Well, maybe the silly season isn’t quite over yet. SPEED Center’s reporting from the Charlotte Observer that Kurt Busch has been released by Roger Penske.
I wonder what for….
OK, look. “Radio Sweetheart” has done nothng to help his image; neither has Kyle. Perhaps they should just form a team on their own. They’ll be like Oasis—mercurial and mutually spiteful. But honestly, if this does turn out to be true, dontcha think Kurt kinda had it coming? My wife of happy memory used to actively boo Kurt even more than Kyle; I always wondered why that was, but for her the feeling was quite real.
Apparently she wasn’t alone.
Roger Penske, as every racing fan knows, directs a huge, worldwide business operation. I’m not asking for Kurt to be a “company guy” and suck up bad luck or worse performance without a word, but when Kurt so continually has to be reprimanded on radio by the boss, I would think that ultimately such work wears thin.
Both Busch brothers have demonstrated superb natural talent behind the wheel. But Success means much more than raw skill. Carl Edwards has mad skills himself, and he’s also had his out-of-control times, but when it came down to the Chase with Tony Stewart he drove with something we can point to and call honor.
Which is part of what’s missing with the Radio Sweetheart. Kurt Busch did more to hurt himself than he ever knew by mouthing off to his crew when what they needed to hear (and what he was obligated to say, consistently all year) was something like “OK, we got hit in the face today. Next week, we come back and work them into the ground. Next week, no prisoners.”
Instead, Kurt Busch might now be on the receiving end of his comeuppance. I’m sorry for him if this is how it breaks, but I can’t say he hasn’t earned it.
