Members of the Joe Gibbs Racing team were competing today under added pressure, as team owner and founder Joe Gibbs was still recovering in a nearby hospital after being run over by Kyle Busch’s bus. The incident was being investigated as an assault, as several witnesses saw Busch throwing Gibbs under the bus seconds before the incident.
“Coach Gibbs is in stable condition and recovering just fine”, a team spokesman said. “He has noticeable tire-tracks across his back, which removed 8 of the 12 logos embroidered on his polo shirt. Other than that, his injuries are mostly what you would see in a stock car crash—not nearly as bad as what you’d see in, oh, let’s say an IndyCar wreck.”
The incident happened shortly after Busch was heard telling the media that “a boss” of his has prevented his attempt to run the Indy 500-Coke 600 Double this year. Media members were stunned—not so much by the comments themselves, but by the simple that that Busch was even talking to them voluntarily.
Busch has been accused of such actions in the past, having been seen throwing numerous drivers, equipment manufacturers, and the executives of Nascar itself under his bus on various occasions. Busch has never been convicted or even charged in any of the incidents, mostly due to the intervention of, ironically, team owner Joe Gibbs.
“Everything is great—I just want to go race as much as possible to reach my internally set goals for my career”, Busch said hours after the incident. “I hope that Coach Gibbs has a full and healthy recovery, and he realizes that an injury can occur anywhere, anytime—not just in an open-wheel race car.”