Kyle Busch’s surliness in the Charlotte Motor Speedway after finishing second in the Coca-Cola 600 stoked a passionate debate on Tuesday’s NASCAR America (video above).
Host Carolyn Manno took aim at those defending Busch’s curt answer as in the heat of the moment, noting that “the notion that someone is competitive and fiery has become an excuse for being petulant and disrespectful has been thrown around in this discussion. ... I think that is ridiculous.”
Jeff Burton compared Busch’s behavior with Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who also has proven to be a lightning rod for criticism about how he handles losses.
“The bottom line is they hate to lose, and when they lose they don’t do a good job of containing themselves and giving the answer everyone expects them to give,” Burton said. “And then when they do give that answer everyone expects them to give, everybody gets mad at them because they don’t show their personality. So in some cases it’s hard to win.
“It isn’t the best look for Kyle Busch. There’s no question about that. He’s not a whiner. He’s not a guy who doesn’t work hard and put everything into his career. He’s a hard worker and fierce competitor, but it’s not a good look,”
Watch the full 15-minute discussion in the video below and see how fans voted on the topic.
