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{{Short description|Term for top tier NASCAR drivers who compete in lower tier division races}}
{{About|the motorsport term|other uses|Bushwhackers (disambiguation)}}
[[File:KyleBuschToyotaMilwaukeeMile2009.jpg|thumb|right|2009 [[NASCAR Xfinity Series|Nationwide Series]] car of [[NASCAR Cup Series|Cup Series]] regular [[Kyle Busch]], who won the Nationwide Series championship that year and holds the record for most wins in the Nationwide Series ]]
'''Buschwhacker''' (alternatively spelled '''Buschwacker''') is a term for [[NASCAR]] drivers who are regulars in the top-level [[NASCAR Cup Series]] but who also compete on a regular basis in the second-tier [[NASCAR Xfinity Series|Xfinity Series]]. The original coinage of the term "Buschwhacker" refers to [[Anheuser-Busch]]'s longtime title sponsorship of the second-tier series through their [[Anheuser-Busch#Busch|Busch]] beer brand.

The practice is controversial due to Cup drivers, such as [[Kyle Busch]], [[Mark Martin]], [[Kevin Harvick]] (numbers one, two, and three all time in wins in the Xfinity Series),<ref name=Jayski-NNS-AllTimeWins>{{cite web|title=Nationwide Series All Time Wins|url=http://www.jayski.com/news/nationwide/story/_/page/nns-wins|website=[[Jayski's Silly Season Site|Jayski.com]]|publisher=[[Jayski's Silly Season Site]]|access-date=13 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120120046/http://www.jayski.com/news/nationwide/story/_/page/nns-wins|archive-date=20 November 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Darrell Waltrip]], and [[Dale Earnhardt]], entering a large portion of races over the course of the season and dominating the races in superior equipment, taking good finishes, competitive rides and sponsorship, and exposure away from both [[Driver development program|development drivers]] and veterans who are regulars in the series.<ref name=AP-BunchofBuschwhackers-2006/><ref name=SB-PhoenixNNS-KyBusch-2013>{{cite web|last1=Weaver|first1=Matt|title=NASCAR Phoenix 2013: Cup drivers should start in back of Nationwide Series races|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2013/3/2/4057976/nascar-phoenix-2013-nationwide-series-cup-drivers-buschwackers|website=[[SB Nation]]|access-date=13 November 2014|date=March 2, 2013}}</ref> Many NASCAR experts, however, contend that without Cup drivers and the large amount of fan interest and sponsorship they attract, the series would cease to exist.<ref name=AP-BunchofBuschwhackers-2006/><ref name=Fox-NNSRegs-Cup-2014/>

Due to NASCAR rules changes that took effect in 2011, drivers must now select one of the top three touring series and be eligible for the driver points championship in that class only. This prevents Cup Series regulars from also competing for points in the lower series.<ref name=NASCAR-OneChamopinship-2011/> Before these changes, the last series regular to win the Nationwide Series points title was [[Martin Truex Jr.]], winning in 2004 and 2005.<ref name=ESPN-NASCAR-BestandWorst-2010/> Despite these changes, Cup drivers continued their dominance by shifting their focus to winning the owners' championship (from 2011 to 2015, the owner's championships were won by Cup-affiliated teams whose cars were driven in majority by Cup drivers), until NASCAR further curbed down on the practice by limiting how many Cup drivers can start lower series races per year.<ref name=limit16/><ref name=limit17/>

==The practice==
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| image1 = Brad Keselowski at Charlotte 2010.jpg
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| caption1 = The No. 22 [[Discount Tire]] Dodge of [[Team Penske]], driven primarily by Cup Series regular [[Brad Keselowski]].


| image2 = 54 Sam Hornish Jr pan NASCAR Nationwide 2014 Gardner Denver 200 at Road America.jpg
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| caption2 = The No. 54 [[Monster Energy]] Toyota of [[Joe Gibbs Racing]], primarily driven by [[Kyle Busch]].


