Columnist Ron Kantowski: Kurt Busch’s continued track record of upsetting fans, sponsor

Monday, Nov. 14, 2005 | 8:28 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Reach him at ron@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4088.

If you're one of the three remaining Kurt Busch fans and are looking for some way to justify it, consider that an Associated Press story used the word "truculent" to describe his behavior.

That's the same word that Howard Cosell used to describe the great Muhammad Ali.

"Champ, you're being awfully truculent," Cosell said while trying to interview an agitated Ali.

"I don't know what 'truculent' means," Ali responded. "But if it's good, then I'm that."

Well, I do know what "truculent" means and it isn't good. But Busch is definitely that.

As if the Las Vegan didn't already have enough problems winning over NASCAR fans, who don't even acknowledge his 2004 Nextel Cup championship, Busch now has a problem with the Maricopa County sheriff's department. He was detained on suspicion of drunken driving and cited for reckless driving after a confrontation with police as he left Phoenix International Raceway, where Busch was racing this weekend.

Or was to race. His car owner, Jack Roush, not exactly a fan of Busch's either, pulled him out of the car Sunday morning and put journeyman Kenny Wallace in his place.

Busch, according to reports, was stopped Friday night about two miles from the track when he had to avoid another car upon running a stop sign. He probably expected the cops would let him off with a stop-and-go penalty, like NASCAR usually does.

Perhaps they would have, had he not gotten all belligerent and ... well, truculent. It was just another in a long line of behavioral problems for Busch that have ranged from fisticuffs with other drivers, to tossing water bottles at NASCAR officials, to swearing like a sailor on his in-car radio.

"This is Maricopa County and our streets are not to be used as raceways," sheriff Joe Arpaio said. "He ought to confine his speeding to the racetrack. And I don't like anybody being abusive to my deputies, I don't care who they are."

A deputy said he smelled alcohol on Busch. But Busch, in a statement, denied the incident had anything to do with alcohol. I believe him. If it had, he would have been arrested. What it appears to have everything to do with is him being a jerk.

That's probably a misdemeanor in most places. In the court of NASCAR public opinion, it's a capital offense punishable by about three more seasons of boos during driver introductions. Not even Larry the Cable Guy can get away with being a jerk.

Immediately after the incident, Roush said he didn't plan to punish Busch, who reneged on his contract with Roush to take retiring Rusty Wallace's place at Penske Racing South next year. Roush didn't release Busch from his contract until last week when the NASCAR driver dominoes finally began to fall into place.

Now you've got to wonder if Roger Penske wonders if he made the right move in signing Busch.

If there's one thing Penske demands from his drivers is that they keep a low profile and toe the line. Indy-car star Sam Hornish was so in tune to Penske's button-down approach that after he agreed to drive for him, he went out and got a shave and a haircut -- when he still was under contract to another team.

And even if Busch only had a beer in the hospitality tent before leaving the track, that alcohol was even mentioned in context with his detainment probably won't sit well with his new sponsor, Miller beer.

It sure didn't sit well with Roush, who decided to get even with Busch for his lack of loyalty by suspending him for the rest of the NASCAR season. He practically pulled Wallace off the TV set where he was working as an analyst to ask if he brought his helmet to the track.

"I gotta go," Wallace should have said upon excusing himself.

"Kurt Busch is acting like an idiot again."