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Defending champion's word choice spurs NASCAR action, warning
By JIM UTTER
DARLINGTON, S.C. - NASCAR officials apparently have grown tired of
reigning
Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch's propensity to bad-mouth series
officials
over the radio. He did so again Saturday night after he was parked for
two
laps late in the Dodge 500 at Darlington Raceway after failing to
follow an
official's directive. While arguing the call on pit road - which was to
stop
on the backstretch after he passed the race leader under caution -
Busch
bad-mouthed officials over his radio, then revved his engine and tossed
a
water bottle at an official. After the display, NASCAR ordered Busch to
cut
off his engine and held him for a "cooling off" period. He was allowed
to
return to the track, but told to report to the NASCAR hauler after the
race.
In the meeting, Busch was given what will amount to his "final warning"
regarding his language directed at series officials, sources confirmed.
Busch may yet face some additional formal penalty next week, NASCAR
officials said. Asked for a comment after his meeting with NASCAR
officials,
Busch didn't offer much. "What a great race," he said. "You guys see
that
race? It was great." The race had already gone badly for Busch before
the
late-race run-in with NASCAR. He wrecked exiting Turn 3 on Lap 2 and
spent
the first part of the race in the garage undergoing repairs. He
eventually
finished 37th and dropped two spots in points to fourth. He trails
leader
Jimmie Johnson by 229 points. Busch has had other run-ins with NASCAR
regarding his choice of language. During the July 2002 race at Daytona
Beach, Fla., Busch received a three-lap penalty for "unsportsmanlike
conduct
over the radio."
By JIM UTTER
DARLINGTON, S.C. - NASCAR officials apparently have grown tired of
reigning
Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch's propensity to bad-mouth series
officials
over the radio. He did so again Saturday night after he was parked for
two
laps late in the Dodge 500 at Darlington Raceway after failing to
follow an
official's directive. While arguing the call on pit road - which was to
stop
on the backstretch after he passed the race leader under caution -
Busch
bad-mouthed officials over his radio, then revved his engine and tossed
a
water bottle at an official. After the display, NASCAR ordered Busch to
cut
off his engine and held him for a "cooling off" period. He was allowed
to
return to the track, but told to report to the NASCAR hauler after the
race.
In the meeting, Busch was given what will amount to his "final warning"
regarding his language directed at series officials, sources confirmed.
Busch may yet face some additional formal penalty next week, NASCAR
officials said. Asked for a comment after his meeting with NASCAR
officials,
Busch didn't offer much. "What a great race," he said. "You guys see
that
race? It was great." The race had already gone badly for Busch before
the
late-race run-in with NASCAR. He wrecked exiting Turn 3 on Lap 2 and
spent
the first part of the race in the garage undergoing repairs. He
eventually
finished 37th and dropped two spots in points to fourth. He trails
leader
Jimmie Johnson by 229 points. Busch has had other run-ins with NASCAR
regarding his choice of language. During the July 2002 race at Daytona
Beach, Fla., Busch received a three-lap penalty for "unsportsmanlike
conduct
over the radio."
