Getty Kyle Busch meets with media members at Darlington Raceway.
There have been nonstop conversations about fights in NASCAR since Ross Chastain punched Noah Gragson in the jaw. Now, Kyle Busch has weighed in with his support for hockey rules.
Busch, who famously punched Joey Logano at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, met with media members at Darlington Raceway. He said that he didn’t know if Gragson was the right person to confront Chastain on pit road. Busch said that Denny Hamlin actually has more reasons. The two-time champion then said that security stepped in too quickly.
“You let one guy get a hell of a hit and then you block the other guy from getting a hit back,” Busch said. “At least let the guy try and then maybe get one in. I would seriously urge NASCAR to go with some hockey rules, you know?
“Once you get to the ground, we’re going to break it up; or when one of you guys look gassed, we’re going to break it up. Let them get a good 30 seconds in. It’s going to be way better for TV, and ratings are going to go off the charts.”
“…Rodeos are eight seconds, right? A round in boxing is three minutes,” Busch added. “There isn’t a d*** one of us that’s going to make a round of three minutes, I’m going to tell you that (laughs). So if it’s 15-, 20-, 30-seconds, whatever.. come up with a number, start the clock, let’s go.”
Fights Have Become Promotional Material
GettyKyle Busch leaves pit road after a fight with Joey Logano.
Safety aside, Busch has a point about the ratings. Fights have been part of NASCAR since the very beginning, and they have become an important part of the promotions leading up to each race on the schedule.
Every time NASCAR heads to Bristol Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and other tracks known for high-profile incidents, there are commercials that air to promote the action that may take place.
These commercials prominently feature drivers throwing helmets, grabbing each other by the firesuit, and throwing punches. The 2022 Xfinity Series playoffs commercial was a fitting example. It began with a montage of drivers wrecking and then it continued with footage of Ty Gibbs and Sam Mayer fighting at Martinsville Speedway.
Similarly, the incident featuring Gragson and Chastain was everywhere in the week leading up to Darlington Raceway. It played dozens of times on TV and on social media as fans and industry members alike weighed in with their opinions.
“I don’t know how I feel about it, but you know, I definitely don’t like the fact that Ross got a shot and Noah didn’t,” Michael McDowell said on May 13. “That’s no fun. So yeah, they gotta keep them all the way separated and not let it happen at all or give it 30 seconds to play out.”
Chastain’s teammate, Daniel Suarez, also provided his thoughts on the matter. He voiced concerns about how sponsors will respond to drivers fighting. Suarez also said that security should let the fight go for 10 seconds or so. It would give the drivers an opportunity to get their emotions out.
More Confrontations Could Take Place
GettyRoss Chastain meets with media members at Darlington Raceway.
The incident between Chastain and Gragson ended after the driver of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet threw one punch and security stepped in. Both drivers headed to their respective haulers and, ultimately, back to Charlotte.
Chastain also met with media members at Darlington Raceway, and he said that the fight is behind them. He said that he and Gragson had a conversation before they went and raced micro sprint cars together. Chastain added that they have been good all week working together in the gym as part of the Chevrolet program.
Does this mean that there won’t be future confrontations between Chastain and his fellow drivers? It’s unlikely. The Trackhouse Racing driver told media members that “I’m comfortable making these guys uncomfortable and that’s not always going to come across well.
This comment indicates that his aggressive moves will continue, and it coincides with Busch saying that previous conversations have not changed how Chastain races.
Chastain vs. Harvick
Hard racing or crossed the line?
“Yeah, I talked to [Chastain] — I think it was either after the [2018] Darlington thing with [Kevin] Harvick here or his next one after that,” Busch said. “He asked me a couple of questions and I talked to him about it.. just told him don’t be the headline every week and chill a little bit. Don’t push and force as hard each week.
“Like those two — whether Harvick won or Chastain — he would have looked a hell of a lot better finishing second to Harvick than he did with a crashed car here at Darlington. So yeah, no he hasn’t learned. He hasn’t listened to anybody and I’m sure there’s more than me that have tried to talk to him.”