This week I am writing an opinion piece. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s no secret that Kyle Busch is the most hated driver in NASCAR yet, he may also be the most loved driver. Regardless of how you feel about him, you cannot deny that he is a force on and off the track.
With 195 career wins in NASCAR, (52 in the GOTS, 92 in the XS and 51 in the MENCS), it’s safe to say that Kyle Busch is one of NASCAR’s elite. Not just among current drivers either but in NASCAR history. He has the most wins of all time in both the GOTS and XS and is currently eleventh in the all-time cup wins list. He’s also a former cup champion and tied with Kevin Harvick for the most wins last season. With all of these accolades, it’s clear that Busch is one of the greatest NASCAR drivers. So why is he so infamous and widely disliked?
Reasons They Hate Kyle Busch
In years past, Kyle Busch has been no stranger to conflicts with other drivers, the media or even tire manufacturers. In 2010, Busch got penalized for speeding off pit road in Texas and had to come back to pit road and park his car for a lap. While parked, he gave the official in front of his car not one but two middle fingers out of frustration. Busch got penalized two more laps because of the gestures.
In 2011 during a truck race, Ron Hornaday Jr. got loose and bumped into Busch, sending Busch into the wall. The yellow flag was waved and Busch, in a fit of rage, dumped Hornaday into the wall while on caution. This made fans furious, and rightly so. NASCAR responded by fining Bush $50k and putting him on probation for the rest of the season.
In 2017 at Las Vegas, Kyle Busch was clearly unhappy with how he was raced at the end of contention by Joey Logano. In response, Busch made his way over to Logano’s pit after the race and got into a physical altercation with his fellow driver. Throughout his career, Busch has also been openly critical about the quality of the tires supplied to NASCAR by official partner Goodyear.
They Hate Us Cause They Aint Us
You may be asking yourself, “How in the world could anyone like this guy?” Well, it’s simple. We, Rowdy Nation, root for Kyle for the same reasons that people root for the New England Patriots. We love all the winning. Whether you want to admit it or not, we are witnessing history. One of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history racking up wins and records left and right. You don’t have to be a fan to appreciate Busch’s ability.
All of the hate that Kyle Busch receives only fuels him and his fans with even more passion. We love the animosity. It’s entertaining and only makes each victory even sweeter. Being a Kyle Busch fan is the counterculture in NASCAR. He’s NASCAR’s bad boy and we are his posse. Put simply, liking Kyle Busch is the new punk rock.
