Kurt Busch Penalized for Jumping Initial Start at Phoenix

By Tucker White

November 16, 2015

Less than 1 Minute Read

Kurt Busch was busted for jumping the initial start of the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

The driver of the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was black-flagged for beating pole sitter Jimmie Johnson to the start/finish line when the green flag first flew at 9:27 p.m. Eastern time. He fell back to 35th in the running order and was saved from being lapped by the competition caution.

While it doesn’t matter who gets to the line first on restarts, the control car must get to the line first on the initial start. This isn’t a new rule and was mentioned in the drivers meeting today when Jeff Gordon inquired about this to Sprint Cup Series Competition Director Richard Buck.

However, it should be noted that Joey Logano beat Kevin Harvick to the line at Phoenix back in March and he wasn’t black-flagged for it.

As of lap 112, Harvick leads the race and Busch runs 11th.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

Tucker White

I've followed NASCAR for well over 20 years of my life, both as a fan and now as a member of the media. As of 2024, I'm on my ninth season as a traveling NASCAR beat writer. For all its flaws and dumb moments, NASCAR at its best produces some of the best action you'll ever see in the sport of auto racing. Case in point: Kyle Larson's threading the needle pass at Darlington Raceway on May 9, 2021. On used-up tires, racing on a worn surface and an aero package that put his car on the razor's edge of control, Larson demonstrated why he's a generational talent. Those are the stories I want to capture and break down. In addition to NASCAR, I also follow IndyCar and Formula 1. As a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, I'm a diehard Tennessee Volunteers fan (especially in regards to Tennessee football). If covering NASCAR doesn't kill me, down the road, watching Tennessee football will. I'm also a diehard fan of the Atlanta Braves, and I lived long enough to see them win a World Series for the first time since 1995 (when I was just a year old). I've also sworn my fan allegiance to the Nashville Predators, though that's not paid out as much as the Braves. Furthermore, as a massive sports dork, I follow the NFL on a weekly basis. Though it's more out of an obligation than genuine passion (for sports dorks, following the NFL is basically an unwritten rule). Outside of sports, I'm a major cinema buff and a weeb. My favorite film is "Blazing Saddles" and my favorite anime is "Black Lagoon."

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