One thing in the sport of NASCAR is certain the Busch Series is hardly the Busch
Series any more. It seems in recent years (most notably this one) that the Busch
Series has simply become Nextel Cup, Part 2.
Fifteen races have been run this season in
NASCAR’s Busch Series and everyone of those fifteen Busch Series races have been
won by a driver running a full Nextel Cup schedule. Busch Series regulars don’t
have a shot in Hell at winning a Busch Series race. You will no longer see
veteran Busch Series drivers like Kenny Wallace, David Green, or Jason Keller in
victory lane at a Busch Series race, because Cup drivers like Kevin Harvick,
Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and more insist on running full schedules in the
Busch Series.
As of Saturday, June 17th Paul Menard was the
highest ranking Busch Series regular in the Busch Series points standings in
eighth place. The top seven drivers in the 2006 Busch Series standings (Kevin
Harvick, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, JJ Yeley, and
Kyle Busch) are all regulars in the Nextel Cup Series.
In the past the Busch Series has been a
breeding ground for younger drivers one day hoping to make it to the big leagues
of the Cup Series and for veteran drivers who either had been forced out of the
Cup Series due to age, thus no longer bringing in sponsors (because they are out
for young talent) or drivers who just weren’t good enough for the Cup Series,
yet better than your average Saturday night local track drivers. It seems as if
now the Busch Series is solely for Cup Drivers who want more money, and more
track experience. Drivers should be required to choose one series and remain
loyal to it. Nextel Cup drivers should not be eliminated from racing in the
Busch Series, because that would in fact hurt the series, Cup drivers have
always been allowed to run the Busch Series. This, however, has gotten out of
control in recent years and NASCAR must implement a rule to allow the Busch
Series to be returned to the Busch Series drivers.
I believe that NASCAR should implement a
ten race rule for Nextel Cup drivers in the Busch Series. No driver running a
complete Nextel Cup schedule should be allowed to run more than ten Busch Series
races. This would insure that the Busch Series championship would be won by a
Busch Series driver and more Busch Series regulars would be in contention to win
Busch Series races.
Let’s return the Busch Series back to the Busch
Series racers. Nextel Cup guys simply don’t belong; it’s the closest thing to
cheating in my mind in all of NASCAR. It is the equivalent to a professional
basketball or football player going down to play college ball.
By: Julian Spivey