REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

Great68 · 08-24-2011, 07:13 AM

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STATESVILLE, N.C. -- NASCAR points leader Kyle Busch lost his driver's license for 45 days on Tuesday for driving 128 miles per hour on a road close to a day-care centre and church in a nearly US$400,000 car. His lawyer said his client was not treated "like any other citizen."

Busch, who doesn't need a license to compete in NASCAR, also was fined $1,000, sentenced to 30 hours of community service and put on one year of unsupervised probation. He pleaded guilty to speeding and no contest to reckless and careless driving in North Carolina District Court in Iredell County.

Busch addressed the court before his sentencing by District Court Judge H. Thomas Church, apologizing again for driving 128 m.p.h. in a 45 m.p.h. zone in a bright yellow 2012 Lexus on May 24.

"I think you'll be different in the future," Church said.
"I sure will, your honour," Busch replied.

Busch and his wife, Samantha, were in the car when he was pulled over on a two-lane road in an area near a subdivision, a day-care centre and a church. The hand-built LFA sports car was on loan to Busch from Lexus for a 24-hour test drive.

Busch attorney Cliff Homesley argued that his client wasn't being treated the same as other people in similar circumstances, citing a July case of a 21-year-old convicted felon who was caught doing 128 mph and received a $300 fine and no loss of license.

"In 25 years of practising law I've never seen someone not being offered better than this," Homesley argued before the court. "All I am asking is to treat Kyle Busch like any other citizen that appears before the court."

Homesley, calling Busch one of the best drivers in the world, said: "He had full control of that vehicle at all times.

"That automobile in his hands was like a scalpel in the hands of a surgeon. Not a knife in the hands of a five-year-old."

Busch is coming off his Sprint Cup series-best fourth victory at Michigan on Sunday, and he holds a 10-point lead over five-time defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson in the standings. His next scheduled race is Wednesday's Trucks Series event at Bristol, where he's won the last five races spanning NASCAR's top three national series.

"This is closure. That certainly was what we were looking for in this case," Busch said outside the court. "We've had a lot of people stand behind me and we've gone through this is as diligent as we could, as respectful as we could, and that's why I am here today in person to do it myself and to accept responsibility for my actions.

"Today's done. We move on to tomorrow and try to go win a truck race at Bristol."

Busch spoke only briefly outside court, where a hot dog vendor was set up roughly 100 feet away offering the "128 m.p.h. special." Busch headed in opposite direction of the stand as he left with his attorney.

In court, Homesley admitted Busch passed three different patrol cars following one another as the deputies headed to lunch. The first clocked him at 128 mph, the second clocked him at 79 and the third at 59 -- numbers that proved Busch was in control of the car and able to slow it down quickly.

Busch did tell the deputy who pulled him over the Lexus was "just a toy," a remark he backed away from while apologizing for the incident in in a media session two days later.

"I'm certainly sorry that it happened," he said. "It wasn't a toy, it's a high-performance vehicle. It should be driven with caution. Obviously, I didn't have caution and I had a lack of judgment.

"There's probably reason why on the TV commercials that they always show at the bottom, 'Professional driver, closed course.' Mine was not that. Again, I apologize sincerely. All I can do is make sure it doesn't happen again."

Busch will do his community service with the teen safe-driving program B.R.A.K.E.S., which was developed by drag racer Doug Herbert.

Herbert's two sons were killed in a 2008 accident attributed to speeding, and the drag racer established the "Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe" program to teach teenagers safety behind the wheel.

Busch agreed to sponsor 300 students in the program, as well as participate in some of the sessions. He'll have to do at least 30 hours as part of his sentence.

Well, this guy is probably one of the most experienced to be doing those speeds.

dangonay · 08-24-2011, 08:11 AM

^ Experience doesn't make up for the laws of physics, though. A fully loaded semi truck doing 80MPH could stop in a shorter distance than that Lexus could from 128MPH.

On the flip side, someone that experienced at driving would know about braking distances and should be aware he could never stop in time had someone pulled onto the highway in front of him.

spyker · 08-24-2011, 08:31 AM

Someone that experienced should not be doing 128 in a 45 mph zone,especially a person that knows how dangerous a crash at that speed can do.

unit · 08-24-2011, 08:36 AM

so.. you dont need a valid drivers license to race in nascar? explains a lot.

