Kyle Busch: Winning Race Easier Than Winning Respect Of Vets

(Originally published on March 10, 2008)

Near the end of the Kobalt Tools 500, Michael Waltrip and Dale Jarrett weren't as much racers as they were partners in a game of Red Rover, and coming right over attempting to break their bond was one Kyle Busch.

Normally, you'd subscribe to the Terrell Owens "Get your popcorn ready" philosophy and sit back to enjoy the fun.

But this was awkward in more ways than one. The Michael Waltrip Racing teammates were multiple laps down, Busch was cruising to the win and all three are part of the Toyota family. The protocol, frankly, is to get the hell out of the way.

Busch finally cleared Waltrip, but by the final lap Jarrett was playing a role of blocker not seen since Bandit Darville was watching Cletus Snow's back. Busch finally had to ride up on Jarrett's posterior to get him loose so he could make the pass.

"I was either going to move him out of the way or he was going to get out of the way," Busch said during his victory press conference.

The TV crowd said something about Jarrett maybe being the victim of miscommunication, but that one doesn't really hold water. This went on long enough that there was ample time to clear up any confusion. And despite the Goodyear tire issues, it's hard to believe there was so little car control that surrendering the spot voluntarily was simply not possible.

Now, other than the Sprint All-Star Race in May, Jarrett is hanging it up after next week's race at Bristol, so maybe he didn't want one of his last memories on the track to be making space for the new breed.

But maybe there's more. Busch has largely been lauded for taking a more professional approach this year after his spotty behavior made him the sacrificial lamb in the Hendrick Motorsports/Dale Earnhardt Jr. marriage. But after Sunday, it's worth questioning whether some of the veteran drivers hold Busch in the same high regard that the public and media seem to.

Do his competitors still remember the Busch who left Texas prematurely, or hid from reporters after his wreck with brother Kurt at last year's All-Star affair?

If so, maybe they don't think enough of "Rowdy" to give him a break. You could say they're wrong for holding up somebody simply because they don't feel he has earned that deference.

But it doesn't matter whether they're right or wrong. Sunday's duel with Jarrett didn't cost Busch, but if his opponents are going to race him that hard no matter how hopeless their days are, it'll send him to the garage a few times before all is said and done. That said, people who are suddenly putting money on Busch eating on the stage at the Waldorf may be making a fool's bet.

Drivers may want to see a little less Rowdy and a little more respectful before they're convinced that Busch has changed his ways. That said, Busch is a definite favorite to win his first Cup title...in 2009.