GOING IT ALONE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR

Mars Inc. is removing driver Kyle Busch from the No. 18 Toyota Camry M&M's car for the final two races of the season, according to the candy company.

According to Mars and Joe Gibbs Racing , the car will not run with an M&Ms paint scheme until next year, at which time Busch will be the driver, with the expectation that no further incidents take place.

We strongly support Mars decision, said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing . This gives us all time to work together to foster a positive change where Kyle can continue racing in a way we can all be proud of.

So now you know the rest of the story---------------------------------------Unless something changes

My guess is Mars not sponsoring the last two races is a good indicator that they are thinking of perhaps scaling back on their backing of the team. That is my guess. Tomorrow there is a 9:30Am press conference to discuss Interstate Battery sponsoring his last two races.

Busch To Race Cup Without Main Sponsor M&M's
by The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. November 10, 2011, 09:46 pm ET CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Kyle Busch will be allowed to race in the final two Sprint Cup Series events but without main sponsor M&M's.

Busch will drive Sunday at Phoenix and in next weekend's season finale at Homestead with Interstate Batteries as his sponsor instead. Although M&M's is Busch's primary sponsor, Interstate Batteries is heavily involved with the team.

In a statement released Thursday night, sponsor Mars said the car will not run with the M&M's paint scheme until 2012, "at which time Kyle Busch will be the driver with the expectation that no future incident take place."

"While we do not condone Kyle's recent actions, we do believe that he has shown remorse and has expressed a desire to change," said Debra A. Sandler, chief consumer officer, Mars Chocolate North America. "We believe our decision will have a positive impact on Kyle and will help him return next season ready to win."

The deal ends a week of wrangling over Busch's future with his race team all fallout from a road rage incident at Texas. Busch wrecked Ron Hornaday Jr. under caution early in the Trucks Series race and was parked by NASCAR for the rest of the weekend.

Busch has admitted he lost control of his temper and has since apologized. NASCAR suspended him from all racing at Texas, and this week fined him $50,000 and placed him on probation through the end of the year.

But questions from his sponsors put everything in limbo.

In fact, multiple people familiar with Busch's schedule told the Associated Press that Z-Line Designs asked this week that Denny Hamlin replace Busch in next weekend's Nationwide race at Homestead. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the meetings over Busch's future have been ongoing.

Interstate was JGR's original primary sponsor and only relinquished its role when Busch signed with the team in 2008. The company was the primary sponsor for Busch in six Cup races this season. It also was his sponsor in a Nationwide and Truck Series race and sponsored Hamlin and Joey Logano in one race each.

Busch, who seemed unrepentant after the accident, admitted he lost his cool on the track.

"I've been wrecked four weeks in a row, and I've had enough of it, and I retaliated," he said. "So it's certainly my fault for doing that. If everybody wants to say, 'Hornaday is racing for a championship, roll over,' that's not my fashion. That's not anybody else's fashion out here."

His tone changed considerably a day later, after NASCAR "parked" him from all competition at Texas.

"I've had a lot of time today to sit and reflect, and try to put my thoughts into words as best I can," he wrote in a lengthy apology posted Saturday on the Kyle Busch Motorsports website. "I want to sincerely apologize for my actions during Friday night's Truck Series race at Texas."

It's been a tremendous fall for the 26-year-old Busch, who just two months ago was the favorite to win his first Sprint Cup championship.

He opened the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup tied with rival Kevin Harvick for the top seed based on his four regular season victories. But he again faltered in the opening Chase races and was never a serious title contender.

This latest problem comes at the end of what's been a rough year for Busch, who actually had made huge strides in showing more maturity and patience both on and off the track. But he still had many missteps, including one on pit road with Harvick at Darlington that earned him a $25,000 fine.

Busch also lost his North Carolina driver's license and was fined $1,000 for driving 128 mph in a 45-mph zone in May. He was ordered to do 30 hours of community service and serve a year of unsupervised probation.

Busch was also in a confrontation in the garage with rival team owner Richard Childress, and NASCAR fined Childress $150,000 for his actions.

He also had contact with Elliott Sadler during a Bristol truck race in August, then intentionally wrecked Sadler a few minutes later as retaliation. Sadler drives for Harvick, a longtime Busch rival, in the Nationwide Series.

In his apology Saturday, Busch noted that his missteps have undone all the progress he's made in maturing this season.

