Nationalism was on the line when things got heated on the track. Credit: AP

Nationalism takes center stage with accidents

Busch-Jourdain late-race collision results in fan outrage

MEXICO CITY -- It's a good thing Kyle Busch doesn't understand Spanish.

The fans at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course had a few choice words for him after an accident with local star Michel Jourdain Jr. while going for the lead with 26 laps remaining in Sunday's Busch Series race.

Kyle Busch was not a fan-favorite. Credit: Autostock

Telcel-Motorola 200 Official Results Pos. Driver Make 1. D. Hamlin Chevy 2. B. Said Dodge 3. K. Harvick Chevy 4. J.J. Yeley Chevy 5. P. Menard Chevy 6. Jo. Sauter Chevy 7. Ky. Busch Chevy 8. C. Edwards Ford 9. M. Goossens Ford 10. J. McMurray Dodge • Complete results, click here Victory LaneDenny Hamlin scores his first career Busch Series victory Final lapsDenny Hamlin holds off Boris Said in a two-lap shootout Off roadJamie McMurray goes off course and collects Adrian Fernandez Early actionYeley, Hamlin and Compton have problems early in the Telcel-Motorola 200 Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836 COMPLETE COVERAGE •   en Espanol

"I'm sure there were a few bad words out there,'' said Busch, who rallied to finish seventh after falling to 34th. "It's all good. I get it everywhere I go, so it doesn't much matter to me; it doesn't much bother me.

"Race fans have their opinions, and we're the ones behind the seat driving the race cars.''

Busch, 20, was a target for criticism from Nextel Cup drivers for his aggressive driving during Speedweeks in the opener at Daytona. Reigning Cup champion Tony Stewart said he was out of control.

Many of the 72,428 Mexican fans apparently thought that was the case after Busch and Jourdain collided and spun out coming off the final turn before the front straightaway.

A member of the Mexican press who speaks fluent Spanish said the fans shouted several choice expletives, along with the word "stupid.'' The shouts and hand gestures continued as Busch pitted for fresh tires and later made a passthrough for speeding on pit road.

Busch, a rising star in the Cup Series, understood their frustration and took responsibility for the accident.

"It was a real, real, real bad mistake on my part,'' he said. "I'll take a hundred percent of the blame, but he also should take a little bit of it as well.''

Busch had quickly moved from fourth to second on a Lap 52 restart following the fifth caution. Jourdain blocked his first attempt at a pass entering the next-to-last turn.

"So I went back to the outside and we were rolling through there and he washed back up,'' Busch said. "I went back to his inside and he came back across the exit of the corner. We hit there. There's no reason for him to block as much as he did.''

Jourdain was obviously upset as he surveyed his wreckage while fans shouted, "Jourdain! Jourdain!''

"I don't know what Kyle was thinking, because he hurt himself,'' Jourdain said. "He went to the outside like it was the last lap. There were still 20-something laps to go. I don't know what he was thinking. He put me into the wall.

"He went outside, inside, and I don't know how guys like this sometimes win races when they drive like this. He had a good chance at winning the race, and he killed it.''

On that Busch agreed.

"It's his home state, it's his hometown, and he had a great race going for himself,'' he said. "It probably could have ended up if not one-two ... I will say this, we had the best car out there. We could have won that race.''

	Michel Jourdain was spun after brushing with Kyle Busch. Credit: Autostock
	To the garageKyle Busch spins local favorite Michel Jourdain Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Had it not been for a couple of late cautions, Busch might have finished in the top five -- possibly top three. He moved from 34th to 21st with 21 laps remaining.

He was 11th with nine laps remaining and picking up one to three positions a lap.

"We definitely had the best car out there,'' Busch said. "It was unbelievable. I knew we had a really great race car in practice, but I didn't think I was going to be capable of driving it the way that we did today.''

Sunday was only Busch's third road-course race in either Busch or Cup. He finished 40th at Infineon (Calif.) and 33rd at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) a year ago in Cup.

Busch credited another local favorite, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Adrian Fernandez, for speeding up his learning curve.

"We went through the first practice session [Friday] and I was about a second and a half off,'' Busch said. "I talked with Adrian, and just being able to talk to him we picked up a second and a half in the rookie practice.

"I ran my fastest lap today. I'm not sure it was the fastest of the race or not. It was like a 88.90 [seconds]. We were hauling around.''

Fernandez had a fast car as well, but it was damaged early in an accident by Jamie McMurray coming through the chicane.

Fernandez wound up with a 12th-place finish and a hand injury. Some fans had a few choice words for McMurray, who finished 10th. But they weren't nearly as vocal as they were for Busch, crew chief Chad Walter and his crew.

"Chad was telling me that after the deal was done they were all having a bad time at the pits and giving those guys grief,'' Busch said. "But they're not the ones driving the race cars. If they're going to have a problem, they have a problem with the driver.

"And they did. They kind of showed it a little bit.''

But Busch, who is 12th in the Busch Series standings, didn't let that spoil his day.

"As far as me being able to be a road racer now, I'm not quite sure,'' he said with a big smile. "We'll have to see when we get to Infineon and Watkins Glen.''