Kyle Busch’s most explosive moments: Five times “Rowdy” lost his cool in NASCAR

Veteran driver Kyle Busch has built a Hall of Fame resume—two NASCAR Cup Series championships, holding the all-time wins record across all three national series—and has a reputation as a dominant, aggressive driver and a controversial personality. But equally ingrained in his legacy is the fiery persona known as “Rowdy,” the nickname he got for his fearless, aggressive driving style and outspoken personality.

Whether it’s confrontations with drivers, outbursts toward officials, or raw emotion boiling over in the heat of competition, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s temper has produced some of NASCAR’s most unforgettable moments. On that note, let’s take a look at the most explosive moments when “Rowdy” completely lost his cool.

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Five-time Kyle Busch lost his cool in NASCAR

#5 The Post-Race Confrontation with Chase Elliott in 2020

Kyle Busch accidentally wrecked Chase Elliott late in the Darlington race in 2020, sending Elliott crashing and ending his night. Elliott responded by flipping Busch off on the track, and Busch, being Busch, fired back with a heated explanation in post-race interviews. Afterwards, fans erupted online, and Rowdy’s temper again took the spotlight.

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#4 The Clint Bowyer Brawl in 2013

Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer tangled late in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, and after the checkered flag, the tempers carried to pit road. Busch stormed toward Bowyer’s hauler, triggering a multi-team scrum. It was one of the era’s most chaotic scenes.

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#3 The Ron Hornaday crash in 2011

This is the incident most fans think of when they hear Kyle Busch meltdown. During a NASCAR Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway under caution, Busch hooked Ron Hornaday into the wall after the two made contact racing for position. As a result, NASCAR benched the JGR driver for the rest of the weekend, one of the harshest penalties ever given to a star driver.

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#2 Punches thrown by Joey Logano in 2017

Few post-race scenes were as shocking as the moment a bloodied Busch walked away after throwing a punch at Joey Logano’s face at Las Vegas in 2017. The two tangled on the last lap, sending Busch spinning. Convinced Logano dumped him intentionally, Busch confronted him on pit road.

A wild multi-team scuffle erupted, leaving Busch with a cut forehead, and it’s still one of NASCAR’s most viral moments.

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#1 The 2011 Darlington clash with Kevin Harvick

It remains one of NASCAR’s most replayed confrontations and the most famous one. After a late-race wreck during the 2011 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, emotions flared on pit road. Kevin Harvick approached Busch’s car, reaching inside as he was ready to punch the JGR driver in the head, but Busch responded by flooring the throttle and left him swinging at thin air, hooking Harvick’s unattended #29 Richard Childress Racing car into the pit wall.

The infamous 2011 Darlington incident cemented the Harvick–Busch rivalry as one of the era’s fiercest and showcased Rowdy’s zero-tolerance policy when provoked.