The following is a collection of statements released following the Delaware Department of Justice’s decision on Thursday not to charge Kurt Busch with any crimes stemming from an incident that occurred last September in his motorcoach at Dover International Speedway. We will adding more statements as they come in.
NASCAR:
NASCAR is aware of the Delaware Department of Justice announcement today regarding driver Kurt Busch. As we disclosed Monday, he has accepted the terms and conditions of a reinstatement program and is actively participating in the program. Kurt Busch’s eligibility for reinstatement will continue to be governed by that program and the NASCAR Rule Book, though the elimination of the possibility of criminal charges certainly removes a significant impediment to his reinstatement.
Kurt Busch (via attorney Rusty Hardin)
I am grateful that the prosecutors in Delaware listened, carefully considered the evidence, and after a thorough investigation decided to not file criminal charges against me. I wish to thank my family, friends, fans, and race team who stood by me throughout this nightmare with their unwavering support. Thanks also goes to my legal team for making sure that the truth got out and was fully provided to the prosecutors. As I have said from the beginning, I did not commit domestic abuse. I look forward to being back in racing as soon as possible and moving on with my life.
Patricia Driscoll (via attorney Carolyn McNeice and told via e-mail to USA Today)
Patricia and I are very disappointed that Kurt will not be prosecuted for the abusive acts he committed in September. The AG’s decision, however, only makes the Order that we received for Protection from Abuse that much more important.
As you can see, in some cases, this is the only protection the victim will get. This civil no contact order is a critical tool for protecting victims.
Stewart-Haas Racing (via Joe Custer)
We appreciate the thoroughness of the Dover Police Department’s investigation into the allegations made against Kurt Busch and respect the time the Attorney General put into his decision. They are the experts in these matters and the decision not to pursue charges is an important one. We’re currently working with NASCAR to understand how this impacts Kurt’s reinstatement process.
About the author
Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.
Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.
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Kurt should be reinstated immediately. No charges. Nascar acted REAL FAST on this issue but did nothing to Travis Kvapil in 14. And boo to Chevy for doing the same.
Chevy’s response was about as close to “go ____ yourself, Kurt” as you can get in PR-speak. If I’m Kurt and I get back into a racecar, any bowtie emblems on my apparel or personal equipment will be as small as contractually possible.
Was he guilty of knocking her around? Probably, considering his past temper problems. But punishing someone over a probability I think was a rush to judgement. The police should have been called at the time of the incident. If so, the outcome may have been much different.
I personally lost all respect for him after the Dr. Jerry Punch incident. No finer man has ever been involved in the sport than Dr. Punch.