Kyle Busch has admitted that he has to change his attitude this year to avoid any repeats of the controversies that surrounded him toward the end of the 2011 NASCAR season.
The Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver was suspended from racing in the Cup race at Texas in November after he deliberately crashed into Ron Hornaday under caution in the Truck Series race earlier in the weekend. His main sponsor then withdrew its backing from his Cup car for the final two rounds of the season, and Busch has conceded that he is working out how to change his approach to stay out of trouble in the future.
"I've had a lot of fans tell me, 'Don't change anything, we love the way you are and keep that attitude,'" said Busch. "At the end of the day, it doesn't seem like me not changing anything is helping. I have to change something, I just have to figure out what that is and make it work for me."
Busch added that he did not feel the events of last year have had any lasting effects on his relationship with team boss Joe Gibbs (with Busch, ABOVE).
"Him and I have a great dialogue, we talk quite a bit," he said. "It's been really good. He believes in me – I wouldn't be here if the guy didn't believe in me.
"He knows what kind of person I am. And it's not that I have to convince the people who are closest around me what kind of person I am. I have to convince those who are furthest from me that don't ever get to see me."