NASCAR driver apologizes for being a man

Kyle 'Wild Thing' Busch on Speeding Bust -- 'I Got Carried Away'

Kyle Busch just issued a sort-of apology for his 128 mph speeding ticket -- chalking up his ridiculous speed to a test drive gone wrong, and the blatantly obvious ... "I got carried away."

In his statement Busch says , "I was test driving a new sports car and I got carried away. I went beyond the speed I should have been going on a public road. I apologize to the public, my fans, sponsors, and race teams for my lack of judgment."

The NASCAR bad boy was driving a Lexus LFA when cops in Troutman, NC pulled him over today ... doing 128 mph in a 45 mph zone. BTW ... the LFA packs about 552 horses!

Busch added, "I take responsibility for my actions and I can assure you that something like this will never happen again."

According to cops, Busch was targeted by a special unit called the "Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Team" of the Iredell County Sheriff's Dept.

If convicted, Busch can lose his license for up to a year and face $1,000 in fines.

FAST FACT: NASCAR drivers do not need a valid driver's license ... only a NASCAR license. So, Kyle -- currently 3rd in Sprint Cup points -- is not in jeopardy of getting yanked out of his #18 ride.



NC officials: Kyle Busch speeding at 128 mph

NASCAR driver Kyle Busch was clocked by a North Carolina sheriff's deputy going 128 mph in a 45 mph zone and was cited for careless and reckless driving and speeding, a law enforcement spokesman said Tuesday.

Iredell County Sheriff's Office Capt. Darren Campbell said a deputy stopped Busch's 2012 yellow Lexus sports car on a road between Troutman and Mooresville, where the 26-year-old driver lives. It's about 30 miles north of Charlotte.

Campbell said Busch was cited and released upon a written promise to appear in court.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, Busch acknowledged what happened.

"I was test-driving a new sports car and I got carried away," Busch said. "I went beyond the speed I should have been going on a public road. I apologize to the public, my fans, sponsors, and race teams for my lack of judgment."

Busch, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, accepted responsibility and said it would never happen again.

NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said Busch would be allowed to race this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He's coming off a second-place finish in Saturday night's All-Star race, and goes into the Coca-Cola 600 ranked third in the Sprint Cup Series standings.

"This is a matter that Kyle will have to handle with the authorities in Iredell County," Tharp said. "Based on what we know right now, this would not impact his status as a NASCAR driver."

In 2006, Busch pleaded guilty to improper driving and was fined $150 after he was ticketed in suburban Richmond, Va., on a reckless driving charge when he pulled out of a gas station and into a fast-food restaurant. Busch said at the time he "chirped" his tires but didn't exceed 10 mph.

Under a misdemeanor reckless driving charge he originally faced, Busch could have received up to one year in jail, a $2,500 fine and a driver's license suspension.

Last month, Busch was placed on probation through June 15 after he and Kevin Harvick confronted each other in the pits after a race at Darlington Raceway.