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NASCAR's Indefinite Suspension Of Kurt Busch Is Upheld After Appeals Process

NASCAR driver Kurt Busch "remains indefinitely suspended after he exhausted all of his appeals on Saturday," when his attempts with the National Motorsports Appeal Panel and NASCAR Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss were "denied," according to Jim Utter of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Busch "will not be allowed to race nor participate in any NASCAR activities until further notice." He was "suspended Friday after a Kent County (Del.) Family Court commissioner issued a 25-page ruling detailing alleged acts of domestic violence committed by Busch on his ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll." The three-member appeals panel "consisted of former NASCAR executive Paul Brooks, former driver Lyn St. James and Kevin Whitaker, who operates Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/22). The AP's Jenna Fryer noted Delaware Family Court Commissioner David Jones on Friday concluded that Busch "almost surely choked and beat a former girlfriend last fall and there was a 'substantial likelihood' of more domestic violence from him in the future." Chevrolet "immediately suspended its relationship with Busch." NASCAR Exec VP & Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell said, "NASCAR has made it very clear to our entire membership and the broader industry that any actions of abuse will not be tolerated in the industry" (AP, 2/20). NBCSports.com’s Nate Ryan reported what "pushed NASCAR over the edge was the amount of detail that the commissioner in Delaware released” (“Nightly News,” NBC, 2/21). Busch attorney Rusty Hardin in a statement said, "We will continue to exhaust every procedural and legal remedy" (SI.com, 2/20).

SUSPENSION APPLAUDED: ESPN.com's John Oreovicz reported there are "plenty of people in the NASCAR garage area who have their own opinions about Driscoll, her motives and her credibility," but Jones' ruling "was worded so strongly in Driscoll's favor that it left NASCAR with no choice but to suspend Busch." The American public "appears to have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to public figures and domestic abuse." NASCAR "made it clear the league is following suit." One must "take into account the business ramifications that occur when a star in a sponsor-driven sport such as NASCAR makes headlines in the wrong way." NASCAR, "to its credit, allowed events to play out in the legal system before making its own decree" (ESPN.com, 2/20). USA Today's Christine Brennan said, "There is no tolerance, and this is such an incredible sea change in this country” (“World News,” ABC, 2/21). ESPN's Jemele Hill referenced the Ray Rice case, saying, "The people who didn't know what domestic violence looked like, they now have a snapshot and a picture. I have a feeling that every time you hear about a player associated with domestic violence, accused of it, convicted of it, that's the image that runs through people's minds. That's partly why I think now leagues, teams, organizations are taking the issue far more seriously.” ESPN's Jackie MacMullan: "We never usually have that kind of concrete evidence. We don't have it with Busch, but people don't need it anymore. That's the big difference. Now we don't need the visual anymore. I just hope this has some staying power” (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 2/22). In Orlando, Mike Bianchi writes NASCAR "didn't need an elevator video and a public outcry to make the right decision to get rid of Busch ... for the unstated but obvious reason that he is bad for business." Bianchi: "I wish all sports were run like NASCAR, which always has been more PR conscious than other leagues because corporate sponsors demand it" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/22). 

WHEN THE MONEY TALKS: USA TODAY's Brant James wrote, "The image consciousness of a sport fueled by marketing and sponsorships might be Busch's ultimate undoing." USC Sports Business Institute Exec Dir David Carter said, "There's a little bit of a difference between team sports, and, obviously the individual athlete because they basically have to survive on their own personal brand. So it may be a real challenge for him to recover any time soon depending on how this thing plays out." James wrote Busch "might enjoy some cover if he remains with Stewart-Haas Racing because he was recruited, signed and is sponsored by co-owner Gene Haas's company," Haas Automation. It "remains to be seen whether the billionaire, who has boasted of his kindred connection with the 'outlaw' persona Busch fosters, would continue to leverage his machine tool company's image to underwrite Busch's career after a suspension." The sponsor market "will be Busch's toughest rehabilitation process in the future." Carter: "This is a very, very competitive sponsor environment, and sponsors have plenty of alternatives" (USATODAY.com, 2/22). ESPN's Hill said, "When you have sponsors and they're so tied to an individual, we may be looking at permanent irreparable damage to Kurt Busch's career" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 2/22).

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