Kyle Busch is one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history, and his stats back it up. Since making his Cup Series debut in Las Vegas in 2004, Busch has won two championships, 63 races, and 34 pole positions. But even for a driver of his caliber, controversy has been unavoidable.
While the two-time Cup champion has largely steered clear of trouble in recent years, one of the biggest controversies of his career came in 2011 when he intentionally wrecked Ron Hornaday Jr. in the NASCAR Truck Series. The incident quickly spiraled into a nightmare for Busch, leading to heavy penalties from NASCAR.
Kyle Busch’s Costly Feud With Ron Hornaday Jr.
During the 2011 WinStar World Casino 350K at Texas Motor Speedway, Busch found himself in a heated battle with Hornaday for second place. Hornaday, a title contender, squeezed between Busch and a lapped truck, making contact with Busch’s No. 18 Toyota. The slight nudge sent Busch into the outside wall, bringing out a caution.
Busch, clearly frustrated, retaliated under caution. He hooked the rear of Hornaday’s No. 33 Chevrolet, sending it hard into the outside wall. Both trucks were destroyed, and Hornaday — who was still in championship contention — was knocked out of the race.
Busch received a lot of flak from the media for his move. NASCAR imposed a massive $50,000 penalty on the No. 18 driver and placed Busch on probation for the rest of the season.
“I lost my cool, no doubt about it. I’ve been wrecked four weeks in a row, and I’ve had enough of it, and I retaliated,” Busch said via ESPN.
“So it’s certainly my fault for doing that. If everybody wants to say, ‘Hornaday is racing for a championship, roll over,’ that’s not my fashion. That’s not anybody else’s fashion out here.”
Later during the weekend, Busch also released an official statement, acknowledging his mistake: “I understand why I was taken out of the car for the rest of the weekend. NASCAR officials had to act, and I accept their punishment and take full responsibility for my actions.”
The 2011 campaign turned out to be a year to forget for Busch after causing what was one of the most controversial wrecks in the sport’s history.