NASCAR in Joliet: Busch brothers getting along

Kyle Busch and 2012 Miss Sprint Cup Jaclyn Roney unveil a 2012 Toyota Camry SE on Friday at the NASCAR interactive fan initiative at the House of Blues. | Getty Images

Updated: August 23, 2012 10:46AM

Kyle Busch may be the younger of the two Busch brothers, but he is older brother Kurt’s boss at Kyle Busch Motorsports and he didn’t hesitate to balk when Kurt asked for this weekend off.

“He said there was only one stipulation to the whole year, that he wanted this weekend off,” said Kyle Busch, who was at the House of Blues on Friday promoting a NASCAR interactive fan initiative. “I said, ‘Really? Because that’s my stipulation, too.’ I messed with him for about 30 minutes.”

With Kurt Busch taking a week off, Kyle Busch will drive the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota in the NASCAR Nationwide series STP 300 Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet. There is no Sprint Cup race this weekend.

Busch, who is ninth in Nationwide owner points, also will have an entry in the Camping World Truck Series’ American Ethanol 225 Saturday — Jason Leffler’s No. 18 Dollar General Toyota Tundra.

When the brothers announced their Nationwide partnership, many in the garage area wondered how long it was going to last until they got into their first dustup since both are notorious for their tempers. Kurt Busch was fired from Penske Racing at the end of last season after a verbal altercation with ESPN racing analyst Dr. Jerry Punch.

So far, the only squabbles have come away from KBM headquarters. Kurt Busch, the 2004 Sprint Cup champion, was suspended for the Sprint Cup race at Pocono on June 10 and had his NASCAR probation extended through the end of this season. Kurt was verbally abusive to a Sporting News reporter after a Nationwide race at Dover on June 2.

“There was talk (of potential fights), but it never happened and they didn’t fight,” ESPN racing analyst Rusty Wallace said. “Now you see that Kurt is more aggressive behind the wheel, but I’ve heard nothing negative about them. I think their dynamic is working fine.”

On the track, Kurt won April 27 at Richmond for KBM and was second at Kentucky on June 29. Kurt won the Nationwide race at Daytona on July 6 for Phoenix Racing, his team in the Sprint Cup series.

“My relationship with Kurt is really good and he’s done a tremendous job with our sponsors,” Kyle said. “There’s definitely competition between us and he does want to outdo me. He’s won a race so he’s outdone that part of it. But it’s a friendly type deal. And I actually have a lot more fun being on the sidelines watching him run up front.”

Kyle took a break this year and gave up racing trucks and is only part-time on the Nationwide circuit. In years past, Kyle regularly raced in all three NASCAR series and ended the Cup season fatigued and short-tempered.

“I’m not as fatigued and I think that’s the main point,” he said. “Some weekends I’m a little bored not running around between the garage areas. But if we make the Chase (for the Sprint Cup Championship) it will feel different being relaxed and not so worn out.”

Elliott Sadler is the Nationwide series points leader and Austin Dillon is second.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. should be ready to drive his No. 6 Rancher’s Reserve/Dominick’s Ford for Jack Roush after battling dehydration and strep throat during the July 14 Nationwide race at Loudon (N.H.). Stenhouse, who will drive a full-time Sprint Cup schedule next season for Roush-Fenway Racing, collapsed on pit road after the race and was taken to a local hospital.

Timothy Peters is the NCWTS points leader, but Justin Lofton and Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon’s younger brother, are tied for second and only four points behind Peters.

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