While controversies and driver rivalries in NASCAR are common sightings, they tend to change with seasons. As for the current season, one of the juiciest driver tussles is between Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
After a ton of back and forth between both racers, there came a point when the duo called for a truce. However, NASCAR’s trip to Mexico City reignited the rivalry, with Stenhouse Jr. vowing to take revenge on the No. 77 driver.
NASCAR veteran Kyle Busch was the latest figure to comment on the controversy.
Kyle Busch’s Comments About the Tussle Between Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Busch, once infamous for being an aggressive driver himself, has taken a calmer approach over the years. With time, the number of controversies associated with the No. 8 driver has gone down, too. Now, he might not be as hot-headed as he once was, but he certainly has not lost his sharp wit.
When the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) driver spoke to the cameras ahead of the Pocono contest, he commented on the feud between Hocevar and Stenhouse Jr. Before touching on the controversy, Busch briefly spoke about his experience with Pocono over the years and admitted that he was very much looking forward to race on the ‘Tricky Triangle.’
Following this, a journalist mentioned the Hocevar-Stenhouse Jr. drama and asked Busch if he was amused by the back and forth or if he gave it any thought at all.
The two-time championship winner admitted not being amused by it. However, he also added, “If you’re around them on the racetrack, then you just kind of keep your eyes open, for that time of payback.”
Busch then sympathized with Stenhouse Jr. and understood his side of the story while also highlighting an ironic fact about the No. 47 driver himself. He said:
“I can certainly sympathize with Stenhouse Jr. and the agony that he’s had over the last few weeks, but you know it kind of goes along with everybody. I mean, frankly, we would have said the same thing about Stenhouse Jr. years ago. So, you know, it is what it is.”
A journalist referred to the instance in Mexico City when Stenhouse Jr. confronted Hocevar, while Josh Berry keenly watched on. He asked Busch:
“Do you ever have a moment on the pit road where you’re like, ‘Oh, these guys are going to have a moment here and I want to watch this,’ or anything like that?”
The No. 8 driver responded to this with a hilarious answer. He said, “I don’t know if I’ve ever really been a spectator to those. I’ve mostly been a participant. So, I can’t say that I’ve ever really been in a spot where I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m just going to stand here and check this out.’”
He also added that during the race, he is in his “own little world,” and once the contest is over, he prefers getting off the track instead of lingering around for any drama.
