Bad boy Kyle Busch will be ‘pretty in pink’ as he races for Nationwide Series record at Richmond
Kyle Busch is driving Toyota's famous Sponsafier pink Camry this weekend at Richmond. // Walter Scriptunas, NASCAR Illustrated
RICHMOND, Va. – When NASCAR bad boy Kyle Busch hits the track for tonight’s Nationwide Series race at Richmond, he will do so looking more mild than wild.
As he attempts to set a series record for Nationwide wins in a season (11), Busch will drive a pink Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota featuring the paint scheme from the popular Toyota “Sponsafier” television commercials. The contest, for which 100 semi-finalists will be announced on September 14, allows fans to display their creativity by designing and submitting their own paint schemes at http://toyotaracing.com.
In the spot, Busch drives a car designed by the fictional “Kimmy,” a pre-teen whose passion for baby seals, puppies and hearts is displayed on Busch’s car and matching fire suit.
When Busch delivers the commercial’s biggest line: “Who doesn’t love kittens, bunnies and baby seals?” some Busch detractors likely thought Busch was referring to what he prefers on the menu at a family cookout.
Well aware of his reputation as NASCAR's biggest villain and the resulting irony, Busch says, “Everybody has been really pumped about the commercials and more pumped about seeing me in the pink suit and driving that car.”
Thinking pink is nothing new for Busch. In each of the last two years, he has run pink cars in the October Cup race at Charlotte to raise awareness for breast cancer and benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. He finished fourth in 2008 and eighth in 2009.
Busch is not the first NASCAR rebel to feel pretty in pink.
Following a failed paint-mixing adventure and no money to fix it, a 19-year-old Dale Earnhardt raced a pink-roofed 1956 Ford around the dirt tracks of North Carolina in 1970.
In fact, Busch is in pretty good company across racing and sports overall.
In the 1970s, Shirley Muldowney, took the NHRA by storm in matching pink cowboy hat, boots and a hot-pink dragster, winning three world titles (1977, 1980 and 1982).
The NFL, Major League Baseball and NHL have all – at various times - encouraged teams and players to “go pink” with special uniforms and programs to raise awareness for breast cancer.
LPGA golfer Paula Creamer is known as the “Pink Panther” for wearing pink in competition and even has her own line of pink apparel and golf balls.
If Busch wins at Richmond Friday night, the standard he sets for series dominance also will include a fashion statement for the record books.