"Through a lot of support from the people around me, I feel like I've made a lot of strides this year, but this was certainly a step backward," he wrote. "Moving forward, I will do everything I possibly can to represent everyone involved in a positive manner. However, I know my long-term actions will have more of a bearing than anything I say right now."

Busch is one of NASCAR's most successful and polarizing drivers. He has 104 victories spanning NASCAR's top three national series, and consistently dominates in both the Nationwide and Trucks Series.

This year, Busch has four wins in the Cup Series, eight in Nationwide and six in Trucks. He drives for his own truck team and said last month he'll field a Nationwide team next season and planned to drive for himself in some of those races.

But he's disliked by some fans for everything from his success, his feuds with Harvick and others and his aggressive on-track attitude.

Although JGR has not said if Busch's job is in jeopardy, he has been fired before. Hendrick Motorsports let him go at the end of the 2007 season, when the team made room to sign Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"where Kyle can CONTINUE racing in a way we can all be proud of"????????? CONTINUE. Joe, get a hint. If you've been proud of what you've been seeing from Kyle Busch, then you ain't right dude!!!!!!!

Oh, and I'm going to take my two Interstate batteries out of my two trucks today and go buy a Diehard or something to replace them. It is a shame when Interstate has had two great drivers like Dale Jarrett and Bobby Labonte that they stoop to trash. Maybe someone will get a charge out of that but it's not going to be me.

After giving this item a few days to settle before commenting, I have taken the time to read all posts concerning ''Kid Kyle''... This post by Tim says it all in a nutshell...Kyle is what Kyle is, now lets see exactly what Joe comes up with...One would think that after the years of ''handling'' NFL dudes way tougher than the ''kid'', Joe ought to be able to beat this one down fairly easily....J.G. may not be able to handle what happens on the track at any given moment, the same for any other team owner as well, but they sure as heck NEED to be able to handle it directly afterwards as at that time it has become HIS responsibility...Don't just do it for us the fans Joe, do the right thing for JGR, get rid of that tumor.

AMEN Tim. I also will never buy another Interstate battery.

I know thst JGR realizes that Kyle (bulldozer) is a good driver but they need to think of their future

with sponsors, fans, etc., etc..

It is time to can KB and get a responsible driver. He is bringing a great organization down.

Oh, I offended you with my opinion? You should hear what I'm keeping to myself.

"Although JGR has not said if Busch's job is in jeopardy, he has been fired before. Hendrick Motorsports let him go at the end of the 2007 season, when the team made room to sign Dale Earnhardt Jr."

Just how has this worked out for Hendricks? Who has won the most races?

Racing is headed in the same direction as politics. Everyone is afraid to offend some one, so every one becomes like the one before. This requires no confrontation, no real thinking and heaven forbid someone actually has the individual courage to stand up for what they believe in.

If we all keep asking for smaller testicles, why don't we just start a girls racing league, require pink helmets, timeouts, hall passes and detention for those who gestured to each other in an inappropriate manner.

Tommie's comment Oh, I offended you with my opinion? You should hear what I'm keeping to myself.

is just what prompted this reply. Why should we have to keep it to ourselves.

A year or two after Dale drove for me, we were at the drivers meeting in Talladega, and one of the drivers was expressing his concern about the race cars going too fast. Dale and this other driver were both in the front row, but not near each other, so Dale had to speak up. He told the driver if he really wanted to do something about it, he should go back to the garage area, soak two shop rags in kerosene and tie one around each of his ankles.

Puzzled, the other driver said what good would that do and Dale said: "It would keep these Alabama fire ants from crawling up your legs and biting your candy ass".

Ya'll have to forgive an old man. I gotta take myself out of this for awhile.

In the meantime, I am going to join the Kyle Bush fan club and buy a hat and a t-shirt. I love the testosterone and the display of same. If I were to get back in racing, I would do my damnedest to hire Kyle Bush.

Hey Will. That's just a saying. Live with it.

Tommie:

I have lived with the death of a wife and three daughters, seven good race car drivers and eight great crew member friends.

Living with that will be a piece of cake!

It's not the stuff that happens under the green flag that bothers me. It's the stuff after the yellow and after the checkers. I have no use for that chicken----. That's like a late football hit after the whistle when the guy is very vunerable. It's like decking the quarterback two seconds after he's released the ball. Chicken----. I'm all for making holes and pushing and shoving when racing. That's some of the stuff we've been missing. It's the other stuff that I can't tolerate. Dale would make a hole at Talladega when none existed and he would rattle your cage, but he didn't go around doing goofy stuff when the green wasn't out.

