An interesting article crossed the wires today from McClatchy News Service that gets Jeff Gordon talking about Kyle Busch and his recent ascencion to the rank of Public NASCAR Enemy No. 1.

Gordon should know, since he is simultaneously loved and hated at just about every track he visits. (We did a reader survey on favorite and least favorite drivers a few years back, and Jeff Gordon won both.)

But is Busch a bigger villain than Gordon? Let's take a look, shall we?

There are certain similarities to the two drivers and the rise to villaindom. Both were young drivers who started winning at a torrid -- if unsettling -- pace. They also both ticked off the followers of drivers named Earnhardt, Gordon for threatening records Dale Sr. owned and Busch for ruining Dale Jr.'s chance of ending a long losing skid.

Fans have reacted similarly to the two, surrendering the pleasure of chugging the last part of their beer for the pleasure of chucking it at the hated car of either Gordon or Busch.

But Gordon was always a more buttoned-up driver than Busch, whose loose lips and overly aggressive driving style have also turned off fans. Plus, it doesn't seem as though Busch has much of a following at all while Gordon's is considerable.

Perhaps that makes him more of a villain, but it doesn't seem as much fun to boo Busch as it does to boo Gordon. It's easy and reasonable to hate Busch, especially for someone who likes Earnhardt. Ask an Earnhardt fan why they dislike Busch, and they'll give you a handful of logical reasons.

He had no remorse for the incident at Richmond that Earnhardt fans feel cost their beloved driver a victory. When he won at Darlington last week, he was asked about the acidic reaction he received from fans.

"I don't care," Busch said. "I'm here to race. I'm here to win. If I win, it just makes them more upset and crying on their way home. By the way, somebody threw a beer can at me. Next time just make sure it's full so I can enjoy it out there, all right?"

He goads people into hating him. Gordon doesn't.

Ask an Earnhardt fan why they hate Gordon, and it's not as clear-cut. They may say it's because he won so much so soon or because they feel he didn't earn his stripes. It's not because he got into Junior's car a couple laps from the end of a race Junior really needed to win and then didn't give a crap a week later.

So let's hear from you. Between Gordon and Busch, who's the biggest villain in NASCAR? Who's more fun to boo and who's worth more to lose half a beer over?

http://www.mlive.com/autoracing/inde...gordon_vs.html