Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch did not hold back on his own racing history and image as a NASCAR “villain” during the special I Am Athlete podcast episode on Monday.
He explained his numerous feuds and battles to former NFL star and I Am Athlete founder Brandon Marshall, along with co-hosts and former NFL players Chad Ochocinco, Channing Crowder and “Unc” Fred Taylor.
“You have to understand what it takes to beat the competition,” said Busch. “My dad always told me that you‘re competing against the rest of the drivers, they aren‘t your friends. Eventually something is going to happen on the track, and they won‘t be your friends any longer, so there‘s no point befriending them.”
“Kyle has embraced that it‘s okay to be the villain,” said IAA co-host Ochocinco, who was no stranger to embracing that role during his storied NFL career. “It‘s a great role. That‘s why I love you and your energy and your f***-*** mentality when it comes to racing.”
Busch has had clashes with various drivers over the years, including last week‘s I AM NASCAR guest, Earnhardt Jr. Kyle Busch went into his side of their altercation on the track years ago, during this conversation with the IAA panel.
“U guys r so stupid” – Kyle Busch takes swipe at NASCAR
“He felt like you were salty,” said Marshall referring to Earnhardt Jr., who shared with them his perspective of the 2008 incident during his I AM NASCAR appearance, diving into the confrontation at Richmond Raceway that officially sparked their long-running feud that divided NASCAR fans for years.
“Oh I was salty,” replied Busch. “But I didn‘t wreck him on purpose. When you‘re racing against guys you don‘t like, you don‘t give them an extra inch. You‘re trying to pass them the whole time. If you slip and you hit them, who cares? I had no care in that moment. If I was racing someone I liked, I probably wouldn‘t have ran so hard. From like 2008 through 2011, we hated each other. I avoided eye contact and all of that stuff. We eventually became cordial with each other. There wasn‘t really a turning point, it just kind of evolved into that.”
The 2017 Kyle Busch fight they were talking about on I Am Athlete today 👀. pic.twitter.com/D8X97BCr7U
— TimeoutSPORTS__ (@TimeoutSPORTS3) May 17, 2021
Kyle Busch talks about the driver he hates the most up to this day.
On the I Am Athlete YouTube Channel Kyle Busch talks about the driver he hates the most to this day and he says it’s still Joey Logano because he is “two faced”. pic.twitter.com/ttg368cNVv
— Glen Novak (@GlenNovak5) May 17, 2021
“Joey Logano is still number one,” said Busch. “The problem with Joey, is that he‘s two-faced. People know I‘m an a**hol3 on the racetrack. Logano will come in here and he‘s laughing and happy-go-lucky. But you put him on the racetrack, then he flips the a**hol3 switch on. If you‘re going to be a nice guy, be a nice guy on the track as well.”
At least he’s brave enough to admit it
Not a Busch fan but I did enjoy his interview. He is nothing but brutally honest.