■ 12 June 2009 | 12:29 PM
A week after his guitar-smashing celebration after winning the Nationwide race at Nashville, Kyle Busch remains the talk of the Cup garage.
Busch met with the media Friday morning at Michigan and says he doesn't regret what he did and he called out Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans. Here's what he said.
On his guitar-smashing at Nashville:
"It's not going to happen to the (Daytona 500) trophy, it's not going to happen to the Martinsville clock. Again, it was just in the spirit of rock n' roll with a guitar. That's what it was all about. I tried doing a good impression ... it didn't turn out very well. I don't know if I'm not strong enough of that thing was that strong. I'll go with both.
"I don't regret it. I thought it was fun. There was only one comment that I've had this past week to my face that was any different than in support and it was just like, "hey, don't go out and break any more guitars' from a fan in Berlin, Mich. We were up there for the late model race. Everybody out there, 99.9 percent of them were for it. They thought it was great.
"I'm not going to speak on the behalf of (team president) J.D. (Gibbs), but I believe he told me he thought it was cool and his kids were blown away by it. LIke they thought it was awesome.
"It was fun. A lot of people enjoyed it, thought it was different. The sport is not so vanilla. A lot of people hated it and I guess those are the ones with 88s tattooed on their arm. Or maybe still 8s. I don't know which.
"I ain't got no issues with (Dale Earnhardt) Junior. It's his fans that are crazy. But that's all right.''
# For those who hate Kyle Busch and don't think he has a heart, he did say he feels bad for Johnny Benson, who lost his ride this week because of lack of sponsorship although Benson is the defending series champion and was in the top 10 in points at the time.
"Johnny losing his ride, that really stunk,'' Kyle Busch said. "I would have liked to have seen last year's champion keep his ride. Unfortunately, money woes there took him out of that deal. If I could I would have stepped out this week but too much stuff with (the sponsor for Busch's ride). I would have liked to have given Johnny my truck ride. I've got enough to do. That didn't quite work out but I think we're going to get it worked out where he can drive mine at Milwaukee.''
# NASCAR is looking at having the COT run in the Nationwide series in restrictor plate and road course events only next year. No decision has been made yet but that is looking to be the direction series officials likely will go.
# Jeff Gordon blew an engine in practice.
# General Motors, according to a report, is pulling its factory support from its Nationwide and Truck teams. GM issued a statement that said it doesn't discuss such matters. Kevin Harvick, though, confirmed that his team, KHI, has lost its GM factory support.
"Kevin Harvick Inc. has lost its manufacturer support,'' Harvick said in a statement. "Although this will require some internal restructuring, our commitment to our sponsors to provide the best possible product on the racetrack will not change.''
Car owner Richard Childress said he had a meeting with GM officials this week about the subject. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will meet with the media later today and that question likely will come up.
# Here's some stats to help you with your fantasy team picks this weekend.
STATS
Carl Edwards ………6.5 avg. finish ….. 2 wins, 5 top 5s, 8 top 10s in 9 starts
Matt Kenseth ……….9.1 avg. finish ….. 2 wins, 9 top 5s, 13 top 10s in 19 starts
Jeff Gordon ………..11.7 avg. finish …..2 wins, 15 top 5s, 20 top 10s in 32 starts
Tony Stewart ………12.5 avg. finish ….. 1 win, 9 top 5s, 13 top 10s in 20 starts
David Ragan ……….12.5 avg. finish ….. 0 wins, 1 top 5, 2 top 10s in 4 starts
Mark Martin ……….13.1 avg. finish …. 4 wins, 16 top 5s, 28 top 10s in 46 starts
Greg Biffle ……….. 13.1 avg. finish …. 2 wins, 5 top 5s, 7 top 10s in 12 starts
Martin Truex Jr. ……13.8 avg. finish …. 0 wins, 2 top 5s, 2 top 10s in 6 starts
Bill Elliott …………14.1 avg. finish …. 7 wins, 17 top 5s, 29 top 10s in 57 starts
Jimmie Johnson ……14.3 avg. finish ..... 0 wins, 2 top 5s, 6 top 10s in 14 starts
Bobby Labonte …….14.4 avg. finish ….. 3 wins, 9 top 5s, 16 top 10s in 33 starts
Kevin Harvick ……..15.2 avg. finish …. 0 wins, 2 top 5s, 6 top 10s in 16 starts
Denny Hamlin …….15.5 avg. finish ….. 0 wins, 1 top 5, 2 top 10s in 6 starts
Jeff Burton …………15.8 avg. finish ….. 0 wins, 4 top 5s, 8 top 10s in 30 starts
Kasey Kahne ……….16.4 avg. finish ….. 1 win, 5 top 5s, 5 top 10s in 10 starts
Dale Earnhardt Jr. …16.6 avg. finish …..1 win, 3 top 5s, 6 top 10s in 19 starts
Kyle Busch …………17.3 avg. finish …. 0 wins, 1 top 5, 3 top 10s in 8 starts
Brian Vickers ……….17.3 avg. finish …..0 wins, 1 top 5, 5 top 10 in 10 starts
Guitar
Dustin & all the other reporters.
Stop giving Kyle any writings media attention,he might grow up maybe.
I am not part of jr nation,Busch is still mad at Mr.H for dumping him.
I'm Hendricks as far as Jimmie,please make this child get all the undeserved attention,the/feeds off of. He might grow up.
He could/should talk to Jimmie about class! No,that would make him a big boy.
Jr. Fans
Kyle is observant. Dale Jr. fans are crazy about their driver.
The Inevitable and Entirely Appropriate Cuts are On the Way
That won't make them hurt any less. GM and Chrysler are announcing the cuts that any sane person should have expected. This is no death-knell to NASCAR but it might make some in the sport start to face up to increasingly dire odds of preventing contraction in the sport and financial losses in the coming year or two. Don't expect these to be the last cuts.
The financial bloom has been off the NASCAR rose for a couple/three years, but this is the sound of the bubble bursting.
Count me among the NASCAR
Count me among the NASCAR fans who have had enough of Kyle Busch's antics. I wonder if he just needs to grow up, or if "Rowdy" Busch is a manufactured character. If anyone is interested, please feel free to read my theory here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1839457/analyzing_the_antics_of_nascar_driver.html?cat=9