Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio makes Kurt Busch an honorary deputy Thursday in Phoenix. Credit: AP

Busch just wants to be one of the good guys

One year after traffic incident, Busch works to revamp reputation

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Kurt Busch wants to be "America's Most Wanted."

Not in the sense that he wants to be chased like a criminal as he was this time a year ago when he was cited for reckless driving not far from Phoenix International Raceway.

He simply wants to be wanted, as in liked, by the fans that follow the Nextel Cup Series.

ONE YEAR AGO ... Kurt Busch was detained on suspicion of drunken driving and cited for reckless driving after a confrontation with police near the track where the NASCAR champion is to race Sunday.  Busch was stopped Friday night after trying to avoid another car and running a stop sign about two miles from Phoenix International Raceway, Lt. Paul Chagolla said.  Chagolla said the deputy smelled alcohol on Busch, but the driver refused to perform standard field sobriety tests. Busch did submit to a field breath alcohol test, disclosing the presence of alcohol.  The deputy drove Busch to the raceway, where a sheriff's facility is located, to administer another breath test but the machine there failed. The deputy then decided to cite Busch for reckless driving and he was released, Chagolla said.  Busch was spotted driving about 60 mph in a 45 mph zone, Chagolla said. A deputy tried to pull Busch over but there was some delay, Chagolla said. When he did stop, Busch was argumentative and uncooperative, Chagolla said. The deputy then called for a supervisor.

Moments such as the one that occurred late Thursday afternoon in the office of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio on the 19th floor of the Wells Fargo building in Phoenix are a step in the right direction.

Arpaio, the "Toughest Sheriff in America" according to his 1996 book and the "Toughest Sheriff in the World" as he later stated, made Busch an honorary deputy.

He presented him with a badge, autographed copy of his book, two pair of pink prison boxer shorts, a bobblehead doll -- yes, Sheriff Joe has a bobblehead doll -- and a handful of postcards as appreciation for the community service the 2004 Cup champion performed for the department over the past year.

Sure, it was a publicity stunt.

Arpaio plugged his book enough times that he could have been fined under Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR rule book for actions "detrimental to tooting your own horn too much."

But for Busch it wasn't about the publicity.

It was about a moment that awoke him to the reality that if he wants to be the kind of champion he proclaimed to be at NASCAR's season-ending banquet in New York City it was time to grow up.

It was a moment that made him realize that people, especially children, pay attention to the actions of a champion.

Although it was a misdemeanor in the courthouse records, it was life-changing in his heart.

"It's a very honorable piece to have, something that signifies a great deal of change in my life in the past year as far as becoming more mature as an adult," said Busch as he looked at the shiny badge.

Busch was at a pivotal time in his career personality-wise when he arrived in Phoenix a year ago. He was a defending champion with no hope of defending his title. He was under scrutiny for announcing he would leave Roush Racing after the season for Penske Racing South.

Then came the traffic incident.

Had Busch simply taken the ticket and gone on, all would have been forgotten, perhaps never reported. Instead, according to the officer on duty, he was argumentative and uncooperative to the point the deputy called for a supervisor.

What happened after that got blown way out of proportion. There were insinuations that Busch might have been drunk, even though the evidence proved otherwise.

AND THE CONSEQUENCES •   Busch suspended by Roush for final two races •   Claire B. Lang interviews Sheriff Arpaio •   Busch starts over with new team, new attitude •   Busch completes community service requirement

Arpaio came off sounding more like Gen. George Patten with his "we don't play favorites" comments.

Before the green flag dropped on Sunday Roush Racing had suspended Busch for the final two races, with team president Geoff Smith saying, "We're officially retiring as Kurt Busch's apologists."

Busch's reputation was tarnished.

"It shows a little bit why I saw my life flash before me," Busch said.

Arpaio comes to Busch's defense now, saying, "He got a bad rap. It gave me a bad rap."

He was right on both counts.

Busch still gets more boos than most during driver introductions, but not because of anything he's done off the track.

Within the past year he and his new bride, Eva, established the Kurt Busch Foundation that donated $1 million to the Victory Junction Camp founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty for chronically ill children.

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Busch donated more than $10,000 worth of baseball equipment to the Westside Recreational program in Phoenix and spent a day signing autographs for more than 300 kids at Friendship Field as a part of his community service.

He also taped a public service announcement with Arpaio on safe driving.

And there are countless other charities to which Busch has contributed that nobody knows about.

"I have a lot of respect for him," Arpaio said. "Nobody is perfect. Sometimes people make mistakes. They are angry at the criminal justice system. They're angry at the cop that stopped them.

"Here's a person that turned 180 degrees around and wants to help."

Busch also wants to be wanted, or at least liked.

If more people could see him the way he was with Arpaio they may change their perception of him as arrogant and cocky.

"It looks like I'm 12," Busch said as he studied the deputy identification card he was given.

"We thought you were a juvenile," Arpaio quipped.

Busch set Arpaio up for more one-liners the like Jerry Lewis did for Dean Martin. He didn't mind if he or his sponsor was the butt of the jokes.

One of the best came when Busch presented Arpaio with a Miller Lite crew jacket "so you can jump over the wall on Sunday and wash my window."

"I don't like Miller Lite," Arpaio responded. "I like Heineken."

Most don't get to see this side. They see Deputy Busch more like Deputy Barney Fife, bumbling the English language with big words that don't always make sense in the context they're meant.

But Busch is a likeable guy. He has to be for "America's Toughest Sheriff" to make him his deputy.

"I wouldn't do this for anybody quite frankly," Arpaio said. "Everybody isn't as famous as he is. Because he's famous he can get the message out. His word means something. So maybe this will help young people try to teach them to drive safety, be a good citizen and they'll listen to him.

"They'll probably listen to him more than they listen to me."

One day, they may even come to like Busch even if they don't respect his ability as a driver, which is among the top five in the garage.

When that happens, Busch will be able to look back at his mistake of a year ago in, his own words, as "life changing." That's why he plans to put the badge in the same room he keeps all of his racing trophies.

"It's something that's very special to me," Busch said. "It's a sign of things to come with what I want to do with my Kurt Busch Foundation and different charitable organizations.

"It's a perfect memento for what has gone on the past year."