NASCAR Fines Kyle Busch $50K, On Probation For Rest Of Season

NASCAR driver Kyle Busch has been fined $50,000 and placed on probation for the remainder of the 2011 racing season after he took retaliatory actions during Friday night’s Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

According to officials if Busch does anything that is detrimental to stock car racing or NASCAR “or is disruptive to the orderly conduct of an event” he will be immediately suspended.

Both bush and his team at Joe Gibbs Racing are not commenting on Busch’s actions which included intentionally wrecking the race car of championship contender Ron Hornaday Jr. during lap 14 of 148 laps while under caution. Busch did however issue an open letter to his sponsors and fans on Monday:

“I understand why I was taken out of the car for the rest of the weekend. NASCAR officials had to act, and I accept their punishment and take full responsibility for my actions,” Busch wrote. “As a racecar driver, the hardest thing to do is to sit on the sidelines listening to cars on the track when you know you should be out there competing. For this, I have no one to blame but myself.”

Busch is the first driver since August 2007 to be taken out of a Cup race and was replaced by Michael McDowell who finished in 33rd place.

Busch had pushed Hornaday into the wall after Ron made contact with his race car during a three-wide tap right before the caution.

With only one race left Hornaday fell from third to fourth in the points standings, falling from 15 to 48 points back.

In his own statement Hornaday said he would have been at Busch’s house Monday morning if NASCAR hadn’t parked him.

Do you think Busch deserved to be parked based on his actions?