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| footer = The two entries have finished 1–2 in the owners' standings in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Each car earned 12 wins in 2013, 6 and 8 respectively in 2014, and 7 each in 2015 despite Busch's injury. Keselowski and Busch are among the most notable Buschwhackers.<ref name=ESPN-NASCAR-BestandWorst-2010/><ref name=Autoweek-CupNNSOut-2014/>
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The primary advantage of running both Cup and Xfinity Series races is extra practice ("seat time") for the drivers. Xfinity races are often run as support races a day prior to Cup Series races, and use similar equipment, though Xfinity cars have less horsepower than Cup cars. Some racing experts suggested that when the Cup series transitioned to the safety-oriented [[Car of Tomorrow]] in 2007, the advantage of Cup drivers racing in these events would decrease greatly due to differences in the designs of the vehicles.<ref name=ESPN-CoT-Envelope-Sept2007>{{cite web|last1=Borden|first1=Bill|title=COT keeps racers from stretching the envelope|url=https://www.espn.com/racing/news/story?series=2&id=3025617|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=3 January 2016|date=September 19, 2007}}</ref> However, this did not decrease the presence of Cup drivers in the series, as each Xfinity Series (then known as the Nationwide Series) drivers' title from 2006 to 2010 was won by a Cup Series regular. The aerodynamic differences between the two series were greatly reduced when the Nationwide Series implemented its own Car of Tomorrow on a part-time basis in 2010 and full-time the following year.

The practice is also seen in the third-tier [[NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series|Craftsman Truck Series]], particularly by [[Kyle Busch]] (who formally operated his own team [[Kyle Busch Motorsports]], in the Truck Series), and [[Kevin Harvick]] (who formerly operated [[Kevin Harvick Incorporated]] from 2002 to 2012). Busch's #51 truck won the owner's championship in 2013, with Busch running 11 of the 22 races and scoring 5 wins, and again in 2014, where Busch won 7 out of the 10 races he participated in. Cup drivers occasionally dabble in [[NASCAR Home Tracks|NASCAR's regional series]], such as [[Ryan Newman (racing driver)|Ryan Newman]] running select [[Whelen Modified Tour]] events for [[Kevin Manion]] and [[Mike Curb]], the sister [[ARCA Racing Series]], and local dirt and short track events.<ref name=Autoweek-CupNNSOut-2014/>

The presence of Buschwhackers is seen as problematic by some regulars in the lower series, who complain about more accomplished Cup drivers taking the top prize money and thus leading to loss of sponsorship for their efforts. Cup drivers often run in cars fielded by or affiliated with their Cup Series teams, giving them superior equipment and increased resources.<ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014 /> The presence of the Cup teams have driven up the costs of competition, forcing many independent Xfinity Series teams to shut their doors.<ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014 /> Many sponsors are hesitant to put financial backing behind an unproven driver, insisting that Cup drivers run in at least part of the schedule, which has led to several incidents of young drivers receiving part-time schedules or being pulled from an entry before (or even during) a race in favor of a Cup driver.<ref name=AP-BunchofBuschwhackers-2006/><ref name=Fox-NNSRegs-Cup-2014 /><ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014/> In 2010, for example, [[Kelly Bires]] was forced to sit out the Daytona season opener due to contractual obligations with [[JR Motorsports]]' sponsor [[Unilever]] stating that [[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]] drive a certain number of races for the team.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McCubbin|first1=Ashley|title=Kelly Bires Looks to Debut for JR Motorsports at Auto Club Speedway|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/348956-kelly-bires-looks-to-debut-for-jr-motorsports-at-auto-club-speedway|website=bleacherreport.com|publisher=[[Bleacher Report]]|access-date=23 August 2014|date=Feb 20, 2010|quote=When they signed the contract, Kelly Bires was ready to start the year off strong for JR Motorsports, though when it came to Daytona, he wasn’t to be found in either JR Motorsports car.}}</ref> Other criticisms of "buschwacking" cite the lack of Xfinity Series veterans left in the series. Long-time series regulars and champions (such as [[Steve Grissom]], [[David Green (racing driver)|David Green]], [[Randy LaJoie]], [[Jason Keller]], [[Casey Atwood]], and [[Ashton Lewis Jr.]]) have seen their exit from the series in the 2000s, while 2000 champion [[Jeff Green (racing driver)|Jeff Green]] has driven primarily in [[start and park]] entries since 2011.<ref name=Kentucky-JGreen-SnP-TriStar>{{cite web|last1=Gray|first1=Nick|title=Team comes first for Kentuckian Green as 'start-and-park' driver in NASCAR|url=http://www.kentucky.com/2014/06/26/3311277/team-comes-first-for-kentuckian.html|website=[[Lexington Herald-Leader|Kentucky.com]]|publisher=[[Lexington Herald-Leader]]|access-date=October 5, 2014|date=June 26, 2014}}</ref>

