Tuesday, April 14, 2009 | 8:47 p.m.
You can always count on the Busch brothers to make news when they speak. Whether it’s in an interview or chatter on the team radios, the Busch brothers rarely leave listeners bored. Kurt Busch has put a lot of effort into changing his public persona the past few seasons, but flashes of the old Kurt still come to the surface from time to time. Especially when he’s on the radio during the races.
You’ve heard about Kurt venting his frustrations over the radio at Martinsville and the subsequent reprimand that team owner Roger Penske shot back over the team’s frequency. NASCAR Scene is also reporting that at one point Kurt referred to Roger Penske during the radio conversation as “dude.” I don't think Roger Penske is the type of person I would refer to as "dude," especially if he's signing my paycheck. But I suppose other options like “Mr. Dude” or “Your Royal Dudeness” just didn’t come to Kurt’s mind.
Busch was quoted in Scene saying that he thought the conversation should have remained private.
“To me, that’s the heat of the moment,” Busch said. “I’ve always thought that the radio should be utilized as a team tool. We don’t get to hear what a coach says to his offensive and defensive coordinators in the NFL.”
I hope he’s not advocating that fans shouldn’t be allowed to listen to teams’ communications during the race. There is nothing private about radio chatter during the race and it should always be that way. It’s one of the major ways that fans can enjoy the racing experience and feel connected to their favorite drivers. If Kurt is worried about fans or the media hearing something he doesn’t want them to hear, then don’t say anything on the radio you wouldn’t want them to hear.
…
Recently, several NASCAR drivers were asked about the possibility that the Sprint Cup banquet will be moved to Las Vegas. My favorite quote came from Dale Earnhardt Jr., who said: “Wherever I can be the champ. It don’t matter to me if it was in Nantucket—I don’t care.”
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy