Race Weekend Central

Voices From the Heartland: I’ll Take “New” Busch Over “Old” Anyday

Editor’s Note: Turns out the news of Jeff Meyer’s demise is greatly exaggerated. After a three-and-a-half month sabbatical, one of the site’s fan favorites has returned! Come back every Thursday for his one-of-a-kind look at the sport we all love with Voices From the Heartland.

As I watched the races these past two weeks at Charlotte Motor Speedway, I had an epiphany of sorts; and unlike a few others I’ve had recently, it didn’t even hurt!

I realized that the mere mention of Kurt Busch’s name, let alone him actually winning first the All-Star Race and then the Coca-Cola 600, no longer evoked the same emotions that it did in the past – say, seven or eight years ago. I further realized, rather ironically I might add, that all because of this sport (oh sorry, I mean show) called NASCAR, the name “Busch” now brings out four distinct emotions in me, depending on the name that precedes it!

To clear things up on one ultra important note, if we are talking about “Anheuser,” make mine a Busch Light, please! Some things will never change; so that covers my sense of loyalty.

Then, along came a rather goofy-looking fellow named “Kurt.” As longtime readers of this column can attest, over the years (especially the earlier ones) I have pulled no punches when it came to making fun of the brash and outspoken “young” Kurt. Why, more than once, especially after Jimmy Spencer punched him in the face, I often referred to Kurt as the “Alfred E. Newman” of NASCAR. The man simply brought out the closest thing to pure loathing in me as, say, brussel sprouts!

Sadly, however, after stopping Jimmy’s fist with his face, then finally being able to afford having his ears surgically pinned back before the ultimate neutering, marriage, the man was just no fun anymore. Fortunately, for the rest of us in the racing world, as one Busch was maturing to the point that the feeling of apathy was or is now associated with him, Ma and Pa Busch unveiled their next experimental human: Kyle!

Right from the get go, that young Busch was somehow, quite unbelievably, even more annoying and loathsome (not to mention somewhat goofier looking) than his big brother! I didn’t think it was possible, but there it was, week after week after week!

Now before I get tons of hate mail, I will say this: Kyle, he IS one heck of a racecar driver. That, I do not deny. If he had one bit of a halfway likable personality, I might even be a fan; but it just ain’t happening! I would be a fan of brussel sprouts before I will Kyle.

Recently, with vaunted anticipation of maturation no doubt, many have been talking about the “new” Kyle Busch. So much talk, in fact, that when I kept hearing about him, I thought maybe, taking a cue from his big brother, that he had had “work” done to his head also… say maybe a nose job or something.

But no, that was not the case. It was getting to the point that I was afeered (that means skeert!) I may have to start liking the kid or, at the very least, assign to him even more apathy than I now do his big brother. Thank goodness the All-Star Race changed all that! Thank you, Denny Hamlin for giving us the “old” Kyle back. Some of us were starting to worry.

See also
The Cool-Down Lap: Busch-Hamlin Teammate Tussle Won't Derail Either's Title Hopes

Lastly but not leastly, thanks to NASCAR and the forums of this website, the name “Busch” brings out feelings of love in me (who doesn’t love love?) when you put the name “Lisa” in front of it. Lisa is my girlfriend of a couple of years now and she is a even bigger fan of NASCAR than me… wait, let me rephrase that… she enjoys NASCAR more than I… and dislikes Kyle almost as much as I!

So ya see, sometimes its funny how things turn out in life and NASCAR. You just can’t be too sure where you will end up or what a name will mean to you. Now, while I do know that my Lisa is a very, very distant relative (so distant that they don’t even get free beer) of the Anheuser-Busch fame, there have been no inquiries as to being somehow related to Kurt and Kyle… and that is just fine by me! I’m not sure I could abide by that!

Meanwhile, don’t be a Kyle, and

Stay off the wall!

Jeff Meyer

About the author

The Frontstretch Staff is made up of a group of talented men and women spread out all over the United States and Canada. Residing in 15 states throughout the country, plus Ontario, and widely ranging in age, the staff showcases a wide variety of diverse opinions that will keep you coming back for more week in and week out.

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