While Cup drivers attract fans to the lower-tier series, many fans are turned off by the dominance of the senior circuit competitors over their junior league competitors, with Cup drivers often winning over half of the races in a season.<ref name=Mlive-NASCAR-PointsRule-2011>{{cite web|last1=Kaminski|first1=Steve|title=NASCAR's new rule prevents Sprint Cup drivers from winning Nationwide, Trucks titles|url=http://www.mlive.com/autoracing/index.ssf/2011/01/nascars_new_rule_prevents_spri.html|website=[[Booth Newspapers|mlive.com]]|publisher=[[Booth Newspapers|Mlive.com]], [[Advance Publications|Advance Digital]]|access-date=8 June 2015|date=January 12, 2011}}</ref> Comparisons have been drawn to a top-tier [[Major League Baseball]] player competing against [[Minor League Baseball|minor-leaguers]], or adults competing against children.<ref name=Autoweek-CupNNSOut-2014>{{cite web|last1=Pryson|first1=Mike|title=It's time to get NASCAR Cup drivers out of Nationwide Series, once and for all|url=http://autoweek.com/article/nascar-nationwide/its-time-get-nascar-cup-drivers-out-nationwide-series-once-and-all|website=[[Autoweek|autoweek.com]]|publisher=[[Autoweek]]|access-date=8 June 2015|date=March 8, 2014}}</ref><ref name=ChiTribune-CupNNS-2013/> Some drivers, including [[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]], have also been critical of the dominance of Cup competitors. (During the 2017 Xfinity Series season, Earnhardt's four full-time Xfinity teams were driven by Xfinity regulars, and Cup drivers ran a fifth car in only four races.) <ref name=AP-BunchofBuschwhackers-2006>{{cite web|last1=Fryer|first1=Jenna|title=Cup Stars Just a Bunch of Buschwhackers|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CAR_NASCAR_BUSCHWHACKING_THE_BANQUET?SITE=GENERIC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-12-07-21-13-40|website=[[Associated Press|ap.org]]|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=7 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207225716/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CAR_NASCAR_BUSCHWHACKING_THE_BANQUET?SITE=TNKIN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT|archive-date=2006-12-07|location=[[Lake Buena Vista, Florida]]|date=December 7, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> Many fans, as well as longtime series regular [[Kenny Wallace]], also note the increased focus given to Cup drivers during the broadcast and promotion of the races.<ref name=ChiTribune-CupNNS-2013>{{cite web|last1=Diaz|first1=George|title=Cup runneth over NASCAR Nationwide Series|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/04/30/cup-runneth-over-nascar-nationwide-series/|website=[[Chicago Tribune|chicagotribune.com]]|publisher=[[Chicago Tribune]], [[Tribune Publishing|Tribune Newspapers]]|access-date=8 June 2015|date=April 30, 2013}}</ref> This changed beginning in 2012, when [[NASCAR]] produced several commercials promoting up-and-coming series regulars.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gluck|first1=Jeff|title=VIDEO: Austin Dillon Featured In New ESPN NASCAR Commercial|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2012/4/9/2935945/austin-dillon-nascar-3-car-espn-commercial-dale-earnhardt|website=[[SB Nation|sbnation.com]]|publisher=[[SB Nation]]|access-date=8 June 2015|date=April 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NASCAR Nationwide Series Commercial!|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVO68vjnUgs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/yVO68vjnUgs |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=[[YouTube|youtube.com]]|publisher=[[NASCAR]]|access-date=8 June 2015|date=May 3, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NASCAR XFINITY Series - Bubba Wallace Jr.|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyqdYSOe6NU|website=[[YouTube|youtube.com]]|publisher=[[NASCAR]], [[Xfinity]]|access-date=8 June 2015|date=Mar 27, 2015}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref>

