No excuse when a driver gives in to the "red mist"

I have to admit to you, I can't focus my passion on any one form of racing. NASCAR, open-wheel, dirt, sports cars, rally, drag racing, bikes. I love them all and can commit fully to none.

Each form of racing has a language all its own. As a word-guy, I love the different vocabularies used by enthusiasts of the various disciplines to describe the art and science of racing. Depending on the type of racing you do, different terms have been developed to express the exact same concept. Where NASCAR folks say a car is tight, a sports car racer will say his car understeers, and a motorcycle racer says the front tire "chatters." You get the point.

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As soon as I saw the pit road incident in Dover with Kurt Busch (watch video), the first thought that entered my head -- after saying "What an idiot!" out loud -- was "red mist."

The red mist is a road racing term that basically translates into the temporary lapse of judgment and / or ability brought on by anger. I first heard the term while listening to Bob Varsha call F1 races in the late 80s.

Clearly, the red mist descended upon Kurt last Monday. Luckily for him, or more importantly for Jason Lee, nobody was hurt in the incident. Kurt says he saw Jason. To my eye, he came in way too hot for somebody who knew a person was standing there. I think all Kurt saw was red -- not orange and black and flesh and blood.

And what for? Because Tony raced him hard for x-number of laps and wouldn't give up the track position? In my book, that's cause for mutual respect among past champions with perhaps a follow-up punch in the shoulder and good natured threat about "next time..." Josh Pate speaks for me when he wrote in his column that Kurt got off easy.

Kurt has been on the receiving end of the red mist as well. It all started at the spring Bristol race in 2002 when Kurt bumped Jimmy Spencer to pass for the lead and ultimately his first Cup victory. At the Brickyard that same year, Spencer dumped Busch, prompting a follow up meeting with NASCAR officials.

Then at Michigan in August 2003, Kurt and Jimmy got into it after Kurt ran out of gas and the two came together again while contending. Jimmy was hopping mad and spring-loaded to even the score. When Kurt pulled into the garage, and while still strapped into his car, Jimmy greeted him with a punch to the face. (Continued)