NASCAR's generation gap at the root of Busch-Childress skirmish

[6 Shooter]

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Everyone, it seems, has a take on the Kyle Busch-Richard Childress run-in. There's former driver Jimmy Spencer, who believes the team owner crossed the line in tussling with Busch in Kansas, and then there are the fans who have offered to help Childress pay his $150,000 fine.

Like no feud in recent memory, this one stands alone in the arena of the absurd. The mere thought of the 65-year-old owner -- who as FoxSport's Lee Spencer reported, had deep-rooted frustrations with Busch -- taking his rings and watch off and putting the 26-year-old Busch in a headlock and punching him just seems so wildly unbelievable.

But here we are, dealing with a confrontation that could only take place in NASCAR (seriously, could anyone imagine any other owner in professional sports beating up an athlete?). Did Busch have it coming after banging doors with Joey Coulter's truck on a cool-down lap last Saturday? Was Childress, who had vowed after Busch and Kevin Harvick's confrontation at Darlington that he would take matters into his own hands if Busch damaged another Richard Childress Racing vehicle, operating outside of the realm of reason?

www.sir.com

 

[Dad]

Doesn't really matter since there is no "stock" car racing anymore. None of the cars on the track can be purchased by the public, let alone the pickups. It only catches my attention on rare occasions and then is not something I would spend money to watch.

Ford seems to be comming in with a 2-door coupe, v8 powered, manual transmission, with a rear wheel drive that seems to be required to run. Try to get that configuration at you local dealer in anything other than a Mustang and then NASCARs version has the sixties drive train. Even the Camaro being available again they are not on the track, don't even know if the Challenger is out there, just not interested much any more.

Looking at all the empty seats I would guess I'm not alone. Maybe people are waiting to see the electric car thundering towards the starting line.

 

[Tuna]

It's all good for NASCAR as it's free publicity. It's not going to fill the empty seats at the track or improve the TV ratings much but NASCAR hopes so.

Of course NASCAR has to put a stop to this sort of stuff and they don't want people filing police reports on it either.

 

[6 Shooter]

NASCAR ain't raced Stock cars for decades!

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[6 Shooter]

Spencer: Richard Childress got off easy for punching Kyle Busch...

It’s been interesting to watch the media fallout surrounding Richard Childress’ penalty for punching Kyle Busch this week. Public opinion seems to be evenly split between those who love what Childress did and those who think he is a grandfatherly punk.

www.speed.com

 

[ßill]

Maybe people are waiting to see the electric car thundering towards the starting line.

Did you catch the hybrid running at LeMans today

 

[Dad]

Did you catch the hybrid running at LeMans today

Nope, was talking about electric cars, not a hybrid. We may never see 6 hour pit stops for recharge. Then again they could do a 3,000 Lb. battery swap or maybe a grid above the track to drag a contact on like they did with the bumper cars and trolleys, as I don't ever expect to see them dragging an extension cord behind them.

NASCAR is stuck in the sixties and will die with that technology but that's their choice. It should be important for them to incorporate some of today's technology not just a car that might have stickers on it to look like something in the show room.

NASCAR is like our government, they're in their own world pulling the public down to their level when they should be someone we could be proud to be.

 

[jrose7004]

Didn't I read somewhere that NASCAR was going to drop the carberator and go fuel injection?

 

[ßill]

Didn't I read somewhere that NASCAR was going to drop the carberator and go fuel injection?

Supposed to happen for the 2012 season.

 

[LLC5]

Didn't I read somewhere that NASCAR was going to drop the carberator and go fuel injection?

That's what I heard too. Their jumping into the 1980's with both barrels loaded.

 

[indybail]

A Different Approach

Instead of putting Bush in a headlock and punching him, Childress should have taken his belt off, put Bush over his knee and used the belt. That's how a generation gap is handled.

 

[catbert]

Richard is cranky, and Kyle's a punk. The throwdown was inevitable.

 

[tkarint]

Can't agree with you more but I appreciate Kyle's spirit

 

[catbert]

I don't think it's really generational. There are probably a good number of drivers roughly the same age as Bush who would kick his butt if given half a chance. Some have already gone after him.