"Have Some Standards": Fans Call for NASCAR to Flip Kyle Busch's Penalty Verdict

Despite not being anywhere near the front-runners at the chequered flag, Kyle Busch became the center of attention after Sunday’s race in Texas. His shunt with John Hunter Nemechek with two laps remaining led many experts and fans to believe a penalty was warranted. Still, NASCAR’s decision not to punish the two-time champion has sparked accusations of hypocrisy.

Busch’s car made contact with the No. 42 driver, spoiling both of their outings on a day when Nemechek was looking strong. Busch eventually finished 20th, with Nemechek right behind him in 21st. Kevin Harvick echoed what many were thinking, suggesting the move was intentional. Busch, however, maintained his innocence throughout.

“I did not start this,” he said on X. The 42 apparently doesn’t know where the RS (right side) of his car is and where he is in relation to the outside wall. There was 2 ft outside him, and I was judging my left side tires to the hash marks. Always know who you’re racing beside.”

NASCAR seems to agree with Busch. They looked at telemetry details and SMT data from his car to determine that it wasn’t his fault.

“There was no audio that came out that said, ‘I’m going to wreck the 42,’ and then he wrecked the 42,” official Mike Forde said. “So that’s one. And then two, the SMT data didn’t show anything that suggested that he did do it, and also the fact that his steering was so jacked, it showed that there was at least a plausible chance that his car had some damage that led to what happened.”

However, in the very same race, Busch’s teammate Ryan Preece was believed to have intentionally damaged Ty Gibbs’ car.

Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford, was penalized under Sections 4.3 and 4.4.A in the NASCAR Rule Book, which specifically lists “wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from competition as a result” as a potentially punishable offense.

An aggressive move by 23-year-old Ty Gibbs entering Turn 1 during Stage 1 angered Preece and triggered an eventual rant over the in-car radio:

“What a [expletive] idiot that kid is. He is so lucky his car is so [expletive] fast. … All right, when I get to that 54, I’m done with him. [Expletive] idiot. That car is so [expletive] fast, [expletive] pisses me off. Stupid. I’m gonna vent for 15 seconds. I can’t stand when idiots like him have fast race cars that they can do stupid [expletive] and get away with it. End of rant.”

When the two raced near each other again on a Stage 2 restart, Preece surged to the rear bumper of Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota. Gibbs slammed the Turn 3 wall and eventually drove to the garage; the damage to his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was too severe to continue.

“What this came down to is, [he] said what he said, and then he did what he said. And so in our view, it was intentionally wrecking another vehicle,” Forde explained.

As a result, a $50,000 fine was handed out to him, and 25 points were docked, dropping Preece to 13th in the championship standings, just 38 points above the provisional cutline for the 16-driver field. A costly blow with the playoff window still in play.

Fans demand to know why Ryan Preece and Kyle Busch were treated differently

Preece was not silent on his radio. Busch, meanwhile, was, which is seemingly why he got off scot-free.

In an attempt to defend himself further, Busch asked on X, “How do [you] know where they are when [they’re] in your blind spot, smart guy?” However, many argued that his comments about the “guy behind you” didn’t really fit what happened with Nemechek on Sunday. The No. 42 was already ahead of Busch before the latter attempted a pass that ultimately failed to clear him.

“Absolutely disgraceful, JHN robbed of justice in broad daylight, even if not points. At least formally penalize him with a fine, if Preece deserved a penalty, so did Busch. Have some standards,” a fan wrote on X.

“Only because he was radio silent, as was his cc and spotter. As they should be! Just pisses me off and Busch deserved a penalty n Preece def did not!!! Ryan was just vocal about it. So wrong!!!!” wrote another.

Denny Hamlin, who finished second in the very same race, was also having none of it.

“As far as the incident, I didn’t see anything, no matter who’s at fault for what on the [backstretch] — what happened in turn 3 was certainly unacceptable,” Hamlin said on his Actions Detrimental podcast. “It should be viewed that way as unacceptable… He lost his sh– going into turn 3, clearly.”

“Then JHN needs to put Busch into the wall the very next chance he gets, and NASCAR can’t say squat about it,” another fan stated.

What further angered the community more was that this was not the first time Busch got away with what appeared to be a clear-cut penalty. Earlier this season, in Bristol, he sent Riley Herbst spinning to avenge him for an earlier incident in the race. NASCAR, however, did not issue a penalty, with Cup Series Managing Director Brad Moran saying only that he would be “having a chat” with Busch about the moment.

“Theres a very basic precedent nascar has set. If you wreck someone without right hooking them, if you say nothing (as kyle busch did) while doing it, they cant say it was intentional. If you say “im gonna wreck him” and you do, it is a penalty,” one fan pointed out.

Thanks to that, NASCAR is again opting for a “chat”.

“We do plan to have a discussion — Brad Moran and company — with Kyle and the rest of RCR leadership. As was pointed out several times also, this is the second time in the last four weeks where there’s been discussion post-race on whether or not he should have a penalty, first was Riley Herbst at Bristol.

“And so maybe let’s not have to be having this conversation as often as we are, because the benefit of the doubt is running out pretty quickly. We’ll have that conversation with pertinent parties,” Forde confirmed.

That said, the only lesson fans seem to have taken away from the race seems to be: keep your radio clean, keep your steering wheel questionable, and you might walk away free.

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