NASCAR suspends Kurt Busch after domestic violence ruling

Kurt Busch’s racing career has been put on hold after a Delaware court concluded that more likely than not he “committed an act of domestic violence” against his ex-girlfriend by strangling her and smashing her head against the wall of his motorhome.

NASCAR suspended the 2004 Cup champion indefinitely, given “the serious nature of the findings and conclusions made by the Commissioner of the Family Court of the State of Delaware.”

NASCAR said that Busch was in violation of “actions detrimental to stock car racing,” as well as a “behavorial penalty.” Busch will have the right to appeal the suspension in an expedited process, NASCAR executive vice president Steve O’Donnell said.

Busch isn’t expected to run in Sunday’s Daytona 500, the sport’s biggest event, and will likely be replaced by Regan Smith. It’s unknown when, or if, Busch will run again in NASCAR.

“NASCAR has made it very clear to the entire membership and broader industry that any actions of abuse will not be tolerated in the industry,” O’Donnell said. “I want to make it clear that any inference that there’s a culture where tolerance for this type of behavior is patently false.”

Delaware Family Court Commissioner David Jones wrote that, by a preponderance of evidence, the court concluded that Busch’s domestic violence act included “strangling her by placing his left hand on her throat, while placing his right hand on her chin and face and smashing her head into the wall of his motorhome.”

No criminal charges have been filed.

Busch’s attorney, Houston-based Rusty Hardin, issued a statement earlier this week that denied any wrongdoing by Busch.

“Mr. Busch’s conduct was totally reasonable and legal under the circumstances,” Hardin’s statement read. “He never intentionally, knowingly or recklessly caused her any injury.”

Daytona debuts

Jeff Gordon’s final full-time racing season is the story of the year for NASCAR, and rightfully so. Gordon has taken the sport to new heights and is among the top drivers to get behind the wheel.

Just as important, though, is the sport’s ability to develop new stars. And racing fans will get to see two rising stars make their Daytona 500 debuts Sunday after Ty Dillon and Ryan Blaney each qualified for the marquee race.

“It just means so much,” said Dillon, the grandson of team owner Richard Childress.

“I’ve been coming here since I was born with my family, watching my grandfather’s cars race, and I’ve always wanted to be part of it.”

Blaney shared similar joy in making the field. He also comes from a racing family, as his dad, Dave, never became a household name but raced for years.

“Fortunately, we were on the right end of it and it’s just cool to be here,” Ryan Blaney said. “We are really excited to be in the race.”

Briefly

▪ David Ragan qualified for his eighth consecutive Daytona 500 on Thursday, and acted as if he won the actual race. “It felt like a win,” he said. “This is a great feeling just to get to the Daytona 500 because I know we can work on our car and have a good strategy and run well in the 500. We could have a chance to win.”

▪ Greg Biffle, who starts eighth, on his chances: “I feel pretty good. We’re still at a deficit compared to some of those cars, and we’ve got a few days to work on this thing and try to find that little bit of speed that they have.”

▪ Daytona International Speedway announced plans for a $400 million renovation project to modernize the track. Said DIS president Joie Chitwood III: “Fans don’t just go to sporting events anymore. They go to social events that involve sports.”

This story was originally published February 20, 2015 at 5:49 PM with the headline "NASCAR suspends Kurt Busch after domestic violence ruling."