Kyle Busch apologizes for Mexican airport incident
On Monday, Kyle Busch apologized for an incident at Cancun Airport where, in late-January, officials found a handgun in his bag.
On Jan. 27, Busch was departing from the airport after a vacation with his wife. Officials screened his bag and found his .380-caliber pistol-type gun and ammo, the attorney general’s office in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo said.
Busch said he had a valid concealed carry permit from local authorities and adhered to all handgun laws in the U.S., but forgot the gun was in the bag.
On Feb. 3, Busch was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and a fine of around $1,100 USD. The attorney general stated he was convicted of carrying a firearm without a license and possessing cartridges exclusively used by the Armed Forces.
Article 62 of Quintana Roo’s penal code specifies a judge can commute a prison sentence if it doesn’t exceed four years. However, the judge can also require the offender to pay an additional fine, based on their economic conditions, to be freed.
Busch said he accepted the penalties imposed on him and returned to the U.S., in time for opening Busch Light Clash practice on Feb. 4.
While Busch’s $1,100 USD fine is known, the terms of his commutation were not specified.
Busch will not face any penalties from NASCAR as he informed the sanctioning body of the detainment within an appropriate time.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com