NASCAR Cup Series

Reutimann's payback costs Busch points

Published Oct. 3, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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David Reutimann's retaliatory nudge at Kansas Speedway left Kyle Busch fuming and added another chapter to the two drivers' contentious history.

Busch spun Reutimann early in Sunday's race after what he called unintentional contact. Reutimann got his payback with 112 laps remaining when Busch was running seventh, hitting the outside of Busch's car and forcing him into the wall — spinning himself out in the process.

It dropped Busch to 22nd in the field, and he finished 21st.

''I have a serious problem with what just happened and I don't think anyone in the (NASCAR) tower is going to do a damn thing about it,'' Busch said over the radio. It didn't help when crew chief Dave Rogers informed Busch that he believed Reutimann's team ordered him to wreck Busch.

Busch began the day third in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings, but he dropped to seventh and now trails new leader Jimmie Johnson by 80 points.

He stalked straight to his hauler after the race, then emerged several minutes later, much calmer and no longer believing that Reutimann should be penalized for the wreck. The only thing he seemed to take exception to was the timing.

''My fault, 100 percent,'' he said. ''But the retaliation for a guy that's in the Chase, that's racing for something? He'll be here next year. He could have wrecked me in any of the first 26 races next year. That would have been fine.

''It's just hard to swallow a day like today where we had a top five car going.''

The bad blood between the two became apparent after the night at Bristol in August. Busch held off Reutimann, who was fighting a nasty bout of food poisoning, for the victory and then criticized the other driver's skills, saying Reutimann ''didn't drive the place right.''

Reutimann called Busch's remark ''probably the stupidest comment I've heard anyone say'' and derisively calling the younger driver ''Superman'' and ''Professor Busch.''

Reutimann insisted Sunday there's no animosity between himself and Busch, but bristled at any suggestion that non-Chase drivers should avoid taking on Cup contenders.

''I don't care if you're in the Chase or not. You need to think about who you're running over when you're running over them,'' he said. ''I don't care who you are. If you're in the Chase, you have as much responsibility to drive with respect as I do, or anybody else.

''If you guys want me to feel bad, then yeah, I feel bad that our car got wrecked and it ruined our day. That's what I feel bad about.''

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