones who got here without winning. But the difference in on track awareness is unreal. https://t.co/RqpAgDzSJ5
— Corey LaJoie (@CoreyLaJoie) September 16, 2019
Absolutely!! Agreed! On track awareness is the point.
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
Some lapped cars are always a moving target. I was told the 52 was running high, so I went middle cause I couldn’t follow the 24 when he went low cause u can’t follow anyone in these cars! https://t.co/8lpLRrwQlw
He even continued to vent at the media following what was a disaster of a post-race media session.
Jeff Gluck transcribed this session.
https://twitter.com/jeff_gluck/status/1173428890540228608
Busch responded.
So does that mean the bullpen is worth a damn after a race or just a stupid requirement now mandatory so we all look like “asses” to the masses? https://t.co/y79VOQ0BYo
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
But u only transcribed mine to the masses? 🤔 https://t.co/y79VOPJ16Q
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 16, 2019
Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark
Kyle Busch is set to enter the next race on the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoff schedule, the Federated Auto Parts 400, at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia on a 13-race win drought, but he has won two of the last three races at the track, including last year’s playoff race. NBC Sports Network is set to broadcast this race live beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 21.