Busch says he didn't try to hurt Spencer
By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive
August 22, 2003
1:12 PM EDT (1712 GMT)
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Kurt Busch said Friday he has never intentionally tried to harm Jimmy Spencer and that there was no reason for the post-race skirmish between the two drivers last weekend at Michigan International Speedway.
"It's one thing to bump a guy out of the way for the lead, but you never try to purposely hurt anybody," Busch said. "I have never tried to purposely or intentionally hurt Jimmy Spencer, or any other competitor for that matter.
"What happened on the racetrack, there was no means for the actions that happened after the race."
Robby Gordon disagreed. Gordon, who offered to pay Spencer's fine last weekend, said that Busch's comments after Spencer wrecked him in the 2002 Brickyard 400 constituted means for payback.
Following that incident, in which Spencer spun Busch hard into the wall, Busch called Spencer a "decrepit old has-been" on national television.
"I'm okay with Kurt leaning on Jimmy here (last year). And hey, Jimmy probably paid him back at Indianapolis," Gordon said. "But the only reason I made my comment -- and nobody really understands why I said that (last week) - -- I said that because of what (Busch) said personally about Jimmy, not about the racing incidents on the racetrack.
"If you say that to somebody about somebody, it's just a matter of time before you get a black eye. You've got to have some respect for your competitors, and I don't think he had respect for Jimmy."
According to industry sources, several drivers share Gordon's sentiments. When asked about the notion that he required an attitude adjustment, Busch was indifferent.
"That's their prerogative, and I guess you just have to consider the source on where that's actually coming from," Busch said. "I'm a competitor that races hard every lap and goes to the front, and with my past history on the racetrack I think I've proven my loyalty with 43 drivers that I can be trusted out on the racetrack.
"The whole circumstance evolved around me running out of fuel. That was on the racetrack, and again in the pit area after the race. If I could have done anything different, I could have stopped out on pit road. But I never even thought there was going to be an altercation come out of it."
For his actions (Spencer punched Busch in the face while Busch was parked in the garage area after the race, still strapped into his car) Spencer is forced to sit out this weekend's trio of races at Bristol, his favorite track.
The feud began in 2001 at Phoenix when Spencer spun Busch out, then escalated last year at Bristol and Indy before festering to a boiling point last weekend, when Busch admittedly attempted to flatten Spencer's left front fender by slamming into him during competition.
Busch said such strategy is used during every race on the tour.
"There isn't a race that goes by where someone doesn't employ a racing tactic like Jimmy and I did to one another last weekend at Michigan," Busch said.
'I'm sorry for anything I had to do with it'
Busch questioned the media's coverage of the feud.
"Let me ask you, the media, a question," Busch said. "I don't understand what the difference is with you guys when Spencer and I are racing, or when we have a situation like I did last spring at Darlington with Ricky Craven and I. Nothing was publicized in a negative way.
"Or even when Johnny Benson and I were racing at Martinsville last fall. We're all doing what we need to do. NASCAR Winston Cup competition is the toughest there is, and there are 43 of us out there each week racing hard every lap, every track.
"It's good to put this behind us and get back to the business of racing.
"I hate it for the Spencer fans, for my fans, for both our sponsors and teams that Jimmy and I finished the day that we did last Sunday.
Those kinds of situations are not good for our sport and sends the wrong kind of message about the kind people we are. It's a shame for all of us that NASCAR was forced to impose the penalties it did. As for my part, I'm sorry for anything I had to do with it."
Busch said that the legal process is now in the hands of the Lenawee County district attorney's office and prosecutors.
Nascar.com Article
By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive
August 22, 2003
1:12 PM EDT (1712 GMT)
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Kurt Busch said Friday he has never intentionally tried to harm Jimmy Spencer and that there was no reason for the post-race skirmish between the two drivers last weekend at Michigan International Speedway.
"It's one thing to bump a guy out of the way for the lead, but you never try to purposely hurt anybody," Busch said. "I have never tried to purposely or intentionally hurt Jimmy Spencer, or any other competitor for that matter.
"What happened on the racetrack, there was no means for the actions that happened after the race."
Robby Gordon disagreed. Gordon, who offered to pay Spencer's fine last weekend, said that Busch's comments after Spencer wrecked him in the 2002 Brickyard 400 constituted means for payback.
Following that incident, in which Spencer spun Busch hard into the wall, Busch called Spencer a "decrepit old has-been" on national television.
"I'm okay with Kurt leaning on Jimmy here (last year). And hey, Jimmy probably paid him back at Indianapolis," Gordon said. "But the only reason I made my comment -- and nobody really understands why I said that (last week) - -- I said that because of what (Busch) said personally about Jimmy, not about the racing incidents on the racetrack.
"If you say that to somebody about somebody, it's just a matter of time before you get a black eye. You've got to have some respect for your competitors, and I don't think he had respect for Jimmy."
According to industry sources, several drivers share Gordon's sentiments. When asked about the notion that he required an attitude adjustment, Busch was indifferent.
"That's their prerogative, and I guess you just have to consider the source on where that's actually coming from," Busch said. "I'm a competitor that races hard every lap and goes to the front, and with my past history on the racetrack I think I've proven my loyalty with 43 drivers that I can be trusted out on the racetrack.
"The whole circumstance evolved around me running out of fuel. That was on the racetrack, and again in the pit area after the race. If I could have done anything different, I could have stopped out on pit road. But I never even thought there was going to be an altercation come out of it."
For his actions (Spencer punched Busch in the face while Busch was parked in the garage area after the race, still strapped into his car) Spencer is forced to sit out this weekend's trio of races at Bristol, his favorite track.
The feud began in 2001 at Phoenix when Spencer spun Busch out, then escalated last year at Bristol and Indy before festering to a boiling point last weekend, when Busch admittedly attempted to flatten Spencer's left front fender by slamming into him during competition.
Busch said such strategy is used during every race on the tour.
"There isn't a race that goes by where someone doesn't employ a racing tactic like Jimmy and I did to one another last weekend at Michigan," Busch said.
'I'm sorry for anything I had to do with it'
Busch questioned the media's coverage of the feud.
"Let me ask you, the media, a question," Busch said. "I don't understand what the difference is with you guys when Spencer and I are racing, or when we have a situation like I did last spring at Darlington with Ricky Craven and I. Nothing was publicized in a negative way.
"Or even when Johnny Benson and I were racing at Martinsville last fall. We're all doing what we need to do. NASCAR Winston Cup competition is the toughest there is, and there are 43 of us out there each week racing hard every lap, every track.
"It's good to put this behind us and get back to the business of racing.
"I hate it for the Spencer fans, for my fans, for both our sponsors and teams that Jimmy and I finished the day that we did last Sunday.
Those kinds of situations are not good for our sport and sends the wrong kind of message about the kind people we are. It's a shame for all of us that NASCAR was forced to impose the penalties it did. As for my part, I'm sorry for anything I had to do with it."
Busch said that the legal process is now in the hands of the Lenawee County district attorney's office and prosecutors.
Nascar.com Article
Seems like a pretty slimeball move to me. He sure hasn't proved to me that he can be trusted with 42 other drivers.
Short but effective! 
