Motorsports
Busch Smashes Guitar Trophy After Win
Posted Jun 06, 2009 11:06 PM
GLADEVILLE, Tenn. (June 6) -- Kyle Busch punished the competition and a brand new Gibson Les Paul guitar trophy Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway.
Did You See That in NASCAR?
Kyle Busch injected some rock star attitude into NASCAR after winning the Federated Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series race on Saturday. Busch slammed the Gibson Les Paul guitar trophy on the Victory Lane concrete until pieces flew off. Click through to see more of Busch's smashing act along with other stunning photos from NASCAR action.
Donn Jones, AP
Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, celebrates by smashing the Gibson guitar given to the winner after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Federated Auto Parts 300 at the Nashville Superspeedway on June 6, 2009 in Gladeville, Tenn.
Chris Graythen, Getty Images
Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, poses for a photo with artist Sam Bass after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Federated Auto Parts 300 at the Nashville Superspeedway on June 6, 2009 in Gladeville, Tenn.
Chris Graythen, Getty Images
Kyle Busch holds the guitar trophy over his head after winning the NASCAR Federated Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series auto race in Gladeville, Tenn., on Saturday, June 6, 2009.
Donn Jones, AP
Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Federated Auto Parts 300 at the Nashville Superspeedway on June 6, 2009 in Gladeville, Tenn.
Chris Graythen, Getty Images
Mike Skinner, driver of the #5 Rue Ziffra, PA Attorney at Law Toyota, flies into the air on the hood of T.J. Bell, driver of the #11 VisitPIT.com/Red Horse Racing Toyota, during the NASCAR Camping World Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 on May 15, 2009 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
Geoff Burke, NASCAR / Getty Images
The #15 Pilot Travel Centers Toyota, driven by Michael Annett, catches fire during the NASCAR Nationwide Series CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 on May 23, 2009 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
Streeter Lecka, Getty Images
Michael Waltrip's car catches fire as his engine blows in turn three during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Southern 500 auto race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C., Saturday, May 9, 2009.
Richard Shiro, AP
Carl Edwards (99) goes airborne after crashing with Ryan Newman, rear, and Brad Keselowski on the final lap of the Aaron's 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala., on Sunday, April 26, 2009. Keselowski won the race.
Glenn Smith, AP
Mark Martin, driver of the #5 Carquest/Kellogg's Chevrolet, and Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Dupont/Pepsi Chevrolet, come to a rest after a multi-car incident during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2009 in Talladega, Alabama.
John Harrelson, Getty Images
Busch capped his victory celebration after the NASCAR Nationwide Series race by grabbing the custom-painted guitar by the neck and slamming it three times into the Victory Lane concrete before tossing it aside.
The rock star antics originated last year when Busch told his team he would smash one of racing's most coveted prizes if he ever won at Nashville.
To its credit, the guitar chipped but never shattered.
"It didn't break according to plan," Busch said. "We'll go back to the shop and cut it up into smooth pieces so everyone on the team can have one. Then I'm going to order two more for me and (crew chief) Jason Ratcliff.
"Everybody's (smashed a guitar) except race car drivers. Those sorry saps take it home in one piece. I'll break it up and share it with the team."
One onlooker who applauded the theatrics was Sam Bass, the artist who paints Nashville's trophy guitars.
"I'll be honest with you, I was stunned when it happened,'' Bass said. "But when I went to Victory Lane to take a picture with Kyle, he said there was no disrespect to me, the speedway or the sponsors. He just said he was going to give each one of his guys a piece of the trophy. In the spirit of rock and roll and, as someone who appreciates rock and roll, he put on a show.''
That he did.
NASCAR Wives and Girlfriends
Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 Aflac Ford, poses for a photo with his fiancee Nicole Lunders as he celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series LifeLock 400 at Kansas Speedway on September 30, 2007 in Kansas City, Kansas.
Jerry Markland, NASCAR / Getty Images
Katie Kenseth kisses her husband Matt Kenseth after he won the Daytona 500 race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Sunday, February 15, 2009. (Tom Burton/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
Tom Burton, Orlando Sentinel/MCT
Tony Stewart (R), driver of the #20 The Home Depot Chevrolet, girlfriend Tara Roquemore, and team members, celebrate in victory lane after winning the 1st Gatorade Duel, following the Gatorade Duel at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2007 in Daytona, Florida.
Jamie Squire, NASAR / Getty Images
Kevin Harvick and his wife Delana arrive at the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Awards Ceremony at The Waldorf Astoria on November 30, 2007 in New York City.
Brad Barket, NASCAR / Getty Images
NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson kisses his wife, Chandra, after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship for the third consecutive year on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008, in Homestead, Fla.
Terry Renna, AP
Jeff Burton and his wife Kim, left, share a light moment in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Bank of America 500 auto race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008.
Chuck Burton, AP
Juan Pablo Montoya and his wife Connie Freydell pose on the red carpet prior to the Juan Pablo Charity Gala hosted by Juan Pablo Montoya, Fonseca, Fanny Lu, Angela Patricia Janiot, Silvia Tcherassi, Camilo Vellegas and United for Colombia at Karu & Y on November 16, 2007 in Miami, Florida.
Doug Benc, Getty Images
Race car driver Sam Hornish Jr. (L) and wife Crystal Hornish arrive at the 3rd annual GM All-Car Showdown held at Paramount Pictures on July 11, 2006 in Hollywood, California. The GM All-Car Showdown is a charity-driven event celebrating the hottest modified GM vehicles, where athletes and celebrities compete for the King of Bling title.
Mark Davis, Getty Images
Actress Ashley Judd and IRL driver Dario Franchitti arrive at the 2007 ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre on July 11, 2007 in Hollywood, California.
Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images
Ingrid Vandebosch (L) and race car driver Jeff Gordon arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala, Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2008 in New York City.
Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images
Busch raced to his fourth Nationwide Series victory of the year and ninth overall NASCAR win of the season, easily holding off Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards in the Federated Auto Parts 300.
The 24-year-old Busch also has three Sprint Cup victories and two Camping World Trucks wins this year, giving him 51 career victories in NASCAR's top three series.
Keselowski, the race winner last year coming off a victory last week in Dover, was second - 0.891 seconds back. Edwards, a three-time Nashville Superspeedway winner, finished third on the 1.333-mile concrete oval.
Mike Bliss was fourth, followed by Jason Leffler.
Busch led 173 laps and avoided a series of wrecks early and midway through the 225-lap race. Busch's crew serviced his Toyota in a 14.3 seconds during the final round of green-flag stops with 35 laps to go, and he was back in front by lap 202.
"It was a good day overall,'' Busch said. "We had a great race car, sat on the pole and led the most laps. Brad had some good stuff and was coming at the end but we were up front and got out a ways. We may have been a little tight at the end. Maybe that's why he was running us a down.''
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2009-06-06 23:36:53
COMMENTS ( 1599 )
No doubt Kyle Busch has talent but jealously has nothing to do with it. Kyle Busch is a punk who needs to grow up and respect NASCAR as others have before him. He doesen't give a crap about the fans or his fellow drivers. As I mentioned one of these days he is going to kill someone with his antics. When another driver gives him a dose of his own medicine he then sulks and points fingers at everyone else. If Dale Jr (or anyone else) acted like he does then I would no respect for that type of behavior either.