Kyle Busch does not forget a wrong done to him. No matter how many months or years, he always gets back at you. Just ask Ron Hornaday. The first time Rowdy and 4-time Truck Series Champion Hornaday got into a scuffle was back in 2004 when they were racing in the Xfinity Series. The latter had brake-checked Busch at a Darlington race and denied him a shot at the championship. Seven years later, Busch had his revenge.
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The 2011 Truck Series race at the Texas Motor Speedway got the media’s attention for all the wrong reasons. Hornaday was a prime contender for the championship and Busch’s anger was breeding, waiting to burst open. During the race’s 14th lap, Busch took the excuse of an early contact between them and wrecked Hornaday, taking them both out of the race. Busch had little to lose by then, as he wasn’t gunning for a championship.
The knock was deemed a serious offense by NASCAR and Busch’s Cup Series team, Joe Gibbs Racing. The driver ended up apologizing to the promotion, his team, and Hornaday after the incident. He was penalized $50,000 and parked for the rest of the weekend. NASCAR made it clear during the penalization that should Busch involve himself in another controversy for the rest of the season, it would end with him being immediately suspended.
The best payback @KyleBusch ever delivered #nascar pic.twitter.com/iehSvl1SBD
— FIVE WIDE Sports (@FiveWideSports) July 8, 2023
Busch said in his apology, “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.”
From the eyes of Busch, things were square now despite the fine and the apology he had to issue. But not in the eyes of Hornaday nor Kevin Harvick, the owner of the #33 truck.
Ron Hornaday and Kevin Harvick left frustrated at Kyle Busch’s attitude
Though Busch’s stand was that his move was the only payback for the contact that Hornaday had made with him earlier in the race, the #33 driver didn’t find that reason enough. He mentioned in his post-race interview that the contact was just something that happens in racing and wasn’t that big a deal. He added, “That’s just ignorant and stupid [The retaliation]. I don’t know what you want to call it. He’s such a candy-(rear end), he won’t stay around to get a whooping like he’s supposed to get. It’s a shame.”
Harvick’s words were far less pleasant than his driver’s. He said, “I’m going to come find him and he’s going to have to hold my watch because I’m going to whip his (rear end). He’s the biggest whining little piece of (expletive) I’ve ever seen in my whole life.” Though Busch had his reasons for the wreck, the disdain from Hornaday and Harvick reflected much across the fandom.
The incident of 2011 was one among the many that made Busch a ‘villain’ for many years.
