All is fair in love and war... and NASCAR, as season of thrills and spills continues to excite fans.
- Paul Nicholson (@magpie5uk)
- Apr 26, 2016
- 3 min read
Carl Edwards put a controversial bump and run move on Kyle Busch to claim victory in a thrilling Toyota Owners 400 Cup race at Richmond.
But just how controversial was it?
Well, the only real controversy here is that the two drivers are teammates. Apart from that, the incident was just typical NASCAR… or at least it used to be.
The bump and run was used week in, week out in years gone by. In fact, it was never even an issue – it was the norm. Not so much part of the rule book, but definitely etched in the drivers’ code of ethics.
To be frank, it is precisely this type of wheel-to-wheel, door-to-door, bumper-to-bumper action that NASCAR – particularly the Cup series – has been lacking in recent seasons.
This season has been a breath of fresh air for NASCAR fans. With the new low downforce package; tyres that fall off quicker; and races with close finishes, it’s been exciting to watch, and has made for compulsive viewing.
The fans are loving it, the commentators are loving it and, most importantly of all, the drivers are loving it.
Certainly, in the moments just after the race had finished, Kyle Busch was playing the role of in-team politician better than most of the candidates in the US Presidential race.
“It’s racing, I guess,” was his diplomatic answer when asked about the incident by Fox’s pit lane reporter Jamie Little.
However, his non-answers in the post-race press conference revealed more about his true feelings after he had given the dust a chance to settle.
This has not been the first time that the pair have tangled in a short track bump and run issue.
Cast your minds back to August 23, 2008. It was the Sharpie 500 night race at Bristol. With three laps to go, Kyle Busch was just over a car length ahead of, the then Rousch Fenway driver, Edwards.
Edwards drove up to him, gave him a nudge and moved the #18 car up the track and took the lead. Kyle returned the favour later in the lap but could not get back past Carl’s #99 Ford. Sound familiar?
On the cool-down lap, however, the then shorter-tempered Busch went door-to-door with Edwards, showing his displeasure and trying to force the #99 into the wall.
Edwards replied in kind, by turning into the #18’s right rear quarter panel, spinning Busch around, a move that was met with whoops of delight from the crowd, who saw Kyle very much as the pantomime villain back then.
Post-race comments from Busch suggested that it was Edwards’ style to drive that way, that he would then apologise for it “because that’s what he always does” and that he would race him that way in future.
It seems that Busch had not remembered those words, as history repeated itself at Richmond.
The outcome was the same; the reactions were different.
Opinion of the racing fraternity seems to be united – this was nothing more than good old fashioned short track racing. No harm, no foul.
On social media, however, opinions have been divided. “Unacceptable behaviour towards a teammate”, “a cheap shot”, “a desperation move” are just a few of the comments against the manoeuvre.
“Great racing”, “Fantastic move… this is not F1”, “NASCAR racing the way it should be” were typical of comments from fans with the foot in the opposite camp.
Desperate move or classic NASCAR. Like it or loathe it. For it or against it. Everyone has their opinions, and no incident will ever be seen the same through different eyes.
But one thing that all fans should be united on, is the fact that NASCAR has got the fans talking again – and not about the politics or the negatives in the sport.
The racing is doing most of the talking for the drivers. The fans are starting to rediscover their enthusiasm for a sport that has seen dwindling audiences, both at the track and on TV.
If fans are taking to social media, or discussion forums, or talking to their friends about the racing they are witnessing, then it can only be a good thing for the sport.
So whether you agreed with it or not, this, and incidents like it, are exactly what NASCAR needs.
But make no mistake, when Carl looks in his rear-view mirror at Talladega next weekend, he won’t want to see Kyle Busch bump-drafting him on the final lap!
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