Nascar fans! NASCAR suspends Kurt Busch indefinitely for strangling 'assassin' ex-girlfriend

Kurt Busch will NOT be driving in the Daytona 500 tomorrow!

NASCAR suspended Kurt Busch indefinitely Friday after a judge said the former champion almost surely choked and beat a former girlfriend last fall and there was a 'substantial likelihood' of more domestic violence from him in the future.

In a stunning move two days before the season-opening Daytona 500, NASCAR said Busch would not be allowed to participate in any series activities until further notice given the 'serious nature of the findings and conclusions' made by a Delaware judge involving the driver known as The Outlaw.

Family Court Commissioner David Jones concluded that it was more likely than not that Busch abused Patricia Driscoll by 'manually strangling' her and smashing her head into a wall inside his motorhome at Dover International Speedway last September.

'Kurt Busch and his Stewart-Haas Racing team are fully aware of our position and why this decision was made,' NASCAR said in a statement.

Busch attorney Rusty Hardin said the driver will appeal, and NASCAR said it will be expedited. Still, SHR said Regan Smith will drive Busch's car in the Daytona 500 regardless of the appeal outcome.

'We assure everyone, including NASCAR, that this action against Mr. Busch will turn out to be a travesty of justice, apparent to all, as this story continues to unfold,' Hardin said in a statement.

'It is important for everyone to remember that the Commissioner's report has to do with a civil, family law matter and no criminal charges have been filed against Mr. Busch.'

Busch becomes the first driver suspended by NASCAR for domestic violence.

'NASCAR has made it very clear to our entire membership and the broader industry that any actions of abuse will not be tolerated in the industry,' NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell said.

'I want to make it clear that any inference that there's a culture or a tolerance for this type of behavior is patently false.'

Seems someone needs to send the NFL Commissioner a message. Apparently NASCAR has been watching the news with how the NFL treated domestic violence and it's coverage of it. Or should I say, its almost lack of coverage of it. NASCAR got in front of this from the beginning, which is really good to see. For now he's just been suspended, not kicked out of NASCAR, until they go through appeals. As someone who is not a fan of NASCAR, but would like to see justice done, I can agree with this.

The judge concluded that Busch did not appear to be a prototypical batterer who uses violence to subjugate or control, but that the incident instead was most likely a "situational" event in which Busch was unable to cope and to control his tendency to act out violently in response to stress and frustration, causing him to "snap."

At the same time, however, Jones said he believes there's real possibility that Busch will lash out again. Jones added that because Busch has a propensity to lose control in response to disappointing or frustrating situations involving racing and that those who love him are likely to be around him at those times "there is a substantial likelihood of acts of domestic violence by respondent against future intimate partners."

Busch's attorneys filed a motion Thursday asking Jones to re-open the hearing so that they can present testimony from three acquaintances of Driscoll who they say were previously reluctant to get involved but have now come forward to contradict statements Driscoll has made about her relationship with Busch.

It is Busch's third career suspension. He was suspended in 2012 by NASCAR for threatening a reporter, and parked for the final two races of the 2005 season by Roush-Fenway Racing after he was pulled over by police in Arizona.

He now races for SHR.

I know the history of most of the case, but it would seem Busch has quite the history of firings, suspensions, rehirings, comebacks. Seems a lot of his anger issues are track related. Perhaps he needs to find a way to better manage that.

Wow...

Perhaps he needs to find a way to better manage that.

Perhaps he would do well to find a way to manage his alcohol problems (and possibly drugs as well)....but that's none of my business.

Those who drink and do drugs are often "snappy", especially at times and in situations where stress is elevated. (I should know...lived it myself, but can't speak of that sort of thing here)

..........
Nonetheless, good on NASCAR for doing what was right in this situation....

a reply to: whyamIhere

Williams should know...
...he was, after all, riding shotgun in the winning car.

originally posted by: whyamIhere

Wow...

You went there. My hat is off to you my good man!

a reply to: Anyafaj

We need one with O'Reilley discussing how it wasn't actually Kurt, but rather HIM, driving that car.

(They just switch out before the cameras in winners circle because Kurt is a bit more "camera savvy" than ole Bill...< but shhhh....Bill doesn't know yet)

a reply to: Jakal26

Drug testing is vigorous in NASCAR, especially at this level. Kurt has anger issues for sure ,but it's negligent to bring an unfounded drug rumor into the mix.

The REAL victim here is Kyle Busch, who now has to deal with his brother's issues thanks to the media.

Kyle doesn't need this, he needs to be able to focus on becoming a first time father in about 2 months and also, continuing to be the BEST RACE CAR DRIVER ALIVE!!!

#18

a reply to: abe froman

Drug testing is vigorous in NASCAR, especially at this level. Kurt has anger issues for sure ,but it's negligent to bring an unfounded drug rumor into the mix.

Oh, come on. First off, I am not bringing "unfounded" drug rumors into the mix. The chatter was already there and has been for some time.

Secondly, if you are naive enough to think that UA drug testing is efficient and that there aren't a myriad ways around it...then I don't know what to tell you.

If I could relay personal experience on this issue, I could clarify...but I cannot.

...let's just say, when it comes to "side-stepping" UA analysis....been there, done that. (And it is EASY).....< especially with "hard" drugs....not so much, but still possible, with stuff like cannabis.

I'm not talking out of my rear end here. I have a LOT of experience with UAs...

ETA:...I'd venture to say that the REAL victim here is the woman (Kurt's ex) that was strangled and potentially beaten by him, not his frikkin' brother...but hey, whadda I know

originally posted by: Jakal26
a reply to: abe froman

Drug testing is vigorous in NASCAR, especially at this level. Kurt has anger issues for sure ,but it's negligent to bring an unfounded drug rumor into the mix.

Oh, come on. First off, I am not bringing "unfounded" drug rumors into the mix. The chatter was already there and has been for some time.

Secondly, if you are naive enough to think that UA drug testing is efficient and that there aren't a myriad ways around it...then I don't know what to tell you.

If I could relay personal experience on this issue, I could clarify...but I cannot.

...let's just say, when it comes to "side-stepping" UA analysis....been there, done that. (And it is EASY).....< especially with "hard" drugs....not so much, but still possible, with stuff like cannabis.

I'm not talking out of my rear end here. I have a LOT of experience with UAs...

ETA:...I'd venture to say that the REAL victim here is the woman (Kurt's ex) that was strangled and potentially beaten by him, not his frikkin' brother...but hey, whadda I know

Leave poor Kylie alone!!!! That woman is an assassin coming home in other men's blood, she'll be fine, in fact, she'll come home covered in Kurt's blood, I'll bet he's sure of it. "Assassin" LOL

(Has Kurt been reading too much ATS lately? Just curious? LOL)

a reply to: Anyafaj