"They gave us the list of who is supposed to fight who": Kyle Busch exposes NASCAR’s green light for brawls in The Clash

Kyle Busch has reportedly revealed an unexpected detail about NASCAR’s stance on fighting at The Clash, an event known for its aggressive racing and heated rivalries. It seems NASCAR may be encouraging confrontations rather than preventing them.

During a media briefing, Busch reportedly claimed that NASCAR not only expects fights but also assigns matchups in advance. According to journalist Matt Weaver, officials told drivers at a NASCAR R&D meeting that fighting in the infield would be acceptable. The tweet quoting Kyle Busch read:

"At the NASCAR R&D Briefing this week, NASCAR said fighting is okay in the infield this week. "We already met in the NASCAR hauler and they gave us the list of who is supposed to fight who. I can't disclose that. Stay tuned." Kyle Busch, lol."

Bowman Gray Stadium, known as the “Madhouse,” is a quarter-mile track where aggression is the norm. The Clash marks the return of the Cup Series to the stadium for the first time since 1971. Unlike traditional races, The Clash has no championship points at stake, allowing drivers to race more aggressively without long-term consequences. NASCAR team owner Rick Ware summed it up by saying:

“There’s a lot of roughing up because you don’t have a choice. You’ve got to move someone to get by, and that’s the way it is at Bowman Gray.”

According to AP News, Tim Brown, the winningest driver in the track’s history, also shared that fighting is almost a requirement to race there. Over his 30-year career, he estimated he had been in about 10 fights and humorously claimed to have won them all.

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When Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch clashed after All-Star Race

A post-race altercation between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch at NASCAR’s All-Star Race in May 2024 stemmed from an early on-track incident that quickly escalated. The confrontation began on the first lap at North Wilkesboro Speedway when aggressive moves led to Stenhouse’s race ending almost immediately.

Stenhouse Jr. moved up the racetrack, forcing Busch into the wall. While Busch’s car had minimal damage, he retaliated by nudging Stenhouse Jr.’s bumper, sending him into the wall and ending his race within two laps.

Frustrated, Stenhouse Jr. waited for Busch near his hauler, leading to a heated exchange that turned physical when the former threw the first punch. Both pit crews got involved in the brawl. After the race, Busch voiced his frustration, saying:

“It's the first lap of the race, and we don’t even have water temp in the car yet, and we're wrecking each other off of turn two.”

“But that’s what everybody does. Everybody wrecks everybody to pass everybody,” he added

Stenhouse Jr. defended his actions, arguing that Busch initially left an opening, leading to multiple cars making contact. He downplayed the incident as “nothing major” but accused Busch of retaliating out of frustration. He also suggested that Busch’s aggressive behavior has been a pattern all season.