In spite of the negatives of the practice, the presence of NASCAR's top-level drivers attracts sponsorship to the lower series that may not be there without them, adds credibility to the series, and makes it easier for tracks to promote races.<ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014/><ref name=Bleacher-IsItGood-CupNNS-2014 /> Many series regulars have also pointed out that the presence of Cup regulars allows them to improve their own driving styles and compete against the best in the sport.<ref name=Fox-NNSRegs-Cup-2014>{{cite web|last1=Pennell|first1=Jay|title=Do Nationwide regulars want Cup drivers' participation limited?|url=http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/do-nationwide-regulars-want-cup-drivers-participation-limited-022814|website=[[Fox Sports]]|access-date=13 November 2014|date=February 28, 2014}}</ref><ref name=Bleacher-IsItGood-CupNNS-2014>{{cite web|last1=Shelton|first1=Joseph|title=Is It Good for the Sprint Cup Drivers to Race in the Nationwide Series?|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1986075-is-it-good-for-the-sprint-cup-drivers-to-race-in-the-nationwide-series|website=[[Bleacher Report|bleacherreport.com]]|publisher=[[Bleacher Report]]|access-date=8 June 2015|date=March 8, 2014}}</ref> The series does still serve its purpose for driver development,<ref name=AP-BunchofBuschwhackers-2006/> with a steady influx of successful new drivers into the Sprint Cup Series: e.g., in 2007 three of the Top 10 drivers had less than four years of Cup experience, eight of the ten had less than 10 years of Cup experience, and only one ([[Jeff Burton]]) was over 40 years of age.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/raceyear?yr=2007&series=W|title = NASCAR Nextel Cup Results for 2007 - Racing-Reference.info}}</ref> All eight drivers of the 2014 Sprint Cup Rookie class ([[Kyle Larson]], [[Austin Dillon]], [[Justin Allgaier]], [[Cole Whitt]], [[Alex Bowman]], [[Michael Annett]], [[Ryan Truex]], [[Parker Kligerman]]) had significant experience in the Nationwide Series, with six of them running at least one full season.<ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014 /><ref>{{cite web|author1=NASCAR Official Release|title=DEEP CLASS TO BATTLE FOR SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR|url=http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2014/2/21/nascar-rookies-battle-for-rookie-of-year-award.html|website=[[NASCAR]].com|publisher=[[NASCAR]]|access-date=21 August 2014|location=[[Daytona Beach, Florida]]|date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> The series also continues to provide an outlet for former Cup drivers (such as [[Elliott Sadler]], [[Regan Smith (racing driver)|Regan Smith]], [[Sam Hornish Jr.]], and [[John Hunter Nemechek]]) to rebuild their careers, or as a way to race a limited schedule in semi-retirement (as practiced by [[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]]),<ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014/> as does the Truck Series for drivers such as [[Ron Hornaday Jr.]] and [[Johnny Sauter]].

Cup crew chiefs have also been developed from this level. [[Kyle Busch]] often uses a developmental crew chief in most of his wins; [[Dave Rogers (NASCAR)|Dave Rogers]] and [[Adam Stevens (NASCAR)|Adam Stevens]], two of the current Joe Gibbs Racing crew chiefs at the Sprint Cup level, both used the Xfinity level to move up. Greg Ives was the 2014 Xfinity Series champion crew chief with [[Chase Elliott]] before being called up to the Sprint Cup level in 2015 to be [[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]]'s crew chief. In some cases, a Cup driver will use a developmental engineer or crew chief, and an Xfinity regular may use an experienced Cup-level engineer.

==History==
Although one of the original purposes of the second-tier series was for driver development, Cup Series drivers have been moonlighting in the series since its inception in 1982 (as the Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series), when Winston Cup Champion [[Dale Earnhardt]] won the [[Goody's 300|series' inaugural event]] at [[Daytona International Speedway]].<ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014/> Prior to the year 2000, Cup drivers would often limit their schedules in the Busch Series, partially because the majority of the races were held at separate venues from the Cup Series.<ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014/> Two of the most notable drivers to frequent the second-tier series, [[Mark Martin]] and [[Harry Gant]], have never run more than 17 Busch series races during any single season in their career except for Martin's 1987 season. In the past, Cup drivers had also run in equipment independent from Cup Series teams; drivers [[Michael Waltrip]] and [[Joe Nemechek]] for example fielded their own race teams in the then-Busch Series for many years. The presence of veteran Cup drivers helped to develop several future Cup Series regulars, including [[Jeff Gordon]], [[Bobby Labonte]], and [[Jeff Burton]].<ref name=ChiTribune-CupNNS-2013 />

When [[Kevin Harvick]] was unexpectedly promoted to the Cup Series in [[2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|2001]] as a result of the [[death of Dale Earnhardt]], Harvick continued to compete in every Busch Series race that season, winning the Cup Series Rookie of the Year and Busch Series championship simultaneously that year.

