The NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway ended in high drama on Sunday night when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. threw a punch at Kyle Busch following a heated post-race conversation. The altercation stemmed from an incident on Lap 2, where Busch punted Stenhouse into the wall, causing Stenhouse’s car to crash head-on.
Due to the track’s layout, which prevents infield exits during the race, Stenhouse had to wait until the event concluded to confront Busch. When the two drivers finally spoke, tensions quickly escalated, resulting in Stenhouse flinging a fist at Busch, prompting a melee involving their crew members.
“I felt like Kyle and I have always raced each other really hard back to the Nationwide Series when we were competing for wins week in and week out, never had any issues,” Stenhouse explained on Fox after the altercation. “I wrecked him one time at Daytona and he’s kind of badmouthed me ever since then. I talk to him quite a bit off the track and I’m not sure why he was so mad that I shoved it three-wide.”
Stenhouse voiced his frustrations about Busch’s on-track behavior and his tendency to “run his mouth” about him. “I know he’s frustrated because he doesn’t run near as good as he used to, and I understand that. We’re a single-car team over here and working really hard to go out and get better each and every weekend.”
The fight saw Stenhouse’s crew members trying to tackle Busch after Stenhouse was initially restrained. The confrontation was quickly contained as Busch’s crew prevented Stenhouse’s team from approaching their hauler.
Busch appeared uninjured, and it was unclear if Stenhouse’s punch made significant contact. The incident started because Busch was upset about being put three-wide at the start, leading to the early crash that wrecked Stenhouse’s car.
Stenhouse had parked his car in Busch’s pit stall after the crash, indicating he would confront Busch post-race. He even referenced a 2011 incident where Richard Childress, now Busch’s team owner, punched Busch after a similar incident.
Stenhouse finished last in the race, while Busch managed to secure 10th place. Joey Logano dominated the event, leading 199 of 200 laps to claim victory.
The clash between Stenhouse and Busch adds another chapter to their storied rivalry, highlighting the intense emotions and high stakes that define NASCAR racing.
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