Saying NASCAR fans have strong opinions about Kyle Busch would be an understatement.
The polarizing racer was firmly in the spotlight over the weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and not merely because he was one of the four remaining drivers with a shot at the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. He was in the crosshairs after team owner Joe Gibbs ordered Busch’s teammate, Denny Hamlin, who won the pole, to surrender the preferred No. 1 pit stall to Busch.
The move was unseemly enough for Gibbs to address it, but the pit-related drama didn’t end there for Busch. Two rough pit stops by the front tire changer doomed Busch’s night, as the No. 18 Toyota limped to a fourth-place finish behind champion Joey Logano.
Busch, who is known for his short temper and willingness to say what’s on his mind, seemed to take the loss in stride.
"We were so bad tonight, on the race track and pit road, nothing was going our way. Sometimes it all falls into place and falls your way, and sometimes you have to go earn it. We didn't do either tonight," Kyle Busch.
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) November 18, 2018
NASCAR fans on Twitter weren’t so reserved.
Your driver has zero class!! Who rips apart their own pit crew over the radio……. @KyleBusch does
— Matt (@MattRamsay3) November 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/Chadjon20266061/status/1064329544990105600
.@JoeGibbsRacing .@KyleBusch How did that sleazeball move with the pit stall work out 4 you?#Karma will bite you in the ass!
— 🏁4TheCup2019🏁 (@RKatsanos) November 19, 2018
Please get rid of the pit crew their holding you back from greatness .
— Chillin Valentino (@TouchDownTony85) November 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/uffda3113/status/1064308155289604099
The last few years in NASCAR have been characterized by upheaval, with declining TV ratings and race attendance amid big names like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon leaving the sport. With those things in mind, it’s comforting to know one thing hasn’t changed: Fans getting irrationally angry over anything concerning Kyle Busch.