All good points, Dave. Your perspective on this is appropriate.

Sorry to hear of your loss Will.

I'm sure that you can live with what I have to say.

I was only implying that a saying is just that, a saying.

For those that know me they will tell you that I do not keep anything to myself. Sometimes maybe I should.......but.

No problem here Tommie. Thanks for posting your reply.

Thanks Dave for making this simple for me.sometimes i can't see the forest for the trees.( I'm all for making holes and pushing and shoving when racing. That's some of the stuff we've been missing. It's the other stuff that I can't tolerate. Dale would make a hole at Talladega when none existed and he would rattle your cage, but he didn't go around doing goofy stuff when the green wasn't out.)

What got me was, i have seen other drivers do as bad and get no were near the bashing this kid has.Will also made some strong points.i think we all want the same thing ( hard racing).i would love to watch nascar and be faithful to it again.the problem i have is what Will says it's gone to policits for me.

I hope Nascar reads some of these post.you guy's have so much wisdom of racing.this is better then any racing show i watch.

Thanks

You're right. I don't like it. To Hell with Joe Gibbs, Candy Man and Interstate Batteries and any other company which wants to put money into that. He's such a damned good fake and liar he should be in D.C. Get out of the cockpit and into politics. God, how did we get to this?

Seems like I have heard this song and dance routine before. I'm speaking of the video.

Joe. Where has KB progressed this year? Seems to me he has gotten worse. More dangerous actions than before.

Speeding 128 MPH--pushing a driverless car into the pit wall--turning another car into the wall at 150 MPH UNDER CAUTION and though not dangerous giving the NASCAR Official the middle finger while in the pits. Total disregard for anyone else.

Oh! Did you notice his little giggles uttered under his breath in the video?

Trying to help out Tim lol.

Most auto batteries are made by just three manufacturers, Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries. Each makes batteries sold under several different brand names. Delphi makes ACDelco and some EverStart (Wal-Mart) models. Exide makes Champion, Exide, Napa, and some EverStart batteries. Johnson Controls makes Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStarts.

Will that sounds interesting to say the least-------------------------------------------- ha ha ha

Sleeping on this for a day has given me time to adjust my perspective. My initial reaction was to jump up and defend what I often perceive as 'jumping on' an person by some one that is not overly familiar to a particular sport, or has a perspective different from mine.

After re-reading Dave's and Patty's post , as well as an earlier email that she sent me, I have taken the time to see that on the track 'stuff' should not be confused with proper handling of post race 'issues'.

I appreciate the way that those that did not agree with me reacted to my posts, and I will try not to be so quick to react in a negative manner. Perhaps Kyle and I are distant relatives, LOL.

Having said all that, I still maintain my loyalty to Kyles on track abilities. I will watch his 'moves' and the way he 'sets up' a driver to pass and am very mindful of Dales approach which was: "you got three laps". I cannot shed my appreciation for those with aggression on the track. When I was involved you worked your butt off to get that car ready to RACE, not parade around for 2 hours or so. Additionally, you got paid on your finishing position, not your display of manners or courtesy. On track issues were handled on track in a self-policing manner.

By that same token, I would have been 'pissed' to have some one wreck my car after the race.

Kyles ability to perform in multiple cars and trucks is most impressive. I have not seen that range of skills from anyone to this date, and I remain an admirer of his. Thanks for allowing me to voice my opinions here.

Although Mars may be getting "more press out of this than they expected" I will never agree with the statement that ANY publicity is good publicity and, at some point, the bad publicity bites you. Just read where the major sponsor for Penn State Football has withdrawn all support, effective immediately. I cannot, will not, condone what Busch did, nor will I believe what he said in that "apology". It was another Kyle Busch, Kiss My A** remark to anyone who will listen. The kid cares not for anyone or anything other than Kyle Busch. As I said, I am so disappointed in Joe Gibbs I plan to write him via snail mail as soon as I cool off enough to properly express my disgust with his continued support of that loser. He is one of these "faith professors" much like the false one who runs the chicken business who won't open on Sunday who is also classless and phony.

Just another observation of where the sport has gone. Like many of the commentaries I've been hearing of late from all those involved in NASCAR. Neither one of these gentlemen mentioned the fans. Yes, Kyle mentioned his peers...I got the feeling he was talking about fellow drivers. Pay attention and note how many times the fans are considered these days. You almost never hear Brian France mention them and so many others have forgotten the impact the fans have on this sport.