Perpetual rivals #48-Jimmie Johnson and #22-Kurt Busch carried their on-track feud Sunday at Pocono Raceway to the TV cameras post-race. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions angrily voiced their opinions of each other to SPEED reporter Bob Dillner on NASCAR Victory Lane on SPEED. Following is a transcript from each driver’s interview with Dillner:
Johnson: “We got into each other, or he got into me off of turn two and complained that I was trying to not leave him room or something ridiculous. I spent the entire fuel run running him down. Had a few chances to play dirty and I didn’t. And I finally got by him clean, fair and square, and then he drives into my door off of two. Frustration. It’s not like I’m going to go wreck race cars. But I’m going to get out of the race car and speak my mind. We’ve had enough over the years and he’s pretty much a smart ass who wants to run his mouth, so I’ve got to go over there and say something.”
Dillner: What was his response? I heard him say at one point, ‘You ran me off the track last year here.’
Johnson: “Well, last year, I tried to help him down the back straightaway. Without a doubt, I misjudged it and caused a big wreck and almost hurt Elliott Sadler. I get it. That was my bad. I admitted responsibility then and take it now. But that’s not today and he’s just looking for some smart ass remark to throw at me because the cameras are there and luckily, his guys were there. He was just looking for some smart-aleck remark.”
Busch: “Man, it was good. It was just a great battle. We knew we had a loose race car. I was just fighting an uphill battle to hang on for that spot. He (Johnson) got by us down the front straightaway. We drove into (turn) one even. Coming off of one, the car settled and I felt him swerve over into us and I’m like, ‘That’s over the line,’ so we’re coming back at him. That’s great racing. Our fans want to see that. They want to see doors with donuts on it coming down to the checkered flag and both of us crossed the line third and fourth. It wasn’t like somebody got wrecked. Times when he’s bump-drafted me in the past, let’s just push that aside. Times when he’s wrecked us, let’s just push that aside. Times when I’ve raced him clean, let’s talk about that.”
Dillner: He (Johnson) came and he was aggravated and you talked about it. What was he trying to explain to you right there (in post-race discussion)?
Busch: “I came over and door-dinged him. When you swerve over first, I’m going to swerve over second. It’s going to be bigger. Him and I – we’ve always seen a little different. That’s why we have a good rivalry.”
Dillner: Is that the way you’re going to keep racing him?
Busch: “That’s the way we have all along, Dillner, we have no matter if we’ve run into each other or not.”(SPEED)(8-9-2011)
