Homestead, Fla. – It wasn’t the booze on his breath that kept Kurt Busch out of the Ford 400. It was the chip on his shoulder.
The former Nextel Cup champion sat on Sunday largely due to his bad attitude, car owner Jack Roush said.
The irony-rich story began Nov. 11, when Busch was pulled over by police in Phoenix for speeding, swerving and running a stop sign. A deputy smelled alcohol on his breath. Busch snapped that the deputy “ought to be directing traffic” and accused him of making the bust “because you’re a Jeff Gordon fan.”
Roush quickly suspended Busch for the final two races.
Busch has been sponsored by Royal Crown whiskey during the first season NASCAR lifted its ban on hard liquor ads. He told police he had only one drink with dinner. And even after a Breathalyzer test showed his blood-alcohol level was far below the 0.08 legal limit, Roush stood firm this weekend.
“Kurt has been a challenge for everybody that interacted with him on the team at some time or other. He used up his equity with his sponsors. He used up his equity with me,” Roush said. ” … He’s an extraordinary talent – an extraordinary talent – but he’s really had trouble dealing with the realities of normal social behavior.”
As the Ford 400 roared to life Sunday, Busch’s 2004 championship flag waved above Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Gordon’s $250,000 bonus
By finishing 11th in the season points standings, Jeff Gordon claimed a $250,000 bonus for being the top non-Chase driver. Gordon finished ninth in the Ford 400 and led for 39 laps.
Rusty bids adieu
On the white-painted finish line, one fan scrawled a goodbye note hours before Sunday’s race. Many people at the track were thinking the same thing.
“Farewell Rusty,” she wrote.
After the Ford 400, where Rusty Wallace finished 13th, the 49-year-old veteran retired. This season he finished eighth in the Chase for the Cup. He left the track with 55 career wins, 202 top fives and his head held high.
“I’m the only race car driver that’s officially retired at the top of his game,” Wallace said.
“… Ricky Rudd didn’t want to do it. Bill Elliott didn’t want to do it that way. Darrell Waltrip had a real neat tour. Richard Petty did a big tour. He did a great tour.
“Since Richard, I think I’m really the only one that went the way it’s going.”
A half-hour before the race, drivers asked Wallace to autograph the driving uniforms they wore for the Ford 400. He took out his pen and signed his own farewells.
Copter pilot dies
Two helicopters collided at the speedway after the race, killing one pilot, authorities said.
One helicopter was taking off from the speedway’s helipad while another was attempting to land.
The dead pilot’s identification was being withheld pending family notification.