In [[2003 NASCAR Busch Series|2003]], [[Richard Childress Racing]] set out to win the Busch Series Owner's Championship with their [[Richard Childress Racing#Car No. 21 history|21 car]] sponsored by [[The Hershey Company]]'s [[PayDay (confection)|PayDay]] brand. Cup driver Kevin Harvick was tabbed to drive 15 of the 34 races, with development driver [[Johnny Sauter]] filling out the rest of the schedule.<ref name=Crash-RCR-PayDay-21-2003>{{cite web|title=NASCAR » Payday brings Harvick back to Busch.|url=http://www.crash.net/nascar/news/86760/1/payday-brings-harvick-back-to-busch.html|website=crash.net|access-date=13 November 2014|date=2003}}</ref> Harvick ended up running 19 races, with three wins and top tens in all but one race, and RCR became the first team to win an owner's points title with two different drivers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Timken-Sponsored Richard Childress Racing Wraps Up Busch Series Owners Championship|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/timken-sponsored-richard-childress-racing-wraps-up-busch-series-owners-championship-73032232.html|website=[[PR Newswire]]|access-date=13 November 2014|location=[[Canton, Ohio]]|date=November 14, 2003}}</ref> Since then, the presence of Cup drivers and teams has increased;<ref name=AP-BunchofBuschwhackers-2006/><ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014/> RCR, in 2007, for example continued to run the 21 with Harvick as well as a full-time 29 car with [[Jeff Burton]] for the owner's championship,<ref>{{cite web|last1=DeCotis|first1=Mark|title=Burton cops owner title for Childress in Busch finale|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/2007-11-17-busch-homestead_N.htm|website=[[USA Today]]|publisher=[[USA Today]], Florida Today|access-date=24 August 2014|location=[[Homestead, Florida]]|date=November 18, 2007}}</ref> while the 2 car with [[Clint Bowyer]] won the driver's championship in 2008.<ref name=Motorsport-Bowyer-NNSChamp-08>{{cite web|author1=NASCAR|author-link=NASCAR|title=Champions' Week Thursday report|url=http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-ns/news/champions-week-thursday-report/?v=2&s=1&q=clint+Bowyer+2007|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150107003215/http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-ns/news/champions-week-thursday-report/?v=2&s=1&q=clint+Bowyer+2007|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 7, 2015|website=motorsport.com|access-date=7 January 2015|location=[[Orlando, Florida]]|date=November 21, 2008}}</ref> Several other non-rookie Cup Series drivers, including [[Greg Biffle]], [[Carl Edwards]], [[J. J. Yeley]], [[Denny Hamlin]], and [[Reed Sorenson]], began running the entire Nationwide schedule while also competing in a full season of Sprint Cup, even though on some weekends the two series competed at venues hundreds of miles apart.<ref name=AP-BunchofBuschwhackers-2006/>

In 2006, only two non-Cup Series regulars won a race during the 35-race schedule: [[David Gilliland]] and [[Paul Menard]]. Menard and [[Johnny Sauter]] were the only Busch Series regulars to finish in the top-10 in points that season.<ref name=AP-BunchofBuschwhackers-2006/> In 2007, only three Busch drivers scored a victory: [[Aric Almirola]], [[Stephen Leicht]] and [[Jason Leffler]]. Almirola's victory at the [[Milwaukee Mile]] on June 23 was controversial and unusual, as Almirola was pulled from his pole-winning<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/racing/news/story?seriesId=2&id=2499646|title=Almirola wins pole for Busch stop in Milwaukee|date=June 24, 2006|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2013-08-02}}</ref> car after leading 42 of the first 58 laps to make room for Cup regular [[Denny Hamlin]], due to obligations with sponsor [[Rockwell Automation]] which is headquartered in [[Milwaukee]]. Hamlin was scheduled to compete in a Cup event at [[Infineon Raceway]] the same weekend, and had several delays in his trek from [[California]] to [[Wisconsin]]. Despite the loss in track position due to the driver change, Hamlin got back to the front to take the checkered flag after 250 laps. Almirola was officially credited with the win because he made the start, but did not participate in victory celebrations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/race?id=2007-17&series=B|title=06/23/2007 race: AT&T 250 (NXS) - Racing-Reference.info}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jayski.com/busch/next/2007/17milwaukee.htm |title=Jayski's® Silly Season Site |access-date=2008-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222050733/http://www.jayski.com/busch/next/2007/17milwaukee.htm |archive-date=2017-12-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

