The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race will go down Sunday night at North Wilkesboro Speedway (8 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports App). For the majority of the drivers, the .625-mile-long track represents a night of celebration for racing. On the other hand, for Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch and their respective race teams, the track resembles an octagon.
At last year’s All-Star Race, Stenhouse, Busch and their respective teams got into a brawl following the conclusion of the race.
What caused the fight? How did the situation evolve into a brawl? Here’s a recount of everything that happened at North Wilkesboro last May.
What happened between Stenhouse and Busch?
On the second lap of the race, Busch made contact with Stenhouse near the end of Turn 2, and Stenhouse eventually went into the wall, bringing out the first caution. After bringing the car onto pit road, Stenhouse decided to park in Busch’s pit stall, climb the tower and express his feelings about the accident with Busch’s crew chief, Randall Burnett.
Busch went on to finish the race 10th, but there was an individual who wanted to have a word with the two-time Cup Series champion after the race. That individual was Stenhouse, who didn’t return to the race after the Lap 2 wreck and remained on the premises, partially due to there being no way to exit the infield during the race.
After conversing with Busch for some time near the hauler, Stenhouse threw a punch at the veteran driver, and a team-wide fight ensued. The two drivers were quickly separated from each other by multiple people, but both drivers’ race teams (Busch’s Richard Childress Racing team and Stenhouse’s JTG Daugherty Racing team) ended up mixing it up, while the initial chaos created FOX Sports Motorsports Insider Bob Pockrass’ new X profile picture. Meanwhile, Stenhouse’s father, Ricky Stenhouse Sr., was one of the people who helped get Busch away from Stenhouse.
The star of the fight was a member of Busch’s crew, who proceeded to toss person after person off the team’s truck after initially helping get Stenhouse away from Busch.
Punches thrown between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch after NASCAR All-Star Race
Stenhouse spoke with FOX Sports Pit Reporter Jamie Little mere moments after the fight, saying that Busch was frustrated “he doesn’t run nearly as well as he used to.”
What was the post-fight fallout?
Stenhouse was fined $75,000, with his father being suspended indefinitely. Elsewhere, Stenhouse’s mechanic, Clint Myrick, was suspended for eight races, and Stenhouse’s engine tuner, Keith Matthews, was suspended for four races. The discipline of the aforementioned individuals was a result of them placing hands on Busch. No discipline was given to Busch or any member of his team.
Flash-forward to 2025, and how each are faring so far this season: Stenhouse is 14th in the Cup Series standings with 258 total points, while recording one top-five finish and two top-10 finishes. Busch sits at 17th with 244 total points, while recording one top-five finish and four top-10 finishes.
Will there be a re-enactment of the 2024 All-Star Race fight? Will the on-track tension again boil over for other drivers? Does the winner of the race go on to win the NASCAR Cup Series title like Joey Logano did last year? Find out Sunday night on FS1.
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