Monster deal: Busch brothers unite to run for Nationwide owners' title

Monster deal: Busch brothers unite to run for Nationwide owners' title
Jan. 19, 2012

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- The acknowledged edginess of Kyle and Kurt Busch isn't about to get them in trouble with their new NASCAR Nationwide Series sponsor.
In fact, Monster Energy, which will sponsor the brothers for a full Nationwide Series schedule in 2012, is more likely to embrace the sort of behavior that created issues for both drivers with more traditional sponsors last year.
"We kind of collaborated together on what we could do, and we took it to Monster, and they were like, 'Hell, yeah, let's do this. Sign 'em on,' " Kyle said of the deal that will have the siblings sharing time behind the wheel.
In a charged atmosphere that featured flying motorcycles and a contingent of X Games superstars, Kyle Busch announced a multiyear agreement with Monster that will allow him and Kurt to split driving duties of the No. 54 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota this season.
The all-time Nationwide wins leader with 51 victories, Kyle will compete in the first five races of the season, with the brothers splitting the remaining races in a schedule still to be specified. Kurt also will drive a Chevrolet for James Finch's Phoenix Racing -- his Sprint Cup ride -- in the four restrictor-plate races, at Daytona and Talladega, with the possibility of adding additional events with Finch.
Eager to dispel what they both termed "the myth that we don't get along," Kyle and Kurt stood arm-in-arm as they made the announcement. The harmony they projected seemed light years from the turmoil that engulfed them last year and -- especially in Kurt's case -- altered the directions of their careers.
Kurt's emotional tirade during the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, after a transmission failure two laps into the race, ultimately led to a split with Penske Racing and the association with Finch.
Kyle wrecked NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship contender Ron Hornaday Jr. under caution at Texas in November. NASCAR suspended Kyle for the remainder of the weekend, parking him for the Nationwide and Cup races. Sponsor M&Ms withdrew its support for the final two Cup races of the season.
Though he owns a successful Truck Series team, Kyle is unlikely to compete in the series this year, because both Joe Gibbs, Kyle's owner, and M&Ms have suggested in no uncertain terms that it would be best for him not to race trucks.
Busch is equally unlikely to drive the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Nationwide Series, even though he drove that car to the drivers' title in 2009 and was the primary contributor to JGR's owners' championship in 2010.
In fact, there are several intriguing aspects to the deal. JGR has signed Mark Martin, who has 49 Nationwide Series wins, for a handful of races in the No. 18.
"He probably jumped at it, obviously," Kyle said. "It's a car that can get to victory lane. Given that Mark and I are right there close together for that win total, it's an opportunity for him to try to come back at me a little bit."
According to Kyle, team owner Joe Gibbs wasn't thrilled when he learned that the KBM car would be competing against his own teams for the owners' championship, but team president J.D. Gibbs already had given his blessing.
"When this all first started, I went to J.D., and it all kind of came together," Kyle said. "After it was this close to being signed, Joe called me and said, ‘Why are we doing this? Why are we letting you go out and open up your own deal and compete against us?'
"I said, ˜I don't know. J.D. said it was OK.' Joe's not necessarily a fan of it, but he understands, and he's open to it. He understands that this is Kyle Busch Motorsports and there's a family of people here that work here and obviously need to have an income."
According to both Kurt and Kyle, The notion that the brothers weren't close grew more from their age difference (Kurt is 33; Kyle is 26) and their desire to establish their own identity as racers.
"You didn't see us buddied-up like the Waltrips were over the years, or the Bodine brothers, or the Wallaces," Kurt said. "We were always out there racing so hard that it was hard for us to spend time together at the track.
"But we did it behind the scenes. We just didn't do it in front of the cameras."
That doesn't mean, however, that Kurt doesn't want to beat his brother on the track.
"It's a sibling rivalry," Kurt said. "It's just like any other set of brothers or sisters. I see the Williams sisters in tennis. You see the Manning brothers in football. There's a ton of brother and sister combinations that are out there competing, and this is the first real opportunity for a couple of brothers to work together.
"At the same time, I think I want to win more Nationwide races than he can this year."