Although there was no decision rendered, Wednesday's testimony in Dover, Del., revealed the dark side in the relationship between NASCAR driver Kurt Busch and former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll.
A hearing in Kent County Family Court came down to a classic case of she said/he said. The case judge was weighing testimony into whether Driscoll should be granted a protection order from Busch.
Patricia Driscoll and Kurt Busch (AP Photos)The case was continued to Jan. 12, when Busch lawyer Rusty Hardin will cross-examine his client, according to media reports.
Busch spent an hour on the stand Wednesday being questioned by Driscoll lawyer Carolyn McNeice, according to DelawareOnline.com. That followed testimony from Driscoll, who claimed Busch smashed her head into the wall of his motorhome and chocked her during an argument. The alleged altercation took place the Friday night before September's Sprint Cup race at Dover.
"When he put his hands on me, he crushed my throat," she said.
Busch, according to reports, labeled Driscoll's courtroom claim a "fabrication."
Driscoll entered the motorhome without invitation, Busch said in his testimony, adding he asked her to leave five times. He said he was trying to defuse a situation that she was trying to escalate by bringing her son into the room and have him tell the boy the relationship was over.
According to Busch, he was naked at the time.
As to having made contact with Driscoll, reports said Busch testified he cupped her cheeks in his hands, looked her in the eyes and said, "You need to leave." He testified he had been sleeping when Driscoll entered the vehicle. Her son was 9 years old at the time.
"It needs to be described because of the fabrication we listened to yesterday," Busch said of the details he shared in court, according to media reports.
Driscoll also told the court the couple had an altercation in 2012.
Busch, the 2004 Cup champion, is well known in NASCAR for his temper and outbursts involving media members and others, although he does not have a history of physically assault in those instances. He embraced the nickname "Outlaw" when Driscoll helped coordinate the production of a documentary, which attempted to give his side of the story to some of the outbursts that have haunted his career. He spent the 2014 season driving for Stewart-Haas Racing and is expected to return next year.
NASCAR officials are monitoring the trial. At stake is potential punishment from the sanctioning body, which has so far said that it would not discipline him until there is a decision on whether criminal charges are filed.
The hearing for the protective order is separate from a criminal investigation into the incident. Driscoll filed a complaint Nov. 5 and Busch met with investigators Nov. 18.
Hardin has characterized Driscoll's allegations as retaliation for Busch ending his four-year relationship with Driscoll, a defense contractor and CEO of the Armed Forces Foundation.
NASCAR and SHR have faced political pressure from Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., to suspend Busch.
Contributing: Bob Pockrass