Drivers characterize wreck at Richmond as no big deal

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Drivers characterize wreck at Richmond as no big deal

CONCORD, N.C. -- Three security guards walked into the media center with Kyle Busch during Monday's test session at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but none was needed.

Although fans threw things onto the track at Richmond International Speedway following Saturday night's late-race incident between Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a few tossed obscenities at Busch later that night on his way to the helipad, Busch said his life is not in danger.

He agreed with Earnhardt that the wreck, which kept Busch from winning his third race of the year and NASCAR's most popular driver from ending a two-year losing streak, was the result of hard racing.

"No, there's not been any death threats," Busch said. "That would be ludicrous, I guess. Maybe they're out there. I haven't seen them. I hope my well being is safe in this deal.

"Since Junior ended up OK, then hopefully I can end up OK."

Earnhardt certainly doesn't hold a grudge.

"I took him out at Kansas last year during the Chase," he said. "That's really why I wouldn't be more vocal or angry about it. I'd just be hypocritical in that sense. We've both kind of been on each side of it between the two of us.

"Hopefully, once me and him have a chance to talk about it we can come to some kind of understanding to where we don't ever have to deal with it."

LMS track president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler tried to take advantage of the incident by asking security guards to show for Busch's press conference. Two years ago, he offered extra security when Brian Vickers took out Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson going for the win at Talladega.

This one drew more scrutiny because Earnhardt replaced Busch at Hendrick Motorsports this season and then went to rival Joe Gibbs Racing.

It happened with four laps remaining when Busch got underneath Earnhardt going into Turn 3. Busch appeared to get loose and contact was made. In order to save his car, Busch said he had no choice but to turn right into Earnhardt, who spun out.

Earnhardt finished 15th and extended his losing streak to 72 races. Busch held on to second behind winner Clint Bowyer and took the points lead.

"The only thing I was upset with was the fact we didn't get the points out of it I should have been able to get," said Earnhardt, who held onto third.

Both drivers also agreed they could have done things differently to avoid the wreck.

"I could have been on a beach in South Carolina or on a lake in North Carolina," Busch said jokingly. "In that particular incident, we probably both could have given each other a little more room."

Busch said he could have driven further to the bottom of the track, that Earnhardt could have taken a line similar to the one he had been running.

"He was trying to find something that would work better for his car so he could get away form me," he said. "Unfortunately, he got the worst brunt of it."

Said Earnhardt, "Kyle has his style of driving. I would have been a little more ... I don't know. Maybe I would have run as hard as he was. I don't know what I would have done."

Earnhardt's teammate, Jeff Gordon, said the incident wasn't inevitable. But he did understand how it could happen, recalling an incident he once had at RIR with Rusty Wallace.

"The guy on the outside, he's going to race hard to make it very difficult for the guy on the inside to make the pass," he said. "The guy on the inside has to be a little more bold and aggressive.

"At the same time, you know going into Turn 3 you can't get in deep if a guy is on the outside. It'll take air away and gets the car loose. It looked to me like Kyle drove in there too hard and it took the air off of him and got him loose."

Busch said he left a voice mail for Earnhardt early Monday and hoped the two could talk to make sure there are no lingering hard feelings.

"He [grew] up knowing one of the best in the sport," he said of Earnhardt's father, the late Dale Earnhardt, who didn't earn the nickname "Intimidator" by being nice on the track. "I'm sure he has a lot of knowledge he can still relay to me, so I'd like to listen."