Sponsor reportedly wants Kyle Busch removed from Homestead race
The fallout from Kyle Busch's road rage at Texas continued Thursday when one of his sponsors asked for him to be removed from the season-ending Nationwide Series race, according to the Associated Press.
Multiple people familiar with Busch's schedule told the AP that Z-Line Designs asked this week that Denny Hamlin replace Busch in next weekend's Nationwide race at Homestead, Fla. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because Busch's future was still being discussed Thursday with sponsors and Joe Gibbs Racing.
NASCAR has cleared Busch to race this weekend at Phoenix, but officials at Joe Gibbs Racing haven't said whether he will compete in Sunday's Cup race.
Busch has been off the track since he intentionally wrecked Ron Hornaday Jr. under caution in the early laps of last Friday's Truck Series race at Texas.
Busch apologized after the race. NASCAR suspended him for the remainder of the weekend, fined him $50,000 and put him on probation through the end of the year.
Earlier this year, Busch lost his North Carolina driver's license and was fined $1,000 for driving 128 mph in a 45-mph zone in May. He was also ordered to do 30 hours of community service and serve a year of unsupervised probation.
Busch also had contact with Elliott Sadler during a Bristol Truck race in August, then intentionally wrecked Sadler a few minutes later as retaliation.
This year, Busch has four wins in the Cup Series, eight in Nationwide and six in Trucks.
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-- Houston Mitchell
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Photo: Kyle Busch. Credit: Jerome Miron / US Presswire
