In the sixties a British rock band, known as The Who, emerged on the music scene. During the process of creating what turned out to be an iconic career, the band fortified their presence by smashing their instruments at the conclusion of their shows. This was especially true of lead guitarist Pete Townshend who could swing a Gibson guitar over his head with the force of John Henry’s mythical steel driving hammer.
For those of you who watched Saturday’s Nationwide Series race from the Nashville Super Speedway you already know where this is going. Auto Racing Daily
His latest transgression — trying a little something new in Victory Lane, namely smashing a trophy so he could share it with the crew that helped him win — got him condemned by the masses and called names that would make most adults blush.
Plus, although he consistently wins, he gets heckled every time he captures the checkered flag.
He takes part in every type of motorsports competition he can, but then gets criticized for “taking opportunities away from others.” Fox Sports
There’s a catch-all clause in the NASCAR rule book that says drivers are held accountable “for actions detrimental to the sport of stock car racing.”
If what Kyle Busch did in Nashville last Saturday night wasn’t detrimental to the sport then nothing is.
Busch bashed to bits Nashville Superspeedway’s trademark trophy, a Sam Bass-painted Gibson guitar, in what he termed a “rock-star style” Victory Lane celebration.
NASCAR Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash was quoted as saying he had “no issues” with the incident.
Balash even suggested the antics were positive, saying that Gibson Guitars, the Nationwide Series, the track and even the sponsors “will get a little press out of it.”
The entire city of Nashville is in an uproar. Fans are furious. Track GM Cliff Hawks is furious. Artist Sam Bass is furious. The race sponsors are furious.
What part of “furious” doesn’t NASCAR understand? Racin’ Today
However, Bass told he was heartbroken to see Busch destroy the trophy.
“It was stunning, absolutely stunning to see that thing destroyed within seconds of him getting it,” Bass said. “It’s his trophy, he can choose to do with it what he wants. But I’m not going to lie about it. If he had asked me, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about destroying that trophy guitar whenever I win it, what do you think?’ Of course I would have told him, ‘No! Please don’t. Let us give you a prop guitar.’ “
Busch’s celebration was not meant to be disrespectful toward Bass, the speedway, sponsors or fans. Instead, it was sincere emotion from a driver who had flirted several times with victory at Nashville only to come up empty in seven previous tries.
After finally breaking through for a dominating win, the smashing of the guitar was, in Busch’s mind, nothing more than an exorcising of demons.
Only nobody else sees it that way.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Sam Bass and those people at Gibson that make those beautiful trophies,” three-time Nashville winner Carl Edwards said. “You definitely will not see me smashing one of them.”
Brad Keselowski, either. So thrilled to earn one of the guitars last June, he carried it all over the garage during post-race inspection and then fell asleep cradling it during the plane ride home. His JR Motorsports team has the photos to prove it. Salisbury Post
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