Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — NASCAR cleared Kyle Busch on Sunday for his role in an altercation with 65-year-old car owner Richard Childress the day before in a trucks race at Kansas Speedway.
Childress might not be so lucky.
NASCAR president Mike Helton said Sunday that Busch didn't violate his probation in the incident.
Busch "did nothing that would have warranted the actions of Richard Childress," said Helton, who declined to discuss details of what occurred.
Busch finished behind Richard Childress Racing driver Joey Coulter in the trucks race after the two fought for position. Busch drove up beside Coulter's truck after the race, but Helton said Busch did nothing to jeopardize his status.
Busch confirmed Sunday in a brief interview with Speed TV that the altercation with Childress occurred as he was leaving his hauler.
"I wasn't the aggressor or the instigator here," Busch said. "I think the best thing to do is just try to put it behind you as best you can."
Childress was allowed to stay for Sunday's Sprint Cup race but was forced to watch from atop his team transporter. NASCAR said in a separate statement that it will address the owner's actions today.
In a statement, NASCAR called Saturday's incident "unacceptable," adding that Childress' actions fall "far short of the standard we expect of owners."
Busch's NASCAR probation stems from a postrace incident last month with RCR driver Kevin Harvick last month in a Cup race at Darlington, S.C.
NHRA: Spencer Massey earned his second consecutive Top Fuel victory, beating points leader Del Worsham in the SuperNationals final at Englishtown, N.J., with a run of 3.821 seconds at 319.07 mph. Mike Neff (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won their classes.
EAST BAY RACEWAY: Buzzie Reutimann, father of Sprint Cup veteran David, took the Open Wheel Modified main and Josh Peacock won in Late Models on Saturday in Gibsonton.