Gumby · 08-24-2011, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Busch attorney Cliff Homesley argued that his client wasn't being treated the same as other people in similar circumstances, citing a July case of a 21-year-old convicted felon who was caught doing 128 mph and received a $300 fine and no loss of license.

Are those other people nascar drivers too? What a silly argument.

Lomac · 08-24-2011, 09:20 AM

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Originally Posted by unit

so.. you dont need a valid drivers license to race in nascar? explains a lot.

Racing license is different from a road license.
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Phil@rise · 08-24-2011, 10:03 AM

Children don't run out at random onto a racing course they do run out onto a street. As a role model for automotive enthusiasts all round he needs to be hit hard for his lack of judgment.

twitchyzero · 08-24-2011, 10:22 AM

yeah but does he know how to make a right turn?

snowball · 08-24-2011, 12:25 PM

Kyle Busch has always been the punk ass of NASCAR, no one likes him, not even sure if his much classier brother Kurt does either.

CP.AR · 08-24-2011, 12:35 PM

FerrariEnzo · 08-25-2011, 01:06 AM

he being experienced doesnt mean other people are.. if he was driving in richmond, he would get into an accident... lol

dlo · 08-25-2011, 01:46 AM

Lol ur speed, ur call man, be grateful u didn't kill a kid, serve jail sentence and destroy ur own career, ur a celebrity, cameras will be flashin at u so dun goof up
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Gumby · 08-25-2011, 09:07 AM

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Originally Posted by Gumby

Are those other people nascar drivers too? What a silly argument.

What's wrong with my comment? Kyle Busch speeds for a living, so he should know the risks involved. That's why he shouldn't be treated as a regular citizen if he's caught speeding on regular roads.

JD¹³ · 08-25-2011, 10:53 AM

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Originally Posted by Gumby

What's wrong with my comment?

It's fucking stupid.

Monty Robinson is an RCMP officer and knows all the risks of drinking and driving. So when he drank then hit and ran a motorcyclist, killing him, he should get special treatment right? BULLSHIT.

Both should have known better. Both should be penalized like regular citizens. Sad part is, Robinson is getting special treatment.

XplicitLuder · 08-25-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby

What's wrong with my comment? Kyle Busch speeds for a living, so he should know the risks involved. That's why he shouldn't be treated as a regular citizen if he's caught speeding on regular roads.

im pretty sure anyone that doesnt lack common sense should know the risk involved by travelling at such speeds on a regular road. I still think he should have gotten treated just like the other 21yr old who was going at extreme speeds and got only the fine. If anything it should be the 21yr old getting the worse fine between the two of them. I know one is a professional driver and should know better, but he also has more "skills" then the 21yr old.

But then again, thats just my opinion

Gumby · 08-26-2011, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD¹³

It's fucking stupid.

Monty Robinson is an RCMP officer and knows all the risks of drinking and driving. So when he drank then hit and ran a motorcyclist, killing him, he should get special treatment right? BULLSHIT.

Both should have known better. Both should be penalized like regular citizens. Sad part is, Robinson is getting special treatment.

I guess the point I was trying to make is that he should get special treatment - special in the sense that his punishment should be WORSE than a regular guy. Cops, race car drivers, etc. should be held to a higher standard.

Great68 · 08-26-2011, 09:21 AM

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Originally Posted by twitchyzero

yeah but does he know how to make a right turn?

I watch Nascar's road course races at watkins glen & infineon. It's actually pretty exciting racing, since aerodynamics don't really mean a whole lot and a lot of drivers aren't as experienced with road racing so they make a lot of mistakes. Lots of side by side racing, bumping, and passing, it's good. Not to mention wailing 9000RPM 5.8L V8's sound sexy.

ChaKo · 08-26-2011, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby

I guess the point I was trying to make is that he should get special treatment - special in the sense that his punishment should be WORSE than a regular guy. Cops, race car drivers, etc. should be held to a higher standard.

Lady Justice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Since the 15th century, Lady Justice has often been depicted wearing a blindfold. The blindfold represents objectivity, in that justice is or should be meted out objectively, without fear or favor, regardless of identity, money, power, or weakness; blind justice and impartiality"

MWR34 · 08-26-2011, 11:09 AM

Man oh man, I wished this happened here.

LFA repossessed and Sold for top dollar on BCAUCTION!!!