Jeff Gluck

USA TODAY Sports

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- The Dover (Del.) Police Department is investigating an allegation of domestic assault that involves NASCAR driver Kurt Busch.

In a statement, the Dover police said the allegations were brought at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The department said it would not comment further while it is still investigating the victim's claims.

According to the Associated Press, his ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, said the allegations involved an incident inside his motorhome at a race. The NASCAR circuit was in Dover during the Sept. 26-28 weekend.

Driscoll heads the Armed Forces Foundation.

According to the Associated Press, Driscoll has filed court documents requesting Busch stay away from her and her son Houston. She also wants the driver to be evaluated by a psychiatrist and a certified domestic violence treatment agency.

The documents, filed Wednesday, indicated Busch was upset Sept. 26 after a poor qualifying run to set up the first Chase for the Sprint Cup elimination race.

"He was verbally abusive to her and said he wished he had a gun so that he could kill himself," the documents say.

According to the documents, Driscoll said Busch, 36, was verbally abusive and accused her of "having spies everywhere and having a camera on the bus to watch him."

He grabbed her face and smashed her head three times against the wall next to the bed, the documents say.

Driscoll, 36, says she pushed the 2004 Sprint Cup champion away from her and fled the bedroom, taking safety in a neighboring motorhome where she put an ice pack on her head and neck. She said the incident resulted in severe pain, difficulty breathing and neck bruising.

A hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 2.

The allegations come on the heels of several high-profile cases in major sports involving domestic abuse.

NASCAR said it is aware of the investigation involving Busch, 36, who has not been charged.

"We recognize the seriousness of this matter and are actively gathering information from all parties, including law enforcement authorities and Stewart-Haas Racing," NASCAR chief communications officer Brett Jewkes said. "It would be inappropriate for NASCAR to comment further on this matter until we have more information."

Last October, NASCAR did not take action against Sprint Cup driver Travis Kvapil, who was arrested and charged with false imprisonment and assault after a domestic violence situation at his home. He was allowed to race that weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kvapil was eventually placed on two years' probation and ordered to perform community service.

Busch has retained Rusty Hardin, the same Houston-based lawyer who is representing NFL player Adrian Peterson, who was charged with child abuse.

In a statement, Hardin said:

"The Dover Police Department has been informed that Mr. Busch will fully cooperate with their investigation and he expects to be vindicated when the entire truth of the situation comes to light. This allegation is a complete fabrication by a woman who has refused to accept the end of a relationship and Mr. Busch vehemently denies her allegations in every respect. At this time we intend to have no further comment in the media out of respect for the Dover Police Department's desire to conduct a thorough investigation without a media circus."

Busch walked from his car to the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 team hauler after practice without commenting Friday. Team spokesman Mike Arning said the driver would not have any comment.

"This is an allegation Stewart-Haas Racing takes very seriously, but we're still gathering all of the facts and are not in a position to comment in greater detail," the team said in a statement.​

AFF chairman Pat LaFrieda said in a statement it has "suspended its association with Mr. Busch" due to "the serious nature of the allegations."

"I want to, first and foremost, express the direct support from the Board of Directors of the Armed Forces Foundation to Ms. Driscoll," LaFrieda said. "For more than a decade, Ms. Driscoll has been a tireless worker and advocate for our nation's service members, veterans, and military families. The Foundation will continue working to support service members, veterans, and military families and we ask that Ms. Driscoll's privacy be respected."

SHR has faced controversy this season as team co-owner and three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart faced possible charges after killing sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. on a dirt track in upstate New York after Ward exited his car under caution Aug. 9. A grand jury did not indict Stewart, who sat out three races before returning to NASCAR.

Busch, whose moniker is ''The Outlaw,'' is in his first year with SHR after driving for Roush Fenway Racing, Team Penske, Phoenix Racing and Furniture Row Racing.

Busch, one of the original 16 drivers to make the Chase field, didn't make the round of 12 when four drivers were eliminated that Sunday at Dover.

Busch has struggled with anger management issues in the past. A profanity-laced tirade toward an ESPN reporter was caught on video and resulted in his departure from Team Penske in 2011. He was suspended in June 2012 for threatening a reporter after a Nationwide Series race at Dover.

Busch won the 2004 Cup championship. This May, he tried to complete the Indianapolis 500-Coca-Cola 600 double.

He and Driscoll flew back and forth between Indianapolis and Charlotte to prepare for the feat. Busch often was pictured with Driscoll's son, Houston, and the trio appeared united at the track.

Houston has referred to Busch as his "stepdad" and has worn matching firesuits with the driver while often participating in prerace driver introductions together. Busch and Driscoll often have retweeted his Twitter account, @TheMiniOutlaw.

Follow Gluck on Twitter @jeff_gluck; Contributing: Nate Ryan



