This time last year, we were deep in the heart of a burgeoning war, a battle between the forces of light and darkness, between perceived entitlement and perceived grit, between humility and attitude. I speak, of course, of the Great Junior-Busch War of 2008.
You remember, it was a war that reached its crest when Kyle Busch turned Dale Earnhardt Jr. just a few laps from victory in Richmond. (Click here for the video.) Junior fans were livid, saying Kyle was nothing but a spoiled punk who represented everything that was wrong with NASCAR. Kyle fans, on the other hand, said Junior couldn't carry his daddy's lug nuts, and was racing purely on the strength of his last name.
Both were wrong, of course, but both had some points, too. Kyle kept up with his taunts and shots at Junior, ridiculing everything from his on-track talent to his tendency to blame everyone else for his problems. Junior, on the other hand, took the high-minded but probably foolish approach of not firing back.
So this year, we were expecting Act II to be even better, and things started out just perfectly when Junior caused was involved in a race-changing wreck at this year's Daytona 500. But since then ... bleaugh. Nothing. Junior's big problem was his crew chief, apparently, and so he changed crew chiefs, and the big difference is ... he's got a new crew chief. Kyle has slid progressively down the standings, mildly grumbling and moaning all the way, and even though he's got wins, he's on the verge of missing the Chase after very nearly dominating it last year. Both of them are too busy with their own internal drama to worry about anybody else.
Junior fans are hoping that this is just a getting-to-know-you session with new crew chief Lance McGrew. Kyle fans are hoping that he gets his head back on straight and starts winning the races he should be winning.
And the rest of us ... well, the rest of us just feel ripped off.
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