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'Earnhardt factor' links Busch, Gordon
by JEFF OWENS, Special to FOXSports.com
The Tony Stewart comparison is fair because of his tendency to open his mouth at the wrong time, occasionally stirring up trouble and creating controversy, as Stewart did in his early years.
Ordinal out of range
And the Jeff Gordon comparison is fair because of his early success and quick rise to stardom. Busch has taken the sport by storm at a young age, winning seven Cup races at 23, just as Gordon did in the mid-1990s.
But Busch and Gordon have something else in common as well, something that makes their comparison even more compelling.
Busch has suddenly become the driver fans most love to hate, just as Gordon did when he burst onto the scene in 1993 and began winning in '94-95. Busch is booed lustily nearly everywhere he goes.
He was booed following his win April 27 at Talladega. He was booed before and after his May 10 win at Darlington. (Of course, that came a week after he wrecked Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Richmond, adding rocket fuel to an already simmering blaze.)
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He was booed during driver introductions prior to the Sprint All-Star Race. He was also cheered loudly a few times Saturday night as well — when Carl Edwards passed him for the lead, when he slowed with engine trouble and when his crew finally pushed his car behind the wall.
Only two active drivers truly know what its like to be the subject of such disdain — Kurt Busch, Kyle's older brother, and Gordon.
When Gordon emerged as a serious contender in 1995, winning seven races and his first Cup championship, he began to get booed on a regular basis.
Why?
Because he was not a typical, stock-car racer. Gordon, a sprint-car star from California, was not a typical, Southern driver who grew up on the short tracks of the South.
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Secondly, he won too soon and too often. In just three years, he already had nine Cup wins. To many, he had not paid his dues, as other, veteran drivers had to do on their way through the ranks. Beginning with his fourth season, Gordon blew away the competition, winning an astounding 40 races over the next four seasons. At that point, fans simply grew tired of seeing him win all the time.
But perhaps more importantly, Gordon was beating the man who had more fans than any other driver — Dale Earnhardt.
The fact that Gordon beat Earnhardt week in and week out — Earnhardt never won another championship after Gordon arrived — riled Earnhardt fans and they let him know it.
As Earnhardt was greeted to a ringing chorus of cheers each week, Gordon was bombarded with thunderous boos. Often, the noise came from the same people.
Kyle Busch is facing similar scenarios.
He, too, is not from around here, as NASCAR's most Southern fans like to say. He is from Las Vegas, far from the traditional NASCAR stomping grounds, and is different from the prototypical stock-car driver.
And now, in the midst of his breakout season, Busch is winning too often. He not only has three Sprint Cup wins in 11 races this season, he is leading the points standings and tearing up both the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck series. Fans are already growing tired of seeing his sheepish grin in Victory Lane.
Busch is also carrying considerable baggage. Not only has he rubbed some fans the wrong way by being a bit overaggressive on the track, he's got a bit of an edge, rarely backing down from controversy and often stirring things up with harsh criticism or inflammatory comments.
Perhaps he picked up such traits from his older brother, who has gotten himself into enough trouble over the years that many fans hate Kyle simply because he's Kurt's brother.
"I've pretty much been doomed since I got here," the younger Busch says.
But, as with Gordon, the biggest mark against Busch is the Earnhardt factor.
Though it was Earnhardt Jr. who replaced Busch at Hendrick Motorsports — and not the other way around — the two will inevitably be linked together for years to come because of the deal.
The hiring of Earnhardt Jr. forced Busch out at Hendrick and led to him signing with Joe Gibbs Racing. Now, the two will frequently be compared to see who got the better end of the deal.
Right now, the answer is Busch, and, of course, that doesn't set well with Earnhardt Jr. fans. The fact that Busch is winning and Earnhardt Jr. is not is naturally going to turn Junior Nation against him. (And the controversial wreck at Richmond certainly didn't help.)
Just as Earnhardt fans didn't like seeing a hot new star come along and beat their hero, Junior fans don't like seeing Busch upstage Earnhardt Jr.'s celebrated move to Hendrick.
The biggest difference between Busch and Gordon is that Busch doesn't seem to care. He doesn't mind the boos, he says, and even seems to enjoy it.
He even taunts fans occasionally, bowing to them as they boo his introduction or another victory. He puts his hand to his ear, inviting them to boo louder. He signals for them to bring it on, as if he's letting the cascade of venom wash over him.
After winning at Darlington, he even taunted the more surly fans that threw beer cans at him. "Next time, just make sure it's full so I can enjoy it," he said.
Busch seems to enjoy the attention.
"It's kind of funny, really," he says. "I don't care. ... I'm having fun. As long as I'm winning races I'm having fun."
He is having plenty of fun these days. And as he revels in his role as NASCAR's new villain, he is actually giving fans something they want.
"People like to hate someone," says driver Edwards, who also has had a mixed relationship with fans. "Fans like to cheer against someone. I know I've had times where there were some fans that definitely did not like me, and I think everybody goes through that.
"... It's good for the sport and, in some ways, it's good for the individual that is getting booed and cheered against because people are paying attention to you."
Love him or hate him, Kyle Busch is certainly attracting plenty of attention.
And opening mouths.
Jeff Owens is a writer for NASCAR Scene, which is published weekly, 50 weeks per year. Visit www.scenedaily.com for more information. © 2007 Street & Smith Sports Group
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