Mixed reactions surround kurt busch decision

**Nasty55** · 03-13-2015, 11:27 AM

Sounds like all is not happy in the nascar garage on this one.....

NASCAR has deemed Kurt Busch eligible for the Chase and some folks aren't happy with the decision.

Of course, it's difficult to get an accurate count one way or another, the court of public opinion being a vocal bunch but not necessarily an official one.

There are just as many, again unofficial, that seem to believe the initial response that sidelined the 2004 champion was a knee-jerk reaction, an attempt by NASCAR to save face by reinstating the driver and allowing him to compete for a spot in the Chase.

Busch, his indefinite suspension lifted, returns to his role as driver of the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Chevrolet this weekend when NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series travels to Phoenix International Raceway, site of Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500.

It will be his first points race of the season -- he finished 15th in the non-points Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway and 12th in one of two qualifying races for the Daytona 500.

While he has been allowed to return to competition, Busch, according to NASCAR, is under "indefinite probation" and must continue to take part in a treatment program as well as comply with "any judicial requirements placed upon him."

His three weeks on the sideline came as a result of domestic violence allegations made by former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. A Kent Co. (Delaware) family judge granted Driscoll a protective order, however the State Attorney General declined to file charges against the driver.

NASCAR reinstated Busch following the latter decision.

Under the guidelines of the current Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format, drivers and car owners must start all points events of the current season to be eligible for the Chase, unless otherwise authorized by NASCAR.

Unless being the key word in this case.

In spite of missing the season's first three races, NASCAR has waived the Chase requirement for Busch. Should he win one of the remaining 23 races or earn a spot based on his position in the points standings, he would be one of the 16 drivers in this year's Chase field.

Similar situations have come up before -- three other drivers have been granted waivers since NASCAR retooled the Chase format before the start of the '14 season.

Last year, Denny Hamlin missed one race (at Auto Club Speedway), won one race (at Talladega Superspeedway) and was awarded one of the 16 Chase starting positions.

Tony Stewart, out for three races last summer after his involvement in an on-track fatality in a non-NASCAR sanctioned event, was given the all clear to pursue a Chase spot upon his return. Unlike Hamlin, Stewart was unable to qualify for the 10-race program.

Before the start of the '15 season, NASCAR announced driver Brian Vickers would be eligible for a Chase spot after missing this season's first two races due to health issues.

When it comes to governing the hard parts and pieces of the sport, NASCAR is precise. Rules are rigid and highly detailed. There is only black and white.

But when it comes to situations involving individuals and their actions or issues, it's more difficult to be consistent. Because rarely, if ever, are those situations exactly the same. Vickers couldn't race because of doctor's orders. Busch couldn't race because NASCAR wouldn't let him. Hamlin only missed one race; Stewart missed three.

Each situation was different, yet when it came to the question of Chase eligibility, all were treated the same.

Whether one agrees with it or not, NASCAR officials need that kind of latitude when making decisions that can impact a driver's career and a team's efforts to be competitive. To rule otherwise could potentially create more problems that it would solve.

Busch enters this weekend's race with no wins and no points. There are no guarantees that he will qualify for this year's Chase.

He's eligible, according to NASCAR.

The rest is up to him.

**CIRF** · 03-13-2015, 11:52 AM

I'm now wondering what the limit is as to how many races of the season a driver can miss and still be eligible for this silly "chase" BS? It's obviously more than 3 since baby stewy and busch already have tested that limit.

Is it 5? An even half dozen? 10? More? It's starting to appear that a driver can miss quite a bit of the season and still be able to win the championship. They seem to make up the rules as they go to suit whatever they believe is going to run less fans away. It's perplexing at the very least.

If a team can figure a way to miss 7 or 8 races and still be eligible to win the championship, win a couple of the races they actually run and still end up with a top 10 in the final standings what a great way to save money. Just run the high profile races like Daytona, Charlotte and Homestead and to he!! with the rest.

NASCAR has become a mere lame punch line of a very bad joke. Nothing left to laugh about. It's embarrassing to even admit to ever being a fan!

**drano** · 03-13-2015, 11:57 AM

It's to me like the top 35 in points locked in the show let the fastest 43 race and if you are to slow go home nascar has more rules than the IRS.

