Is having Kyle Busch behind you on last lap @ Daytona the kiss of death?
2007: Kyle Busch blows Mark Martin’s chance at a win by backing off and steering back and forth like crazy. He eventually causes a huge checkered flag wreck
2008: Behind TEAMMATE Tony Stewart KB again to push another driver to the win by backing off and going high/ low. Newman is pushed to victory by the other busch
Is having a maniac like Kyle Busch behind you on the last Daytona 500 lap the kiss of death??
13 Responses
beth
01 Mar 2010
§trαιtєdgє
01 Mar 2010
No…He Just Intimidates you.
Truex Jr 2009 Daytona 500 Champ!
Jonathan P(Go Me
01 Mar 2010
ya know that isnt a fair statement. give kyle a chance. He is a really good driver but everyone blows him just cuz he isnt dale earnhardt jr be nice people
Jeff C
01 Mar 2010
Nah, if I was a driver and was ahead of him I would definitely want him pushing me to the front then see if I could hold him off for the win.
I think what you mentioned was just bad racing luck.
Just an opinion as always.
Winter Glory
01 Mar 2010
I can think of a dozen other drivers who make bigger bonehead moves than Kyle does. Why no contempt for them?
Kiss of death? Talk about a drama-queen.
Tbone
01 Mar 2010
No. Thats dumb.
ICE
01 Mar 2010
I don’t think that term fits exactly but I did notice that during the Bud Shootout Kyle did make some last minute bump drafts entering the turns. Most drivers were complaining that their cars were loose going into the turns and I think Kyle was using that as a tool to get in front of someone. I know he did it to Jimmie Johnson (with 3 to go) and one other driver (Kenseth with 4 to go). I think when Dale Jr got shuffled back I think he just lost the rear traction because Kyle was drafting in the turns but Dale Jr was drafting Kyle in the turns on one restart also. I don’t think Kyle meant to then but I think he noticed that he could do that to get ahead so he tried it on a few of the other cars. So one thing to be looking for in the Duels and the Daytona 500 is Kyle entering the turns bump drafting … or just giving a little "punt" as they enter the turns.
Richard W
01 Mar 2010
Are you asking for me to imagine being Mark in that situation??
If Kyle thinks he’s gonna’ rattle Mark, he’s more than a few cards
short of a full deck..
I’ve seen Mark hold off Earnhardt at Talladega, when after lap, after
lap, for a very long time, Earnhardt did everything he could to get by
but couldn’t.. With ten to go, Sr is the only car to pit for a caution..
He comes back out, with the car taped like for qualifying, in tenth..
passes everyone, and when he reached Martin he still couldn’t get by,,
And that’s how they finish one, two..
Earnhardt won ten times at ‘dega.. Mark is the guy that prevented number eleven.. An extraordinary feat..
Ben
01 Mar 2010
I can’t stand the guy, but on those moves he did what he thought he needed to do to give himself the best chance to win. He isn’t paid to get wins for other drivers. The second a driver is happy with riding it out and not going for the win, that’s when it’s time to pull out of the car and never let him behind the wheel of another.
48 MOJO
01 Mar 2010
I wouldn’t want Kyle Busch behind me(or Jimmie Johnson) on the last lap of any race because one of two things are going to happen:
A)he is going to find a way to beat you i.e. Chicagoland 2008 when he passed Johnson 
B)he is going to wreck you(and possibly himself and others trying to pass you
Point being,Kyle wants to win and win alone and will do ANYTHING to get it done.That is what he is supposed to do(to an extent lol)
ofx_mole
01 Mar 2010
after watching the Shoot-out, I would rather have Kyle Busch behind then Jeff Gordon anywhere around me
Rowdy’s #1
01 Mar 2010
it wasn’t much easier for jeff gordon to be behind him at daytona last summer… but if i was a driver i’d want him pushing me toward the finish line. i know he’d be doing his best to get around me, but i’d rather have him pushing than about 40 other drivers out there…
fluffy
01 Mar 2010
Sounds more like a little drool or slobber. If the guy is going to be steering back and forth, all crazy like, he isn’t going to advance his position. I would rather have Kyle Busch behind me, steering back and forth all crazy than to have Carl Edwards coming on me in a straight line, ready to break his inertia all over the apex of the turn. Why do you think they call Kyle "rowdy"? He just aims the front end of his car and keeps the throttle down. Carl Edwards is much more tactful in his execution of driving style. Kyles kiss of death is more like a fart. As long as Kyle is behind me, he can do what he wants. If he’s on my quarter panel I might let him think he’s going to pass me and let his rowdiness be his own demise. But then again, he takes advantage of peoples "clean driving". Oh yeah! Once again, he will get his "stuff" handed to him again in the 2009 season. He hasn’t earned the respect he needs from the other drivers. He’s going to get knocked down one notch at a time.If I saw the mad man Kyle in my rear view mirror, it would only put a nasty smile on my face, because I would "use" him against the other drivers for my advantage. It’s called being a tactful driver. Maybe Kyle doesn’t see it, but a few others do, because some guys (like Montoya & Smoke) know when to play hard ball.
It’s not "the kiss of death" but I’m sure a poll of the drivers would show he isn’t the favorite to have behind them.
I’m with ICE. I saw his bump drafting going into the turns send several people back in the pack.