Wednesday’s edition of NASCAR America’s Motormouths could not have picked a better day to discuss the rivalry between brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch. After all, Wednesday was National Siblings Day.
When older brother Kurt said after Sunday’s race at Bristol that he would have wrecked younger brother Kyle if he had the chance to do so to get the win, our analysts Rutledge Wood, Kyle Petty and A.J. Allmendinger gave their respective take on the subject.
Is there a real rivalry between the brothers, or were they just posturing after Sunday’s race?
Wood posed this question: “Are we seeing a different Kurt Busch now than we’ve seen over the last few years?”
Said Petty, “I think we’re seeing a different Kurt Busch. I think he’s been consistent the last part of last year and really good this year, really consistent. … (There’s a) happiness factor).”
Wood chimed in about Kurt, noting: “To me, the one thing you definitely notice is there definitely is a happiness factor and a piece about him. … There were times, watching him at Stewart-Haas (before moving to Chip Ganassi Racing this season), where he was really valued and ‘Kurt’s our guy,’ and then there were other days when I couldn’t tell the difference.”
Added Allmendinger, “I think (Kurt) was valued at that 41 team. He came in and helped elevate the team. The team was started because of him. (Team co-owner) Gene Haas wanted his name on the car, wanted a guy that could win a race with Gene Haas’ name on the car. … Kurt Busch now feels like he’s wanted. Chip Ganassi Racing wanted him to show up and put this team back up-front. Your attitude changes when you feel like you’re wanted. At Stewart-Haas Racing, sure he brought some value to the team, but this was Kevin Harvick’s organization. That car was only started because Gene Haas wanted him in that car. Now with Chip Ganassi, people want him there and it shows in his attitude when he runs consistent every weekend.”
Petty also recalled how the Busch brothers had a celebrated feud when Kyle was still driving for Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 5.
“Go back to the (2007) All-Star Race when Kyle wrecked Kurt and they didn’t speak for six or seven months and they had to have the Grandma summit, where their grandmother had to get them together.”
So given the elder Busch brother’s comments at Bristol, could either bro dump the other if it comes down to it this Saturday at Richmond? Time will tell.
One guy who doesn’t have to worry about sibling rivalry is Allmendinger, who deadpanned he was glad “I’m an only child.”
To see the whole Motormouths segment about the Busch brothers, check out the rest of the video at the top of this story.