**Barbecueboy** · 03-13-2015, 12:22 PM

A lot of double speak there..........craftily written by the nascar public relations attorneys.

About the only thing there that means anything at all is the last line where it says that " it's up to Kurt now if he makes the chase"

And he will!!!

**CIRF** · 03-13-2015, 01:46 PM

NASCAR is well beyond the point of being worthy of taking any interest in and even less so in regards to a gaping dumper hole like busch.

However, it would be very interesting to know, just to see what their limits are, how many points races a driver can miss before NASCAR deems him/her ineligible to participle in the "hallowed" chase.

Three races seems like a stretch to the point of comedy so is 6 or 7 out of reason?

Maybe not.

**huskerdirt** · 03-13-2015, 02:19 PM

nascars reason for granting waivers......

Hamlin---Injury
Stewart--- Sympathy
Busch--- Covering there ass.

Simple as that. If they didn't allow Busch to be eligible. This thing would get a whole lot messier.

**Barbecueboy** · 03-13-2015, 02:22 PM

This is better scripted drama than Luke and Laura of general hospital fame........

**huskerdirt** · 03-13-2015, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by Barbecueboy

This is better scripted drama than Luke and Laura of general hospital fame........

You watch General Hospital???? I didn't know it was still on.

**CIRF** · 03-13-2015, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by huskerdirt

nascars reason for granting waivers......

Hamlin---Injury
Stewart--- Sympathy
Busch--- Covering there ass.

Simple as that. If they didn't allow Busch to be eligible. This thing would get a whole lot messier.

The reasons are immaterial. The question some would submit is how many missed races dictates that NASCAR deem a driver ineligible to win a championship. As I said above, we've determined that 3 isn't enough so is it 4? 6? 10???????

If stewy had claimed another 3 weeks of sorrowful bereavement on top of the 3 he took would he still have been eligible to win a Cup championship, or if Hamlin had needed another month to be released to drive again would he still have been eligible?

I understand no one here knows but it is a legitimate question. Just how many races is too many to be out of competition and still win the championship? If stewy had won the championship last year would there be an asterisk next to his name? Has NASCAR already set a number right now or will they continue to make it up as they go? The answer would be interesting.

**drano** · 03-13-2015, 03:42 PM

CIRF you are trying to get in the minds of the nascar elite's which would be a dangerous place to venture.

**huskerdirt** · 03-13-2015, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by CIRF

The reasons are immaterial. The question some would submit is how many missed races dictates that NASCAR deem a driver ineligible to win a championship. As I said above, we've determined that 3 isn't enough so is it 4? 6? 10???????

If stewy had claimed another 3 weeks of sorrowful bereavement on top of the 3 he took would he still have been eligible to win a Cup championship, or if Hamlin had needed another month to be released to drive again would he still have been eligible?

I understand no one here knows but it is a legitimate question. Just how many races is too many to be out of competition and still win the championship? If stewy had won the championship last year would there be an asterisk next to his name? Has NASCAR already set a number right now or will they continue to make it up as they go? The answer would be interesting.

You are beating a dead horse here. No one knows what that number is because NASCAR has not set that number, at least publicly.

NASCAR has always said they would review these type of things on a case by case basis. And this goes back to before Brian France/Mike Helton regime.

I'm not saying NASCAR didn't back themselves into a corner. They did and it started with Stewart last year.

**Nasty55** · 03-13-2015, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by CIRF

The reasons are immaterial. The question some would submit is how many missed races dictates that NASCAR deem a driver ineligible to win a championship. As I said above, we've determined that 3 isn't enough so is it 4? 6? 10???????

If stewy had claimed another 3 weeks of sorrowful bereavement on top of the 3 he took would he still have been eligible to win a Cup championship, or if Hamlin had needed another month to be released to drive again would he still have been eligible?

I understand no one here knows but it is a legitimate question. Just how many races is too many to be out of competition and still win the championship? If stewy had won the championship last year would there be an asterisk next to his name? Has NASCAR already set a number right now or will they continue to make it up as they go? The answer would be interesting.

