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Look at me playing the Devil's Advocate... sorta.

It's hard to play devil's advocate in this case, Carrie. Heck, I usually do, but I didn't try this time.

True, Kurt Busch was not charged with DUI and therefore will not be tried, much less convicted, on the charge.

That said, I've never before seen so many people so worked up over a regular ol' traffic ticket.

That's why I said sorta, John. Lord knows I probably couldn't think less of Kurt Busch than I already do. I'm just dumbfounded, like you are, at all the people spazzing out over this and trying to say Kurt got out of a DWI/DUI because he's a 'celeb' etc. That and how badly the cops botched up the whole stop. Incompetent much?

You guys know I'm the ever present agnostic...and with that said, Busch wasn't charged with a DUI, by the grace of a broken machine , by all accounts..
But the real crux is this, the man is simply out of control.. and I will bring a response to a blog comment forward here,to illustrate my feelings, if I may..and know that I, myself , feel as if I'm piling on and adding "so what" to the fray....

"The morals clause in any driver's contract is pretty clear, and you really have to cross serious lines for it to be enforced, the driver must truly cause embarrassment to the other parties involved... Kurt did that in the opinion of Jack Roush, Geoff Smith and the sponsors Diago and Newell, NASCAR was in agreement... there wasn't a choice in the matter.. what I take do exception with is people that think they have a handle on some reasoning behind the actions... But Kurt hasn't made it easy to understand.. by making himself a total arse, providing the gasoline for a firey maelstrom.. Kurt hasn't been the most respectful person of his fellow competitors, officials, even his own team... he's 27, his earnings have surpassed 30 million dollars in five short years, and you can't buy judgement, you can't purchase the ability to handle fame... we've watched this kid self-destruct all year...still it's been pretty easy to say "so what?"

Do I think there was a healthy spoonful of the "getting even" science here by Roush and Smith ? ..you bet...

Penske's world of denial is of no use to the man, Busch... it will only serve to reinforce the folly and foolishness that has become the lad's career.. and quite frankly, there's many a day between now and Daytona, and public opinion will weigh in heavily before it's all over... in my opinion.

That's unfortunate for an obviously talented racer, that needs a good swift kick in the pants and a heavy dose of reality.. will two races do it?.. not a chance... but the alternative isn't coming either.. as of yet..."

(end comment)

Sit the boy down for a season, let him start over from the bottom....humility is a dish best served in heaping spoonfuls...

I would agree with most of what the Scotsman has said.

But I will take issue with those that think Roush acted out of some sort of animosity due to the contract squabble with Busch.

Roush fought long and hard to gain that sponsorship for the #97. You will remember NASCAR waved the "family values" flag and said no way. No hard liqueur! All the while looking the other way as all manor of beer, Viagra and something called ButtPaste was splashed over the sides of race cars.

NASCAR finally relented, after J.Burton was released to Hendrick, and Crown Royal ended up on the #97 vice the #99 where it was originally intended to go.

Now after making many magazine ads and TV spots extolling the virtues of moderation in alcohol consumption Busch gets involved in an alleged alcohol related incident.

Yea, Ok. Great spokeman! If there is any animosity involved it's over the sponsor and not the contract.

Yes I know Carrie, it's not a DUI or DWI. But it is alleged to be a refusal to take a field sobriety test preceeded by the smell of alcohol.

BTW, do a Google search of "Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Sheriff" It seems he has a rather "colorfull" history including a current recall campaign for aleged abuse by his officers.

Could it by we had two hardheads meeting in the night, butting heads and the entire thing is WAY more than what the MSM is reporting or knowing?

Sure would love to see the officers on dash camera video. Someone would be shown eating a feces sandwich. Wonder who, the cop, Busch or a combination of both?

John, you work for one the them high priced MSM outfits. Put a bounty on that video, go get it guy, scoop the sporting world.

Marc, as I responded to Carrie earlier in comment at FoG , I must agree there is a certain political undertone that permeates this event... NASCAR has enjoyed the cash of the liquor sponsors , walking an edge with a very thin safety net , the "responsibilty" adverts... there's a host of MADDs and other such "we know whats better for you than you do" groups that are champing at the bit to get a foothold on the next chance to create a "let's get the corporate monster before it eats our kids" bunch of hogswallop...and the suspicion is enough to go on for them.. they'll make it factual... Busch may have provided just enough ammo for the "do gooders" to react...

I think it's pretty obvious, given the morals and public image clauses in most contracts, that Roush acted out of animosity. Smith said, "We are done being Kurt Busch apologists." What that means to me is, "He's not going to be our problem in two weeks so let's just cut him off at the knees now."

Had this happened last season, I doubt their reaction would have been the same. They would have continued being Kurt Busch apologists.

At any rate, given the reputation of Arpaio and his deputies, and given that Kurt was admittedly a jackass to those deputies, I have a hard time believing they wouldn't have gone to great lengths to nail him for the DUI/DWI charge if they thought they had enough evidence to do it.

The fact they did not do that shows me that they knew they didn't have the evidence or we'd be seeing Kurt charged with offenses other than reckless driving.

Btw, Crown Royal hasn't gotten around to scrubbing Kurt from its Web site. He is, after all, the face of its "Be A Champion: Drink Responsibly" campaign.

And the Charlotte Observer's editorial page convicted Kurt today of felony jerkiness. He'll be sharing a cell with T.O.

Whaddaya know... Kurt tested below the legal limit.