NASCAR driver Kyle Busch offered a public apology Tuesday after he was ticketed for careless and reckless driving and speeding in North Carolina.
Deputies said they clocked Busch doing nearly three times the posted speed limit, according to the Statesville Record and Landmark. Busch allegedly was clocked at 128 mph in a 45-mph zone while driving a yellow Lexus LFA, a two-seat sport coupe produced as a concept car and production model.
"I was test driving a new sports car and I got carried away," Busch, who was stopped between the towns of Troutman and Mooresville, said in a statement. "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.
"I take responsibility for my actions, and I can assure you that something like this will never happen again."
A spokesman for Joe Gibbs Racing, the team for which Busch competes in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series, told FOXSports.com the team is gathering additional information and had no comment at this time.
Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Chris Stone, who cited Busch, told the newspaper he asked the driver why he was going so fast.
“He said, ‘This is just a toy,’ ” Stone told the paper. He said Busch told him the car was on loan from the manufacturer.
According to the newspaper, officers said it is standard procedure to cite and release a person rather than arresting them and requiring a bond to be posted.
“A bond is an assurance you will appear in court,” Sgt. Darren Campbell said. “He had ID and lived in the area so there was no need for a bond.”
There is a chance Busch could lose his driver's license.
According to the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles handbook, a driver's license "will be revoked for at least 30 days" if a driver is convicted of driving any vehicle more than 15 mph over the speed limit. A valid state-issued driver’s license is not required to compete in NASCAR.
In addition to his commitment to Joe Gibbs Racing, Busch is owner of Kyle Busch Motorsports, the team for which he also sometimes drives in the Camping World Truck Series.
Busch is currently on NASCAR probation for a post-race incident with Kevin Harvick earlier this month. The probation applies to all NASCAR events.
"This is a matter that Kyle will have to handle with the authorities in Iredell County," said Kerry Tharp, director of communications for competition for NASCAR. "Based on what we know right now, this would not impact his status as a NASCAR driver. We'll have no further comment at this time."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
