Busch’s Sound Of Silence After Daytona Wreck Was Right Decision
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Kyle Busch does NOT owe anything to anyone, not the media, fans, his team, NASCAR or even his sponsors, for deciding not to speak after Saturday’s last lap wreck at Daytona.
Somehow, fans have gotten the distorted impression that Busch owes them an explanation why he cut back in front of Tony Stewart, who had no choice but to make contact with Busch, sending him into the wall and ending his race several hundred feet short of the finish line.
To me, Busch did the smartest thing he could have done, given the circumstances. He kept quiet, didn’t throw any major temper tantrum (although he did momentarily disagree with officials who wanted him to make a trip to the infield medical center to get checked out), didn’t throw Stewart under the bus, didn’t throw his helmet in anger, didn’t try to punch Stewart out or anything of similar ilk.
Rather, Busch did the best thing by remaining stoic and silent. How many of us were told by our parents when we were growing up, “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.”
Kyle obviously learned that lesson well from his parents Tom and Gaye Busch.
So why are fans coming down on young Kyle? Would they have done the same thing if Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson or Matt Kenseth wrecked out? Not likely.
Kyle avoided trouble by not starting trouble. For that, he’s to be commended.
And for those who feel he owes it to his sponsor to talk to the media after the race, guess again. He just spent three hours driving a race car emblazoned with his sponsor’s colors and logo, he was on TV for the majority of the race and there was little doubt which company employs him as its driver and spokesman. He earned his money and put in his time.
Sure, if he had said some forced statement afterward, he would have been criticized for that. He’d also have been roundly criticized if he blew up and spouted off.
But instead, he took the best and most noble route out of the situation. He simply didn’t say anything and left. How many bar fights or even wars could we avoid in our lifetime if we, in essence, followed Kyle’s lead and walked away not saying a word?
There’ll be other times to pick a fight, times when he may very well be justified to call someone out. But this time, given that he arguably could take as much blame for the wreck as Stewart, Busch did the best thing of all by clamming up.
Tell me again how that’s being immature? If anything, he did the most mature thing there was. Too bad others don’t always follow suit of the example he gave Saturday night.
| 
|