(Press Release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)
Kyle Busch (Photo: Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
NASCAR announced today that Kyle Busch will remain eligible to compete for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Busch will qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by meeting all requirements of eligibility excluding Rule 17.6.2.1.a, which requires a driver to start all Championship Events of the current season.
NASCAR made the decision after the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota received the appropriate medical clearance documentation to immediately return to NASCAR racing. To qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch will need to be within the top 30 of the Championship point standings after race No. 26, and meet all other stated requirements within the NASCAR Rule Book.
“On behalf of everyone at NASCAR, it’s great to have Kyle Busch back racing,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “Our decision to grant Kyle a waiver that allows him to continue running for a championship is one we discussed extensively. The spirit of the rule never was designed to punish drivers who are unable to compete due to extenuating circumstances such as recovering from a racing accident.
“We wish Kyle the best of luck in the balance of the season, and look forward to his return to the car this week for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.”
Another reason why NASCAR is just ridiculous. How can a leading auto racing organization continue to run their operation like this and still have people in the grandstands? The decline in attendances is declining much slower than I ever anticipated.
I hope Kyle wins the championship so Brian France can explain how the NASCAR chase & championship are legitimate.
Who is the bigger buffoon right now – Brian France or Robert Kraft?
This is so wrong is so many ways.
So some driver that raced the entire season can be eliminated by this special preference that is being made available to KB. And what if that person that gets knocked out is another media darling such as Danica?
Look, he had a bad deal, couldn’t participate for most of the season, he just isn’t eligible this season to compete for a championship. Leave it at that. This can get so messy, it can be a dangerous precedent.
Something or someone has to put butts in the seats, it’s obvious SpongeBob can’t do it!
This is a April fools joke a bit late correct? With Gibbs as your owner, you can do anything in Cup racing….maybe even walk on water. This is why Cup racing is going down the tubes.
Unfortunately it is about the almighty dollar. I’m sure the every race deal was to discourage the part time ringer from bumping the season long sponsor dollars from the chase, but you won’t sell as many m&m’s if you don’t give KB an opportunity to get in at this point.