There have been some proposals made to restrict Cup regulars' participation in the now-Xfinity Series, including increasing the purse for series regulars,<ref name=SavannahNow-BGNCup-2005>{{cite web|title=NASCAR looks at rules to protect Busch teams from Nextel Cup drivers|url=http://savannahnow.com/stories/062905/3131551.shtml#.VXhktflVjyA|website=[[Savannah Morning News|savannahnow.com]]|publisher=[[Savannah Morning News]], [[Associated Press]]|access-date=10 June 2015|location=[[Daytona Beach, Florida]]|date=June 29, 2005}}</ref> not awarding championship points to such drivers,<ref name=NASCAR-OneChamopinship-2011 /> forcing Cup drivers to start at the back,<ref name=SB-PhoenixNNS-KyBusch-2013 /> or restricting the number of races a Cup driver can run in the other series.<ref name=AP-BunchofBuschwhackers-2006/><ref name=ChiTribune-CupNNS-2013 /><ref name=SavannahNow-BGNCup-2005 /> In late 2010, media reports began to indicate that NASCAR would respond to the critics of "claim jumping" by effectively splitting the difference between the two extremes of unrestricted presence of Cup drivers and none at all.<ref name=ESPN-NASCAR-BestandWorst-2010/> It was specifically reported that in 2011, Cup drivers would be allowed to run in the Nationwide Series, but not to compete for the series championship.<ref name=ESPN-NASCAR-BestandWorst-2010>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/cup/columns/story?columnist=blount_terry&id=5842177 |title=The best and worst of 2010 |first=Terry |last=Blount |work=ESPN.com |date=November 23, 2010 |access-date=November 24, 2010}}</ref> This rule change was confirmed by ''NASCAR.com'' in a report on January 11, 2011. Drivers are now allowed to compete for the championship in only one of NASCAR's three national touring series in a given season. The NASCAR license application form now includes a check box requiring drivers to select the series in which they wish to compete for the championship.<ref name=NASCAR-OneChamopinship-2011>{{cite web|url=http://www.nascar.com/news/110110/rule-change-drivers-one-championship/index.html |title=NASCAR drivers must elect championships in '11 |first=Dave |last=Rodman |publisher=NASCAR.com |date=January 11, 2011 |access-date=January 11, 2011}}</ref> NASCAR president and CEO [[Brian France]] officially announced this change on January 26, adding that Cup Series drivers will still be allowed to earn owner's points, but not driver's points, in the Nationwide and Truck Series.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.nascar.com/news/110126/nascar-rules-changes/index.html |title=Changes for 2011 include emphasis on winning |publisher=NASCAR |date=January 26, 2011 |access-date=February 2, 2011}}</ref>

In spite of the rule changes, between 2011 and March 2014, Nationwide Series regulars have only gone to victory lane in 28 of the 103 races run during that period.<ref name=SB-NNS-Transformation-2014>{{cite web|last1=Bianchi|first1=Jordan|title=NASCAR's Nationwide Series needs transformation|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2014/3/13/5505956/nascar-nationwide-series-sprint-cup-drivers-rules-change|website=[[SB Nation]]|access-date=13 November 2014|date=March 13, 2014}}</ref> 2013 also saw [[Austin Dillon]] win the series championship without scoring a win.<ref name=Motorsport-ADillon-Champ-13>{{cite web|last1=Vincent|first1=Amanda|title=Austin Dillon battles back for 2013 Nationwide championship|url=http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-ns/news/austin-dillon-battles-back-for-2013-nationwide-championship/?v=2&s=1&q=Austin+Dillon+2013|website=motorsport.com|access-date=7 January 2015|date=November 16, 2013}}</ref>

