Kyle Busch on Stenhouse: ‘I can’t worry about people that far back in the field’

Kyle Busch isn’t happy with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., but he’s also clearly not losing any sleep over someone he doesn’t view as true competition.

The problem with unwritten rules is that people don’t always agree on whether or not you’re following them. After being right in the thick of two very destructive wrecks in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway last weekend, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. feels he’s satisfied the code of NASCAR Cup Series drivers by expressing his general regret that he ended the night for so many drivers.

Kyle Busch thinks that isn’t enough.

Never one to mince words, Busch, who was taken out during one of the incidents in question, left no doubt about the fact that he felt Stenhouse had an obligation to reach out personally to those he wronged.  Not doing so, in Rowdy’s mind, meant maybe Stenhouse didn’t really feel bad about ending the nights of some of his fellow drivers, at least given some of his comments to the media captured by NASCAR.com.

"If you did it purposefully, don’t reach out. But if you actually have some remorse, and you’re apologetic … I tend to reach out. When I make mistakes or when I do things that I feel like hindered other drivers than I always reach out and say something like ‘Hey man, hate I got into you, I’m sorry.’ … It’s not going to change the fact, but at least you took that step."

Those ween’t even Busch’s most pointed words. His sharpest zinger came when someone wondered if he would race Stenhouse differently, to which the No. 18 Toyota driver responded thusly:

"I can’t worry about people that far back in the field."

Harsh? Maybe so, because it’s not like Stenhouse is a back marker. He’s currently in the last spot outside the playoff field, less than 20 points behind Alex Bowman.

Still, the fact remains that Stenhouse has only two career Cup Series victories, both of which came last season. Both were in restrictor plate races, too, which is why the Roush Fenway Racing driver was pushing so hard to make something happen at Daytona.

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He won both of the first two stages but wasn’t in contention for the victory when it came down to the final laps. It also seems like he’s angered more than just Busch, so Stenhouse might want to keep his head on a swivel for a few weeks, not to mention considering picking up the phone and at least sending a text the next time he makes contact with someone.