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Kyle Busch out of ride for rest of 2011? UPDATES – Interstate Batteries for final 2 races; M&Ms will return in 2012:

November 10, 2011 at 12:00 AM

  • on the website, tireball.com is reporting…..the rumors and if they are true, like they appear to be, then Kyle Busch is out of a ride until Daytona and now without sponsorship. Busch was parked this [last] week at Texas due to actions in the Camping World Truck Series when he wrecked fellow competitor Ron Hornaday under caution.(tireball.com).
    AND in Twitter, SceneDaily’s Bob Pockrass reports in a few Tweets:
    NASCAR has given Kyle the OK to race. It’s in the hands of the sponsor and the team.
    On Kyle Busch: JGR still hasn’t confirmed if he’ll race Cup at PIR. I lean toward he’ll race but wouldn’t be surprised either way.
    For those asking about Kyle and PIR, I think more likely he races than not, but JGR has yet to confirm that he will race.
    AND II the weekly race preview for JGR/Kyle Busch has not been released as of yet when it usually comes out on Tuesday.
    UPDATE: The fallout from #18-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. 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. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because Busch’s future was still being discussed Thursday with sponsors and Joe Gibbs Racing. Among the options being considered is Aric Almirola replacing Busch in the final two Sprint Cup Series races of the season, as primary sponsor M&M’s decides how it wants to proceed with Busch. Although NASCAR has cleared Busch to race this weekend at Phoenix, JGR officials have been silent on his status in Sunday’s Cup race.(more at the Associated Press website)
    UPDATE2: Aric Almirola told ESPN.com on Thursday he has been contacted by Joe Gibbs Racing about possibly replacing Kyle Busch in the final two Sprint Cup races and is awaiting final word from the organization. ESPN’s Marty Smith reported on SportsCenter and NASCARNow that Busch, according to sources, will be in the #18 Cup car this weekend at Phoenix and next weekend at Homestead. Multiple sources said the car likely will be sponsored by Interstate Batteries instead of M&Ms, which was scheduled to be on the car. Mars Incorporated, which manufacturers M&Ms, stated its displeasure with Busch over his intentionally wrecking Ron Hornaday in last Friday’s Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. But according to sources the sponsor still had reservations about having its name on the Cup car with Busch for the last two races, prompting the call to Almirola. Almirola said JGR president J.D. Gibbs contacted him on Wednesday to see if he would be available. Almirola, who drives a Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series, said JRM has given him permission to drive for the Toyota team. “Your guess is as good as mine,” Almirola told ESPN.com before Nationwide practice at PIR as to what will happen. “I know they’re working through a lot of things. I just told them I was available if they needed me.”(ESPN)
    for all the past news, statements, and updates on NASCAR’s parking of Busch at Texas, go to Jayski’s #18 team news page.(11-10-2011)
    UPDATE 3: Kyle Busch will compete in the final two Sprint Cup races but without primary sponsor M&Ms as the sponsor of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Sources said Busch will be sponsored by Interstate Batteries in Sunday’s race at Phoenix International Raceway and next weekend’s finale at Miami-Homestead Speedway. The decision ended several days of speculation that Busch would be parked for the final two races or possibly lose his job with Mars Incorporated, M&M’s parent company, displeased with his behavior and threatening to pull out. Officials at Mars Inc. did not immediately respond to emails inquiring about the company’s relationship with Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing past this season.(ESPN)(11-10-2011)
    UPDATE 4: Statement from M&Ms: Mars, Incorporated announced that they will be removing Kyle Busch from driving the M&M’S car for the remaining two races of the 2011 NASCAR season as a result of the incident during last Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. The car will not run with the M&M’S paint scheme until 2012, at which time Kyle Busch will be the driver with the expectation that no future incident take place.
    “As a proud member of the racing community, Mars and the M&M’S brand strongly support the partnership we have with Joe Gibbs Racing and are committed to NASCAR. Yet, Kyle’s recent actions are unacceptable and do not reflect the values of Mars,” said Debra A. Sandler, Chief Consumer Officer, Mars Chocolate North America. “While we do not condone Kyle’s recent actions, we do believe that he has shown remorse and has expressed a desire to change. We believe our decision will have a positive impact on Kyle and will help him return next season ready to win.”
    “We strongly support Mars’ decision,” said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. “This gives us all time to work together to foster a positive change where Kyle can continue racing in a way we can all be proud of.”(Mars, Inc.)(11-10-2011)
    AND: Interstate Batteries, a partner of Joe Gibbs Racing since the team’s inception 20 years ago, will be featured on the #18 Toyota Camry driven by Busch for the final two races of the Sprint Cup Series season. A press conference with Joe Gibbs Racing owner Joe Gibbs and driver Kyle Busch will be held in the media center of Phoenix International Raceway on Friday at 9:30 a.m. MST to further address this situation.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(11-10-2011)