How does Kurt Busch keep his ride when so many others would do anything to get his seat at Penske?

WARNING LANGUAGE!!!!

OK with sponsors being hard to come by, with teams like RGM struggling to find funding. With mega teams like RCR and Roush shutting down teams, with guys like Reutimann, Ragan and Vickers looking for a ride in any series.

How is it Kurt can keep a fully sponsored ride? This video makes me appreciate guys like RG even more all the time.

I dont know how many saw Kurt give the middle finger out his front window as he was pulling into the garage right after the trans broke in his car at this last race. But that was the beginning of his rage.

Here is a video of Dr Jerry Punch trying to interview Kurt during the Homestead race. Actually they were waiting to go live and Kurt was pissed he was having to wait. He really got mad when Jerry asked him if he knew a part of his trans might have put a hole in the front of Stewarts car.

WARNING LANGUAGE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsaBQq5D4Zg&feature=youtu.be

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Permalink Reply by Chris Koropeski on November 22, 2011 at 9:18am

Why was he so angry? it's not like he had a chance at winning anything that day.

Robert Silber is absolutely right. at the end of the Baja, after everything that happened, RG was very good with the media and the fans.. class act all the way... good things come to good people.

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Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on November 22, 2011 at 10:20am

I'm not a fan of his or making any excuses, just stating facts. Bottom line...He's a former Cup Champion. He has 24 wins, 88 Top 5's, and 169 Top 10's. He's finished in the Top 20 every year since 2002. He's made The Chase 6 out of the past 8 years. He's won 2 races the past 3 years and won a race the last 10 consecutive years. He's won over $36,770,037 since arriving at Penkse. He has an average start around 10th and average finish of 15th. In 12 years he's won over $51.6 million at an average of $4.2 million per year.He ranks 26th in All Time Cup wins. Will probably be in the HOF one day.

I do think someone should punch him for acting that way.

This is why people/owners put up with him...just syain'

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Permalink Reply by Team Maranello on November 22, 2011 at 10:35am

Well said Bigzoom. Sponsors really dont care about the nice guy aspect of it, they care about the results and exposure. He does TV adds, corporate events, fan events etc where he plays the part of being the nice guy and how the world is expected to see him. Outside of that, he is who he is., a dick. You dont have to be a nice guy to be successful. You can be a dick, as long as you can live with yourself. Funny thing is that for some of these guys, such behavior is nothing outside of the ordinary.

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Permalink Reply by Tooltime on November 22, 2011 at 10:41am

To me, when the "Captain" has to continuously come on the radio and tell this knucklehead to calm down and race, that is the first sign of incompatibility, and changes should be made. I personally would not nor should not put up with that sort of mental abuse over the radio all the time. You just cant keep berating your team and expect them to go the extra mile to help you win....The plane ride home each week must be filled with crew members bitching about their "driver" who constantly throws them under the bus! Just my .02
In my opinion, there are enought people out there with scanners and such, including sponsors that probably cant tune into his channel because they cant have their family hearing that sort of "sportsmanship!" I also do not buy any Shell/Pennzoil products for this excact reason, and I drive a Charger SRT8!

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Permalink Reply by GTX - HEMI on November 22, 2011 at 12:20pm

Where is "MR. EXCITEMENT" when you need him.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Sweeney on November 22, 2011 at 11:08am

http://youtu.be/YVN-ruNmiSs here is another one when he went off on Jaime Little

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Permalink Reply by Scott B on November 22, 2011 at 11:31am

Can't watch the video right now.

But the answer to your question is easy, CHAMPION.

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Permalink Reply by sandchevy3 on November 22, 2011 at 12:45pm

His crew chief is moving to another team...I wonder why?

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Permalink Reply by Chris Anello on November 22, 2011 at 12:45pm

Well Addington left the team. Smart man.

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Permalink Reply by WJM on November 22, 2011 at 12:48pm

I wasn't aware that winning the championship (eight years ago) includes a lifetime douchebag license.

Busch's most productive years were with Roush (2000-2005);
Starts: 144, Wins: 14, Top 5: 43, Top 10: 79. 2008 Cup Champion
Penske (2006-2011);
Starts: 216, Wins: 12, Top 5: 45, Top 10: 90.

Kurt came to Penske with great credentials - no doubt, but he has yet to deliver on the "big ones"; Daytona, Indy, the Championship, that endears a driver in the Penske culture. Long term contract be damned because berating the Captain's Team week in and week out and generally being a ass off-track will quicken his exit (see Paul Tracy). And then there's that young buck Keselowski on his bumper who produced more wins and a top 5 championship run this year.

There's a reason Sam Hornish (and Helio Castroneves, Rick Mears) will always be on the Penske payroll. They delivered the big ones and have always remained loyal to the Captain and the Penske culture.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Lutz on November 22, 2011 at 1:20pm

Sorry - have to disagree with the attitude comments.

NOT required to be successful and it reflects poorly on the entire Penske organization when this kind of stuff gets out. I ALSO don't he's too elite to be replaced.....lots of emerging talent that would do well in stellar equipment.

Kesolowski (sp?) - first year is in the top 5....

Being hypercompetitive and treating people like trash are not universally linked. They ofen are as ego's get in the way....

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Permalink Reply by NIKAL on November 22, 2011 at 3:19pm

Sirius NASCAR radio is all over this video. People are calling in and comparing Kurt's attitude to what his brother did to Honaday. They feel the Shell/Penzoil should step in like M&M's did with Kyle and JGR. Chocolate Myers was saying there is no place for Kurt's actions in NASCAR. Not in today's NASCAR when their is so much media coverage and everyone has a video camera on their phone. With good drivers losing rides, with big teams like Roush and RCR shutting down team's, with sponsors at a premium, you cant act like the Busch Bros and not expect to have to deal with the consequences for your actions. Past results will not guarantee you will be around next year or next week.

One caller was mentioning Karma and where both Busch boys finished the season, 11th & 12th. Chocolate was saying that both 11th & 12th get to the Championship lunch, but are not part of the Championship awards banquet and do not go on stage. So both boys will have to go to Vegas for the Awards Lunch and other media obligations, but are not part of the ceremonies.