Steam keeps them running

There was no question as to the subject of the fans’ ire: the string bean of a driver in the yellow M&M’s racing suit who will undoubtedly receive a similar welcome Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Kyle Busch has no problem with that.

In the last few years, a handful of NASCAR’s most talented pilots have been some of the sport’s most unpopular drivers. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Kurt Busch, Kyle’s big brother, have stoked the haters. But they have been overtaken (literally and figuratively, at times) by the younger Busch, the runaway leader in ill will.

After a Nationwide Series win at Nashville Superspeedway June 6, Busch was awarded a Gibson guitar painted by artist Sam Bass. Busch promptly smashed the guitar and handed out pieces to his crew members.

“A lot of people hated it. I guess those are the ones with ‘88’ tattooed on their arm,’’ said Busch, referring to the number of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car. “Or maybe still 8’s [Earnhardt’s former car number]. I’ve got no issues with Junior. It’s his fans that are crazy. But that’s all right.’’

The bad-boy nature, along with a heavy right foot (Busch is in ninth place in the points race), appears to be a family trait. Kurt was once the anchor of the Roush Racing garage. In 2004, he won the Cup championship, driving the No. 97 Ford on the edge and angering some roommates in the garage.

A year later, Kurt Busch began negotiations with Penske Racing to take over the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge from Rusty Wallace. With two races remaining in the 2005 season, Busch was suspended by Roush and taken out of his ride for reckless driving near Phoenix International Raceway.

But while the 30-year-old Kurt has been on better behavior with Penske, Kyle, 24, has embraced his wild side. Kyle Busch started his Cup career with Hendrick Motorsports, but the sides couldn’t agree on a contract extension. Busch is in his second year with Joe Gibbs Racing as the driver of the No. 18 Toyota, where his pedal-to-the-floor approach hasn’t made him many friends.

Last season at Richmond International Raceway, Busch bumped Earnhardt - his replacement at Hendrick - from behind and punted the No. 88 out of the lead. Since then, Earnhardt followers have relished in giving Busch the business.

“He has that personality and success that people are going to love or hate,’’ said Jeff Burton. “You don’t sit on the fence with Kyle. He invokes passion. There are a lot of people that don’t like him at all. There’s an awful lot of people that passionately like him.

“It’s the same way you feel about the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees. That’s a good thing. That’s what makes the fans come. That’s what makes sports fun, because it’s just as fun to pull against someone as it is to pull for them. I think our sport needs those people.

“Kyle seems to enjoy it and seems to relish in it. Many times he provokes it just because he wants to. That’s his business and that’s the way he wants to do it. It’s OK with me. I think it’s funny when he gets out and bows, because I know that three-quarters of the people want to throw something at him. The other quarter wants to throw something at the people that threw something at him. That’s cool. That fan passion is what makes our deal work.’’

The Busch brothers have histories at Loudon. Last June, Kurt Busch won his only race of the year at NHMS when a deluge cut short the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. In 2004, Kurt swept both New Hampshire races en route to the Cup championship. Kyle won at New Hampshire in 2006.

They’ve also had flare-ups at the 1.058-mile track. In 2005, during the Sylvania 300, the first race of the 10-event Chase for the Cup, Kurt tangled with Scott Riggs. As his team worked on the car, Busch marched down pit road, climbed up the box of the No. 10 car, and spoke with crew chief Rodney Childers. Later that day, Kyle traded bumps with Kasey Kahne. During a late caution, Kahne pulled in front of Busch and nearly caused a collision.

Last June, during the final caution at NHMS, Montoya sideswiped Kyle, who was the points leader. Busch finished the race in 25th place.

“The way we have our relationship as brothers is great,’’ said Kurt, fourth in the 2009 standings. “We have that sibling rivalry out on the track. We both want to beat each other. At the same time, we both want to help each other out on the track, whether it’s drafting or making a pass at a short track.

“Beyond the racing side and the family side of how we interact, it’s tough to control what any brother does, no matter if I’m the older one or the younger one. He’s having a great time with where he is in the sport and the way he feels his persona is. To go out there and smash a guitar after you win a race is definitely different.

“You just take it for what he is. He’s creating excitement around the sport. He’s having fun with it. It’s always on that cutting edge of, ‘Is this acceptable, or is this not acceptable?’ The Busch Brothers have always been that way.’’

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com.