Biffle blames Busch after pileup

[Elwood]

Biffle blames Busch after contact causes pileup

By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive May 23, 2004

1:11 AM EDT (0511 GMT)

 

 

 

 

CONCORD, N.C. -- Kurt Busch wrecked teammate Greg Biffle on the front straightaway Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway, triggering a multi-car accident that instantly eliminated seven cars from the Nextel All-Star Challenge and badly damaged three others.

 

Busch was all over Biffle's rear bumper as the duo exited Turn 4 on Lap 11 of the race's first segment.

 

And as they entered the straightaway, Busch, driving a car that allegedly having more horsepower, opted to try and push Biffle past Matt Kenseth.

 

His decision proved a bad one.

 

He lifted Biffle's rear tires off the ground, sending Biffle hard into the outside wall.

 

 

Richard Childress lost two race cars in the early accident. The ensuing crash immediately sent Nextel Open winner Sterling Marlin, Robby Gordon, Joe Nemechek, Kevin Harvick, Busch and Biffle home early, and would ultimately result in a premature exit for defending All-Star race champion Jimmie Johnson, as well.

 

Three-time All-Star race winner Jeff Gordon and rookie Kasey Kahne were also involved. Both suffered significant cosmetic damage.

 

Afterward, Biffle was fuming.

 

"The replay showed that Kurt Busch's head is up his ... I don't know," Biffle said. "I guess I've got to take Kevin Harvick's road. I just don't understand.

 

"You've got to finish the race to do anything. He wrecked us on the straightaway, not in the corner, not going into the corner. On the straightaway.

 

"I never lifted off the gas. He had more motor than I did because he's higher in points. I feel bad for these guys. Great car. It's terribly disappointing. And it's worse for Roush Racing.

 

"Kurt Busch took out the whole field. We had two really good cars, a shot at a million dollars tonight. If I were Jack Roush, I don't know what I'd do."

 

Busch was quite remorseful following the incident, going so far as to say he needed to "get myself in check."

 

"(Biffle) got a run on (Kenseth) coming out of four and I just wanted help him usher down the front straightaway," Busch said. "But the way our noses are pinned and the tail are up with stiff rear springs, our car lifted his instead of pushing him.

 

"It's just an all-star type bump where you just want to try and help him. He's a teammate of mine and I didn't mean to wreck him. I apologize for all the wrecked racecars out on pit road."

 

Nemechek didn't consider it all-star caliber.

 

"I don't know who started that deal, but they're definitely an idiot," Nemechek said. "It's uncalled for to wreck on the straightaway. This is the All-Star race. We're the best of the best. We don't wreck on straightaways. Yet, it happened.

 

"If I was Greg Biffle, I'd be (ticked). I'd be going after somebody. Somebody said it was his teammate, so I'm sure there'll be one coming back."

 

Marlin said it was nothing new.

 

"It's like this every year," Marlin said. "Everybody tears up their cars and somebody is mad. It's a wonder somebody didn't get hurt."

 

 

The accident ended the night for seven drivers. Credit: Autostock

Third-place finisher Tony Stewart was ahead of the accident, but did offer perspective on the all-or-nothing mindset of this type of racing.

 

"It's a tough race, you take chances you don't normally take," Stewart said. "You can't be patient. If there's a little hole, you've got to take it, make it a hole. When you're racing for $1 million, you do what you've got to do."

 

Biffle's frustration is compounded by the fact that he'd planned to run the wrecked car in next weekend's Coca-Cola 600.

 

"I don't know how a guy can jack somebody off the ground in the straightway, other than he had more motor than I did or something," Biffle said. "Totally don't understand it. Jacked me up off the ground there, wrecked me on the straightaway, Kurt Busch, my teammate.

 

"I'm so surprised, don't even know what to say. I'm shocked. This doesn't need to happen on any lap. We can race hard and bump, but just to run up into a guy and wreck the whole field, I don't understand. Unbelievable. I feel really bad for all the cars that got tore up here tonight.

 

"I think it'd be best if I don't talk to him right now."

 

 

 

Sounds like Rousch has some work to do this week on calming some people down. Also sounds to me like Biffle is a little jealous of what Busch gets under the hood and he doesn't and this just set him off.

[antig24]

I know that Kurt was trying to push Biffle, but you don't do that on a tri-oval on a 1.5 mile track

[Hecktorx]

I think Biffle is upset about a little more then just engines. Between last year and this year, including the Busch series, how many parts failures has he had? A lot.