Busch, Stewart agree to disagree after phone call

Hendrick backs his young driver '110 percent' after early run-ins

By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
March 17, 2006
03:22 PM EST (20:22 GMT)
HAMPTON, Ga. -- Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart aired out their differences over the telephone this weekend, but in the end, the two agreed to disagree.
The pair clashed last weekend at Las Vegas, where Stewart felt Busch held him up while the two raced for second place just before the final pit stop.
Stewart was desperately trying to get second from Busch, but Busch refused to let Stewart go. Because of Las Vegas' single-groove tendencies, Stewart could not move around Busch, even though Stewart had the faster car.
"Your team never wants to watch you roll over and let people go," Busch said. "They want you to do exactly what I did."
Busch admitted that he could have let Stewart go by him, but he noted that he was trying to hold his position on the track for the final round of pit stops.
Busch went on to finish third, his first top-five of the year.
"You have got to be able to stay focused and race your racecar and run your own race. You can't let people get inside of your head, because they just won the battle," Busch said. "Basically, it's just another driver to talk about business.
"Tony Stewart isn't any different than Dale Earnhardt Jr. or my brother or Kevin Harvick or whomever. You hate getting into beefs with your neighbors. Tony and I discussed it, and here we are at Atlanta letting bygones be bygones."
This is the second time that Busch and Stewart have clashed this season. In the season-opening Daytona 500, Busch incurred a drive-through penalty after a late bumping match with Stewart.
The two met to clear the air after Daytona, but after Las Vegas, another meeting was required. Busch also met with team owner Rick Hnendrick for two hours on Wednesday.
"[Hendrick] is backing me 110 percent," Busch said. "I was just doing some hard racing and that is what this sport is about."
Busch said that Stewart's angry tone had calmed down over the telephone.
"Once he takes his helmet off, he is a completely different person," Busch said. "You are able to talk to him and be receptive. It is good to have that relationship off the track."