For several years one of the complaints about NASCAR from fans is the lack of character among drivers. They are too vanilla according to some, too PR, and there’s too much political correctness.
Not so with Kyle Busch. He’s brash, bold, outspoken and never afraid to let his emotions show. He has gained legions of fans with his wild on-track moves and off-track comments. But as many fans as he’s on his side, there are an equal number who absolutely despise him.
Kyle Busch is exactly the kind of personality that NASCAR needs. Love him or loathe him, everyone can agree that Busch is the exact opposite of vanilla. 
Busch won the Federated Auto Parts 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway Saturday night. It was the 25th win of his Nationwide Series career and the fourth of this season.
Nashville has a tradition owing to the musical roots of the area. The trophy given to Nationwide Series winners is a Gibson guitar hand painted by famous NASCAR artist Sam Bass. For anyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting Sam Bass, you’ll find him a kind, gentle and humble man who is always smiling. Saturday night shortly after Busch was presented his Gibson, he decided to grab it by the neck and smash it on the ground right in plain view of Bass. One can only imagine the horror that went through this otherwise calm man as he watched someone destroy one of his creations right in front of him.
It was such a terrible act perpetrated on a man who has become a legend in NASCAR by using his talent to chronicle the sport through the years, that Bass was called into the media center for a comment after it was all over.
"Just like everybody else in victory lane, I was stunned when it happened," said Bass, who then went on to tell what Busch had said to him.
"When I took a picture with Kyle as I traditionally do, the first thing he said to me was that there was no disrespect to me or the trophy or the speedway or any of the sponsors," Bass said. "He just said that he told his guys that he was going to give each one of them a piece of the trophy whenever he won the guitar.
"That was his way, in the spirit of rock and roll to break the guitar like a Kiss concert and share it with all the guys on the team. That made me feel a lot better. As a person that loves rock and roll the way the way I do and appreciates a good show, Kyle Busch put on as great show in victory lane and shocked the world."
Those are exactly the type of comments one would expect from someone like Sam Bass. Especially when one would expect that he would never say anything ill publicly.
For his part Busch stuck to the rock and roll explanation.
“Well rock stars break guitars all the time but I've never seen a NASCAR driver do it,” Busch said. “I just wanted to break it apart and spread it around with the crew.”
"Those sorry saps take 'em home in one piece," he said referring to drivers.
As a previous winner at Nashville, Brad Keselowski has a guitar trophy of his own; he’s one of those "saps" Busch referred to.
"I don't have that many trophies to smash," Keselowski said.
Interesting that that Busch’s comments about the guitar smashing would be talked about in Nashville Tennessee, which just so happens to be the bastion of country music, not rock and roll. There seems to be no records of Conway Twitty or Johnny Cash ever smashing a guitar.
Soon after the victory lane smash, the message boards and blogs came alive with most calling for Busch’s head to be delivered on a silver platter right to the gates of NASCAR.
In the end, it‘s Busch’s trophy to do with what he pleases. And NASCAR will probably never say a word nor penalize him, and they shouldn’t. The sport needs characters like Busch and the smart people who run the sport will probably leave Saturday’s post concert victory lane celebration alone.
That doesn’t mean however that Busch’s smashing move Saturday night wasn’t a stupid one.
Comments
You can be sure I went to Gibson.com and told them that they should just quit giving such a fine musical instrument to evolved chimps like this, who don't deserve it.
Even though I like Kyle B., he's far from one of my favorite drivers. GET OVER IT. Thought is was a hoot and he was just having fun with it. The end result got Gibson FAR MORE PUBLICITY than they would have gotten otherwise. AGAIN GET OVER IT!
I really can't stand Kyle Busch and it's mainly because of his mouth and disrespect. He could have found another way to share the win than to smash a hand painted guitar. That is just so not cool
Kyle spoke to Mr. Bass and the artist was fine with it. It should be left at that. Everybody wants to get their panties in a wad over everything Kyle says or does...and then they complain that NASCAR is boring. Hey, pick on me for a while. I took the "Ass in the Grass" picture and used it as a dartboard for years.
