Kyle Busch lost the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 after Austin Dillon stretched his fuel mileage to earn the victory last month in Concord, N.C.
Busch was asked by reporters if he was surprised Dillon could stretch his car on fuel.
"I'm not surprised about anything. Congratulations," Busch said before dropping the microphone and walking out of the media room.
Jenna Fryer, who covers motor sports for The Associated Press, believes personalities such as Busch's are needed in NASCAR, despite the criticism he took from fans and several media members.
"It takes all kinds to make NASCAR go round," Fryer wrote. "Sports, at its heart, is entertainment. [Jimmie] Johnson wasn't popular during his record run of titles because fans found him too boring. Kyle Busch and, to a larger degree, his brother, Kurt, are often criticized because they are far more like Gregg Popovich than, say, Steve Kerr.
"Look, Kevin Harvick has never taken losing well. Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Ryan Blaney and many of the newcomers have shown signs of prickliness following defeat. [Kyle] Larson, Johnson, [Brad] Keselowski are part of a group that can still be candid and polite even when disappointed.
"After a crush of media followed Fernando Alonso's every move around the Indianapolis 500 for nearly a month, and he'd done countless promotional obligations with a smile, his engine failed with 20 laps remaining in the biggest race in the world. The two-time Formula One champion finished 24th.
"Rather than whine about it, Alonso made his way through a crazed fan zone, went upstairs to the media center and answered every single question posed.
"When he was done, he thanked the media for his two-week shadow, then toasted the assembled crowd with a carton of milk.
"Drivers today can't all be Alonso or a Busch brother. There's a need for every type of personality, for drivers to be wired in their own unique way. It makes auto racing exciting on and off the track."
Saban still going
In the wake of Bob Stoops' retirement as football coach at Oklahoma, Alabama Coach Nick Saban said at his golf tournament Thursday that he plans on coaching as long as his health allows him to, the Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News reported.
Saban, 65, held his annual Nick's Kids charity golf tournament at Old Overton Golf Club in Vestavia Hills, Ala.
"As long as I feel good, I love doing it," said Saban, whose contract at Alabama runs through 2024. "I've said this before. I've been a part of a team since I was 9 years old, and it scares me to death to figure what it's going to be like when I'm not a part of a team.
"As long as I feel healthy and I can do it, we certainly have every intention of trying to do it. If I felt like I couldn't do it to the standard that I want to do it then I think that would be time not to do it. But I certainly don't feel like that's any time soon."
Stoops, 56, retired Wednesday after 18 seasons at Oklahoma. He led the Sooners to a national championship in 2000 and 10 Big 12 Conference championships.
Sports on 06/09/2017