Busch League!
The Busch brothers - Kurt and Kyle - both made news this weekend at Phoenix, site of the penultimate round of the 2005 Nextel Cup
season. I'll start with the good. Kyle, the younger of the two brothers, ended up in victory lane when he drove his Hendrick Motorsports Monte Carlo to a win. He had a race-long battle with chaser Greg Biffle, who finished second.
Kurt Busch, who is one of the chasers, watched the Phoenix race, and will be a spectator next weekend at the final in Homestead, as he was relieved of his driving duties by his team, Roush Racing, after being detained by police for 'reckless driving' on Friday night. As Friday wore into Saturday, the situation got worse, with the Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio talking to the media, giving his side of the story. He basically said that Mr. Busch disrespected his officers in 'his' county, and that didn't sit too well with the sheriff.
The
key issue here for fans and NASCAR teams alike is alcohol. While Busch was not charged with impaired driving, there was a strong reference to the smell of alcohol on his breath, made by the officers and the Sheriff.
You see alcohol is basically replacing the tobacco sponsorship in NASCAR, which helps the teams. But it is a very slippery slope. Organizations like M.A.D.D (Mothers of Drunk Drivers) would like nothing more than to curb the relationship between NASCAR and the alcohol community. M.A.D.D clearly sees NASCAR as basically promoting drinking and driving, and now with a driver - who is sponsored in part by Crown Royal - accused of allegedly having alcohol on his breath, could have a devastating effect on the NASCAR community.
The Busch brothers - Kurt and Kyle - both made news this weekend at Phoenix, site of the penultimate round of the 2005 Nextel Cup
 |
| Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 Kellogg's Monte Carlo, leads fellow Chevy drivers teammate Brian Vickers & Michael Waltrip on the way to winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Checkers 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, Phoenix, AZ. (Photo: Bob LeSieur) |
Kurt Busch, who is one of the chasers, watched the Phoenix race, and will be a spectator next weekend at the final in Homestead, as he was relieved of his driving duties by his team, Roush Racing, after being detained by police for 'reckless driving' on Friday night. As Friday wore into Saturday, the situation got worse, with the Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio talking to the media, giving his side of the story. He basically said that Mr. Busch disrespected his officers in 'his' county, and that didn't sit too well with the sheriff.
The
 |
| Alcohol is basically replacing the tobacco sponsorship in NASCAR, which helps the teams, but it's a very slippery slope. (Photo: Autostock) |
You see alcohol is basically replacing the tobacco sponsorship in NASCAR, which helps the teams. But it is a very slippery slope. Organizations like M.A.D.D (Mothers of Drunk Drivers) would like nothing more than to curb the relationship between NASCAR and the alcohol community. M.A.D.D clearly sees NASCAR as basically promoting drinking and driving, and now with a driver - who is sponsored in part by Crown Royal - accused of allegedly having alcohol on his breath, could have a devastating effect on the NASCAR community.