On October 26, 2016, NASCAR announced plans to limit Cup participation in the lower series starting in 2017. Cup drivers with at least five years of experience in the series would be allowed to compete in up to ten Xfinity and seven Truck Series races, and are banned from racing in the final eight races of the lower series season (regular season finale and Chase/playoff races) and the Xfinity [[Dash 4 Cash]] races (as well as their Truck Series equivalent, [[Triple Truck Challenge]]; Xfinity Series regulars are also forbidden from competing in such Truck Series races). The number was further reduced to up to seven Xfinity Series races and up to five Truck Series races in 2018; in 2020, NASCAR further reduced the number of permitted Xfinity races by Cup veterans to five races, in addition to changing the years of experience required from five to three.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Weaver |first1=Matt |title=NASCAR Tweaks Eligibility Guidelines, Starting Fields For Xfinity And Trucks In 2020 |url=https://www.autoweek.com/racing/nascar/a2147656/nascar-tweaks-eligibility-guidelines-starting-fields-xfinity-and-trucks-2020/ |website=AutoWeek |access-date=October 14, 2023 |date=August 22, 2019}}</ref> The new restrictions for 2018 also include an outright prohibition of full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers from the 12 (Xfinity) or eight (Truck) protected races (the seven playoff races, the regular season finales, and the bonus money program races).<ref name=limit16>{{cite web|last=Menzer|first=Joe|url=http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/nascar-driver-participation-rules-change-xfinity-series-camping-world-truck-series-chase-sprint-cup-limit-102616|title=NASCAR to limit Premier Series driver participation in lower series|work=[[Foxsports.com]]|date=October 26, 2016|access-date=October 26, 2016}}</ref><ref name=limit17>{{Cite web|url=http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/08/01/nascar-to-further-limit-cup-drivers-in-xfinity-truck-series-in-2018/|title = NASCAR to further limit Cup drivers in Xfinity, Truck Series in 2018|date = August 2017}}</ref> NASCAR also has, on special occasions, placed race-specific restrictions on lower-series participation, such as restricting drivers to one race for the 2020 [[Go Bowling 235]] weekend (which also meant an Xfinity or Trucks driver cannot race in the Cup race, except as a relief driver, such as in the case of [[Kaz Grala]] who relieved for [[Austin Dillon]] due to a positive COVID-19 test) and prohibiting Cup drivers from the [[2023 The Loop 121|Xfinity Chicago street race]] in 2023, despite it being not a bonus money or playoff race. In 2025, NASCAR removed the restriction that allowed Cup drivers from participation in lower tier series' bonus money races, a restriction that also apply to Xfinity drivers for Triple Truck Challenge races.

==Usage==

The term originated in an argument Craig Witkowski had with another user "Tinadog" in the [[Usenet]] newsgroup rec.autos.sport.NASCAR ("rasn" for short) in May 1997. Tinadog was against [[Dale Earnhardt]] and liked [[Mark Martin]], and Witkowski the reverse. Witkowski was especially critical of Martin using his Winston Cup team and resources to beat up on the drivers in the lower Busch Grand National Series. The old western term of "[[bushwhacker]]" was morphed into "Busch Whacker".{{ref|1}}

The term continued in use among the regulars on {{notatypo|rasn}}, referring now to any driver whose primary ride is in the Cup series and cherry-picks Busch races. The term was picked up by [[Fox Sports (USA)|Fox Sports]] broadcaster [[Mike Joy]], who also participated in the group. After Joy used the term in his broadcasts, it was picked up by other members of the media and found its way into common use. Joy gave credit on the air with 57 laps to go in the Fox telecast of the Koolerz 300 Busch Series race at Daytona International Speedway in 2003.{{ref|2}}

Fox later discontinued the use of the term on its telecasts. This may have been done to save face among the critics of this practice, or perhaps because few of the leaders were non-Sprint Cup Series drivers anymore.

When the Busch Series became the Nationwide Series, the term "claim jumper" was coined and used by Fox broadcaster [[Larry McReynolds]] initially, as Nationwide is an [[insurance]] company. The term puns off an insurance [[claim (legal)|claim]] and mining rights. However, the term, along with the related term "signal pirate" (referring to the act of [[cable television piracy]] or [[pirate decryption]] in reference to [[Xfinity]]'s cable television services) saw little use, although some fans later used the sponsor-neutral term "Cup leech" instead.

The practice of Cup drivers who compete in Truck Series events has been referred to as "tail gating", and the drivers referred to as "tail-gators", although this usage is not common.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* {{note|1}} https://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.sport.nascar/msg/123cac6eb8ae3bb9
* {{note|2}} https://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.sport.nascar/browse_frm/thread/167b5763e2f50155
{{NASCAR}}

[[Category:NASCAR terminology]]
[[Category:NASCAR Xfinity Series]]
[[Category:NASCAR controversies]]
[[Category:Nicknames in sports]]

Buschwhacker - Revision history

imported>Ecco4k at 18:54, 5 June 2025