Kyle (Bush) is maybe one of the most spoiled brats I've seen in my 60 years and is as embarrassing as Darrell Waltrip and that stupid gopher!
Damage Control came out after the fact to cover Mr. Busch's antics. Mr. Bass did not know prior to the show, but will now get an order for 2 more guitars for what purpose I don't know, but to make sure Mr. Bass is ok.
they may not fine or take points for kyles gibson smashing but what about him giving the finger towards the camera saturday afternoon getting off his helicopter on national tv?
Disrespect to an icon is not funny. A lot of drivers would give a great deal to have one of those guitars. The guitar was beautiful. Such a jerk.
So, for all those that have no problems with it, then it will also be ok if he wins the: Grandfather clock and smashes it, championship trophy and spikes it, the harley J earl replica and breaks off the car and wants to use it as a hot wheel...all on TV right after he wins?
I hope this KID regrets what he does, one of these days it's going to come back and haunt him. He is not Pete Townsend or Jimi Hendrix. He should of auctioned the guitar and donated the money. Does he share any of the other trophys he gets with the crew? No, so why this one? When i see him belly acheing it reminds me of that beatles song " cry baby cry, make your mother sad so cry baby cry, your old enough to know better so cry baby cry"
Who cares? It was a guitar, not the Holy Grail. You people need to get a life. I would love to see Kyle get a chance to smash the Sprint Cup (or whatever it's called today) trophy some day. Right on the head of any available member of the France family - or the media.
Y'all just perpetually pi$$ed because people like JJ and Kyle and Smoke win all time, and your "beloved" Dale, Jr. NEVER wins. Guess the "winning gene" skipped a generation.
Kyle is a geek. He was picked on his whole life. He doesn't know any better. If it wasn't for Toyota he'd be a middle of the packer. The media should not interview him at all.
As a citizen of Nashville, and being in attendance for Saturday nights race, I have to say that what Kyle Busch did in Victory Lane was the most disrespectful slap in the face to the city of Nashville and to the fans of NASCAR. While I certainly agree that the guitar is not the holy grail of trophies, it is representative of Music City and very special in our eyes. To witness someone take a gift that was given to the winner and smash it on the ground was truly insulting.
Having watched the race first hand, you would not believe how he got around the track, and Kyle is truly a talented driver. However, his arrogance, lack of respect, and disdain for those of us who pay a crap load of money to see him and 42 other drivers race completely takes away from his god given talent as a racer. Over the last year, I have heard people compare him to Dale Earnhardt Sr., and I just shudder. Can you imagine Dale Sr. doing something that disrespectful to the fans of Nashville? Certainly not.
PART 2
Kyle is no man, and his daddy should be ashamed of him. I know as a Nascar fan, I am terribly ashamed that he is in our sport. I am also embarrassed that a class act like Joe & JD Gibbs support & acquiesce to someone so low class like Kyle Busch.
What happened in Victory Lane Saturday was disdainful and Dover Motorsports should refuse to have a new trophy made. In fact, they should ban him from all future Nashville races until he apologizes to the Speedway, it’s employees and fans. And you guys that laugh it off as no big deal should rethink your stance. What would you say if someone took something special to you and threw it on the ground right in front of your eyes? You would be upset too.
Is a child that shows no respect for anyone.
Folks, this wasn't some rock musicians guitar that Kyle smashed. This was a one of a kind custom designed work of art trophy. Sure, Sam can make some copies but they aren't the original one. If Kyle is so into breaking trophys which this guitar was, let's see him do that to the Daytona 500 trophy when he wins that or maybe the Cup Championship Trophy if he ever wins one. After all they'd be his trophys wouldn't they?
Now we know why Hendricks got rid of him, how long will it be before Gibbs does the same and Toyota realizes that he is out of control.
He's just a typical kid. Eventually he will have to eat crow followed by a big slice of humble pie. Maybe he should take a tip from Daytona and Talladega.Be patient,don't get out of line,and dont be the cause of big problems.The best drivers only do two things..Shut up and race!!
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