NASCAR Cup Series

Busch offers his version of altercation

Published Jun. 10, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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There are always two sides to every story.

On Friday, Kyle Busch expressed his.

First the back story. After an altercation between Busch and Richard Childress Racing driver Joey Coulter on the cooldown lap of last weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway, team owner Richard Childress waited for Busch in the truck garage and took matters in his own hands.

The reaction stemmed from an earlier promise Childress said he made to avenge his race team’s honor should Busch ever destroy one of his racing vehicles again. The previous incident, prior to Kansas, occurred between Busch and Kevin Harvick at Darlington Raceway.

The alleged conversation involving Childress was said to have taken place in the NASCAR hauler after the sanctioning body called the teams to the trailer. Both drivers were placed on probation until June 15 after that incident.

Now, here’s the rub. Busch says he has no recollection of Childress’ warning. Busch said Childress “never said a word” in the hauler. However, according to sources, that wasn’t the first time the warning was issued. A similar remark was made late last year at the NASCAR Nationwide Series banquet, when Busch and Childress traded barbs concerning potential retaliation against Harvick before Childress allegedly threatened to retaliate against Busch if he destroyed any more RCR cars.

Maybe Childress' alleged blow at Kansas gave the driver temporary memory loss.

"I don’t recall any time — (in a) face-to-face conversation where Richard did tell me that, 'If you touch another one of my cars, I’m going to come find you,'" Busch said. "I don't know if it was ever said in the media, but it was never relayed to me."

And as for trading paint with Coulter, Busch wasn't hazing the rookie. Busch called the gesture a congratulatory bump.

"There can be an easy way to interpret things sometimes, and it seems like maybe I might be on the wrong end of interpretation a lot of those times," Busch said. "There was no malicious intent to be involved in hurting or damaging a RCR vehicle."

Regardless of which side you believe, Busch delivered his comments in a very cool, well-thought-out and straightforward manner. He did not duck questions, despite the difficult and unpopular position he's been put in going against one of NASCAR’s most beloved organizations — Richard Childress Racing.

Childress also addressed the media Friday with one quick and simple statement. He took "responsibility for his actions," acknowledging that his "emotions came in front of his passion" for the sport of racing.

While Childress did take responsibility for the incident itself, there was never a mention of an apology. Nor should anyone expect one. Childress is a man of principle — and still a racer at heart. Childress handled the situation with Busch the way racers have been handling "racing deals" since one guy tripped another in the first two-man race.

Childress remains curious as to why NASCAR never punished Busch for the Coulter incident. Last week NASCAR president Mike Helton offered the explanation that, in his opinion, "Kyle Busch did nothing to provoke or cause the reactions that would have warranted the actions of Richard Childress."

Childress still does not agree with Busch not receiving a reprimand for the Coulter incident but acknowledged that NASCAR was justified in the sanctions levied against him. For those who made donations to Childress’ $150,000 fine, the owner said the money to pay the fine will come from his "personal" account and that the fan support will be directed to the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma.

“At least in every bad situation, something good will come out of it,” Childress said. "Hopefully, Kyle and myself will both end up learning something from this.”

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