kyle busch fans answer?

I have been a Rowdy fan since before he was ever known as Rowdy. I lived in Vegas back in 2002-2004 and that's actually when I really caught NASCAR fever--thanks to some friends of mine who were fans and who guided me from thinking "who wants to watch a bunch of cars going around in circles for hours" to understanding the breadth, the depth, and the nuances of the sport.

They suggested back in 2003 that I pick a favorite driver and follow him, beginning at the beginning of the season and particularly for my first live race--Vegas 2003. I picked the hometown boy Kurt Busch because I liked his talent, his attitude, his arrogance, etc... Kyle had not yet come back to racing as he didn't turn 18 until May that year so I didn't know much about him until I read Kurt's quote about his little brother being the best driver in the family. Kurt won me a fair amount of money at the sports books that year and the next, but there was also something missing...

I remain a Kurt fan till this day, but since I didn't get to see his start from back in the truck series days, I didn't feel quite the affinity for him overall as I did for Kyle. True, I didn't see him race for Roush back in the truck series when he was 16, but once he started racing for Hendrick (and later Ballew in the truck series), I was hooked. He was more brash, more arrogant, and seemed to possess more "fire in the belly" than Kurt from the get-go, and I loved every minute of it.

As for whether or not he was being held back at HMS, that's a tough call. He didn't win as many races back then, but he did finish 10th in the points in 2006 and fifth in the points in 2007. And he was always a threat and incredibly fun to watch...

Finally, saying that any cup driver can win lots of races in the other series may be true as the last few championships can attest. But the more important measure was how he did as he came up through those series. In particular, he was Rookie of the Year in the-then Busch Series in 2004--finishing second overall in the points--and Cup Rookie of the Year in 2005. And now that the differences between the cars is greater than ever before since the introduction of the COT, it is more difficult than ever to be able to win consistently in both series, and even less so in all three series. Sure, others can do the double, but no one does the triple like Kyle.

On a related note, I really find it interesting that NASCAR fans in general have their own pecking order in terms of "fanhood." I have written a couple of articles about it and can only figure that because they have been looked down upon by the rest of the sports world (and the country) for so long, they now feel the need to look down on someone else so they pick on others within the sport. And they do so by picking on "bandwagoners," when in reality, what business is it of anyone else's when I started liking somebody or why. That they are fans and member of NASCAR Nation should be enough, especially in times like these where fans are most needed to help keep the sport growing and keep sponsor dollars flowing...

ps. as for your additional details, if you'd like somebody to bash you i'm sure we could russle up quite a few people around here more than willing to oblige. but i can't do it, especially to a kurt fan...

I've been a Kyle fan since the end of '07 (September, I think) when I really got back into NASCAR.

But there are a lot of fans out there who only like him now because he's winning a lot.

As far as him being held back at HMS, I'd rather not get into this too much but I believe there was some bias toward other drivers when he was there, especially from the few things Rick told him over the radio during a race where Gordon was running first, and Kyle second.

I think he made the right choice with signing with Gibbs. I mean, look where he is today.

I watched my first NASCAR race in July of '05. My friends told me to watch a few races and decide which driver I liked. It only took me about 30 minutes to pick out the kid in the #5 Tony the Tiger car. The announcers mentioned that he was 19, but really nothing else about him. I've always been good at picking winners at the horse race track because I can tell which horse has that fire in his belly to win. The desire in that kid behind the wheel of the #5 car was palpable, and I chose him to be my driver.

Clearly Kyle didn't have top dog status at HMS, but judging by what the #5 car has done since Kyle went to Gibbs, I'd say he made the best of the lesser quality equipment he was given to race in at HMS. Do they regret bringing in Jr and letting Kyle go? Probably not, in the end, it is all about money. Does Rick flinch everytime Kyle wins, I bet he does.

I'm just loving seeing that bow at the end of a race. I haven't been able to see as many races due to my work schedule, but the highlights yesterday put a big smile on my face!

GO KYLE!!! As always, I'm behind you 100%!!!!

I started liking Kyle, about 3 or 4 yrs now. When he scored his first C.O.T win (2yrs ago) He was mouthing off, and I thought thats what this sport needs, a None southern bad-boy, (no offance to those of us from the south). He was fighting hard to finish races, but kept on the back burner by Mr. Hendrick.

When Kyle left the track, because he thought his car was out of it, I knew his days were numberd. Then, when I heard he was getting picked up my Coach Gibbs, I about lost it, since Denny Hemlin, was my other driver i was pulling for, Thats when I started pulling for Kyle, the 2007 season. I had a gut feelling he was going to do well, over at J.G.R. , But i ditn't know he was going to do that well.

Its a good question to ask, to help sort out the band wagoners, and his real fans.

I kept an eye on him since he won his first NASCAR race at Richmond 2004, leading 236 out of 250 in the formerly Busch Series. I knew he was someone to watch and I did. Though I wasn't a fan of Hendrick I still kept watch of this young gun and liked him. Though at the time I was a fan of Dale Jr. when Dale went with Hendrick and Kyle went with Gibbs I just followed Kyle. Tony was and still is my second favorite so I was happy to see Kyle go with Gibbs racing and have Tony as a teammate.

Kyle was quite young and had a lot of growing to do with Hendrick and I think the move to Gibbs helped that a great deal. I felt that anyone with the #5 car wasn't getting the best equipment but I don't know...he did seem to bloom once away from HMS.

So yeah I was a fan of the kid prior to all of his wins with Gibbs.

Kyle has been one of my favorite drivers ever since he joined Hendrick. I'm not a Gibbs fan at all, so I didn't start cheering for him last year. I noticed his talent right from the beginning. I don't know about being held back at Hendrick; he finished 5th in points back in 2007. But I do believe he is showing his true potential right now. However, Kyle was just starting to reach championship form in the #5 when he was released. I think Kyle always had it in him to contend for many wins before he joined Gibbs.

to be honest i was absolutely not a kyle fan when he was with hendrick, but im not a hendrick fan (i hate all his drivers) but i think kurt ruined it for kyle having fans when he first came to nascar. But I am a gibbs racing fan so i supported kyle last year and even though tony is no longer with gibbs i still support denny and kyle. I think the reason kyle has been good at gibbs is the environment, kyle gets to be kyle and not some stuck up corporate clone like all of the hendrick teams. Plus it just takes the right combo of people, all of the 18 was still the same team jj yeley had, but its just the right driver/crew cheif combo that makes all the difference. Now im a complete kyle fan as well as my man tony stewart of course!!!

I would not consider myself a Kyle Busch fan but I do appreciate the way he can drive. He is an excellent driver and I will go so far as to say with the same car and the same crew chief he could beat Little E anyday.

I prefer trhe way Dale conducts himself as a person but Kyle is coming along.

Wow Winter that was my first nascar question! Wow have I matured!!

Anyway, Kyle is my second favorite. Anyone that knows me knows that. I have liked him since his days at Hendrick in the Nationwide series. If Carl Edwards didn't make it in nascar, then Kyle Busch would be my favorite driver.

I can't cheer on any driver who drives for Hendrick, but since Kyle went to Coach Gibbs operation I think he's the greatest. I'll be surprised if he doesn't win the cup this year.