Short-track racing and off-track altercations go hand in hand and the NASCAR All-Star race at the North Wilkesboro Speedway was no different. Tempers flared between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch after the latter wrecked the former in the first lap of the race. Not long after Stenhouse was sure to send the receipt to Rowdy. Punches were thrown and after the two were separated, the driver of the #47 car revealed that it came out of pent-up frustration against the 2X Cup Series champion.
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“I wrecked him one time at Daytona and he’s been kind of bad-mouthing me ever since,” the JTG Daugherty Racing driver said. “When I was talking to him he kept saying that I wrecked him so yeah definitely built-up frustration with how he runs his mouth all the time about myself. I know he’s frustrated because he doesn’t run near as good as he used to and I understand that.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spoke with @JamieLittleTV after throwing a punch at Kyle Busch. #NASCAR #AllStarRace pic.twitter.com/NeHQFkjjS4
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 20, 2024
On the first lap, Stenhouse tried to make it three wide in a situation involving Rowdy, and the two cars made contact. The #47 car ended up squeezing the RCR driver into the wall and that ticked off Busch to no end. He immediately came back for revenge and wrecked the JTG Daugherty car out of the race.
Following the altercation, Busch was visibly upset. He definitely did not want to speak to the media but he did give them a little idea about what was the reason for his reaction.
Kyle Busch hastily explains his on-track antics
Turns out that Rowdy was simply tired of being taken advantage of just to be passed. “I mean, it’s the first lap of the race. We don’t even have water temp in the car yet, and we’re wrecking off of (Turn) 2. … I’m tired of getting run over — by everybody. But that’s what everybody does. Everybody runs over everybody to pass everybody,” he said in a hasty interview with Bob Pockrass.
It’s been a long time since we have seen this side of the former Cup Series champion but it was a sight to behold. “Bring it! I don’t give a [expletive]. I suck just as bad as you,” he reportedly said after being clocked by Stenhouse. This drama between the two is sure to spill over into the rest of the season and taking Stenhouse Jr’s threat to wreck Rowdy at the next race could be something to watch out for.