I agree and understand at the same point... I agree that some things might be grounds for granting a waiver to a driver for a certain amount of races which so far has only been 3 races i would think that 3 races should be the max set forth by the pwoers to be .... But what about Brian vickers are we forgetting him in the mix? I know Vickers is a stretch but he missed the first couple of races with his health issues as well... Are they gonna grant him a waiver as well if he jumps in there and wins a race and finishes in the top 30 in points?

**drano** · 03-13-2015, 04:12 PM

You are asking the 64 thousand question..... when nascar is involved if history is any indication to their decision making they will decide it when the issue arises, they have been known to make rules in the middle of a race.

**CIRF** · 03-13-2015, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by huskerdirt

You are beating a dead horse here. No one knows what that number is because NASCAR has not set that number, at least publicly.

NASCAR has always said they would review these type of things on a case by case basis. And this goes back to before Brian France/Mike Helton regime.

I'm not saying NASCAR didn't back themselves into a corner. They did and it started with Stewart last year.

Beating a dead horse? To my knowledge the question has never been asked before or even discussed so it's hardly a dead horse. Maybe some stalwart member of the NASCAR media should maybe pose the question to one of the NASCAR hierarchy.

Okay, let's ask the question this way. To those who believe busch got a raw deal, if a court decision had not been reached in Delaware and he'd continued to be suspended another month should he still have been eligible to win the Cup championship, another month after 7 weeks? 5 weeks? 4 weeks?

Let's see how far busch backers wanna' go to "make it right" with mr. busch or mr. stewy or mr. hamlin.

Nasty, you bring up a good question in regards to Brian Vickers. Does he get the same courtesy as stewy or busch or hamlin? I haven't heard one way or the other but if not it'd be a crock of horse$hit.

**huskerdirt** · 03-13-2015, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by CIRF

Beating a dead horse? To my knowledge the question has never been asked before or even discussed so it's hardly a dead horse. Maybe some stalwart member of the NASCAR media should maybe pose the question to one of the NASCAR hierarchy.

Okay, let's ask the question this way. To those who believe busch got a raw deal, if a court decision had not been reached in Delaware and he'd continued to be suspended another month should he still have been eligible to win the Cup championship, another month after 7 weeks? 5 weeks? 4 weeks?

Let's see how far busch backers wanna' go to "make it right" with mr. busch or mr. stewy or mr. hamlin.

Nasty, you bring up a good question in regards to Brian Vickers. Does he get the same courtesy as stewy or busch or hamlin? I haven't heard one way or the other but if not it'd be a crock of horse$hit.

Maybe beating a dead horse was a wrong phrase to use. But you've mentioned the number of races 3 times today already. To me it seems you are hell bent on finding the number. No one knows that because it hasn't been said publicly or written in the rules.

As far as your hypothical regarding Busch. If NASCAR didn't grant him waiver. It would be fair to assume Busch could take legal action against NASCAR. Whether NASCAR would be innocent or guilty doesn't matter. They don't want that because Busch as ammunition to back him up.

As far as Vickers that's a good point. But if Vickers doesn't apply for waiver, how can NASCAR give him one.

**usac7** · 03-13-2015, 05:15 PM

I think you all are missing one point.

There are 3 criteria for making the chase
1. Winner / High points among non winners to fill out 16 car field
2. Must be in top 30 of points overall
3. Must attempt to qualify for and race in all races in which they qualify.

NASCAR is only waiving number three. What are the odds a driver can make the top 30 in points after missing 10 races or more? Pretty slim regardless of how many races they win.

**Birky15Bfan** · 03-13-2015, 05:15 PM

Brian Vickers was also made chase eligible after missing the first 2 races for health issues.

**Crashmagnet** · 03-13-2015, 05:29 PM

Brilliant article nasty55, I thought I was reading Speedway Illustrated there for a minute.

**buster83** · 03-13-2015, 06:22 PM

Cirf now u take a guy like Kyle Busch who had the accident and was injured, i feel if he can make it back and win one race he should be in the so called chase.but with all the new each weekend rules as they go who knows.but i also think Kurt Busch should have lawsuit for Nascar.and i am not a busch fan.