NASCAR owner Richard Childress reportedly fights Kyle Busch
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When NASCAR ushered in its ‘Boys, have at it’ doctrine, who knew it would include grandpas as well?
NASCAR said Richard Childress, the 65-year-old team owner and grandfather, was involved in an ‘incident’ with the feisty driver Kyle Busch at Kansas Speedway after a NASCAR truck race Saturday and now faces possible penalties.
Multiple media reports said Childress was miffed that Busch, 26, bumped into Childess driver Joey Coulter on the cool-down lap after the two drivers had battled for position in the race.
Childress reportedly went to the garage area, put Busch in a headlock and punched him more than once before the two were separated.
‘Richard Childress’ actions were not appropriate,’ NASCAR said in a statement Sunday before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, adding that it would ‘announce our actions regarding this incident Monday.’
Childress has been a team owner for four decades, and won six stock-car championships with the late Dale Earnhardt, the sport’s iconic ‘Intimidator.’ His current drivers are Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Paul Menard.
Childress’ frustration with Busch also might have stemmed from an incident last month when Harvick and Busch tangled after the race in Darlington, S.C., in which Harvick threw a punch into Busch’s window on pit road and Busch responded by using his car to push Harvick’s car out of the way.
Both drivers were placed on probation until June 15, but NASCAR said Sunday that Busch’s involvement in the incident with Childress did not violate his probation ‘and no further action is required.’
NASCAR last year introduced the ‘Boys, have at it’ philosophy whereby drivers were given more leeway to be aggressive and show emotion without fear of penalties. But drivers still have been penalized in some cases for what NASCAR deemed egregious behavior.
--Jim Peltz