Kyle Busch dumped Brad Keselowski during Lap 188 of the Nationwide Series race at Kansas Speedway on Saturday and following the race Keselowski declared “Now, we got war.”
The NASCAR feud between Busch and Keselowski has been escalating for some time with Brad calling his nemesis a “dirty driver” who does what he wants.
After the race Keselowski said of Kyle’s driving style:
“He’s a dirty driver; there’s no other way of putting it. He’s cool with that. I’ve raced him real cool over the last year to try to be respectful to him and trying to repair our relationship. I’ve watched him wreck my trucks, cost me from winning races, put me in the fence at Chicago in the truck race. Nationwide races, he’s been pulling this crap. It’s not going to last. I can tell you that. I feel bad for the guys next to me (pointing to the No. 54 hauler). They’re going to have to fix his (crap).”
Keselowski was forced to climb out of his mangled car and sprint to the infield care center after patting his back and pointing at Kyle Busch. After being looked after Keselowski was released by didn’t have enough time to finish the race, instead finishing in 28th place.
After finishing in fourth place Kyle Busch said it was ironic that he was being called a dirty driver by Keselowski.
“Brad Keselowski knows what dirty drivers are because he’s done it plenty of times,” Busch said. “I have yet to wreck a person on purpose.”
According to Busch they were running a tight race on the track when he slid across the back of him.
“I was faster than he was for as tight as I was — and when I got underneath him a little bit there off of Turn 4, I got inside of his wake and got too close to him and it pulled me right into him,” Busch said. “Once we touched, he was gone.”
Busch believes that Keselowski was blocking him during Saturday’s race. Busch defended his actions by noting, “A prime example of that was down the front straightaway and the back straightaway a couple times. He came down and blocked me and actually ran into me. I didn’t appreciate that very much.”
Kyle added, “But I’m not out there to take vengeance on a Nationwide Series championship. I’ve got bigger fish to fry on Sundays than on Saturdays.”
In the past the NASCAR feud between Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch has led to an established détente, however, with Busch now in the title chase it appears as if the 20-something NASCAR stars are back at it once again.
If nothing else their feud makes for some riveting, albeit dangerous, race days.