All quiet on the Kyle Busch front

Today is Friday, and the STP 400 will be run on Sunday, and Kyle Busch is scheduled to race in it.

I’ve had my ear tuned to the Internet for updated news on what sanctions Kyle Busch might face for his outrageous reckless driving offense of speeding in an exotic sports car 128 mph in a 45 mph zone.

All I hear is crickets chirping.

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That and the pronouncement that the STP 400 will mark Kyle’s 235^th career Sprint Cup Series start, and an article on how tempting it is for race car drivers to speed.

Are people’s memories that short?

NASCAR reportedly is not planning to do anything about Busch’s situation. Said NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp last week: “This is a matter that Kyle will have to handle with the authorities in Iredell County. Based on what we know right now, this would not impact his status as a NASCAR driver.”

Is Joe Gibbs Racing going to take any action to discipline its top driver? Or will it be left to the State of North Carolina to slap Kyle’s wrist with a paltry fine, some community service and a short-term suspension of his driver’s license?

The likely fine will be paltry to Busch; probably not to most of his fans.

Community service? Speaking to youth groups on the dangers of speeding has been suggested. Tough job. Picking up trash on the side of the road would be more in order.

Ironically, Busch and Kevin Harvick are on NASCAR probation and were fined $25,000 for an attempt at a fistfight on pit road at Darlington, and Busch’s subsequent bumping of Harvick’s car into the pit road wall. Driving a deadly $350,000 metal missile through a residential area is going to cost him a lot less.

Busch was allowed to drive in the Coca-Cola 600 on May 29th. Now he will run a second race after being hit with the reckless driving charge.

I was certain that by now the JGR organization would step up and hit Busch with a stern reprimand and an appropriate punishment, and send the public a message about their integrity and that of NASCAR itself.

And I thought that if that did not happen, there would be a vigorous discussion of the lack of action among the news media, social media, and the blogosphere.

So far, it looks like I was wrong.