Kyle Busch avoided the media following his talk with NASCAR officials. Credit: Autostock

Kyle Busch silent after Lap 99 run-in with Mears

Crew member gave young driver orders to not make comments

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Kyle Busch was in his hauler, cooling off after a Lap 99 accident with Casey Mears that eventually earned him a trip to the NASCAR hauler that could result in a points penalty next week, when a voice came over his in-car radio.

Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Kyle Busch, said his driver was frustrated following Saturday's race. Credit: Autostock

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"Tell him not to make any comments until he sees what happens," the voice said.

Busch held his tongue then, and he didn't talk after visiting with NASCAR officials, leaving by the side door.

"He was frustrated," said Busch's crew chief Alan Gustafson after Saturday night's race at Phoenix International Raceway. "When you're in that racecar sometimes you don't have the whole perspective. It was tight and he was frustrated with Casey.

"I don't think that's an excuse. It's a competitive, tough sport. Sometimes things happen that don't go your way and you've got to react to those calmly and sometimes you don't."

In this case, Busch didn't react calmly. After the race had been red-flagged for another wreck that happened behind him, Busch sought out Mears and gave his car a nudge before driving to the garage.

That he retaliated and did so when he should have been parked got him a trip to the hauler and a five-lap penalty after returning to the track on Lap 145. He finished 36th, dropping him from seventh to ninth in the standings.

NASCAR officials said they will review the possibility of further penalties on Monday.

"We need to respect the red flag," Gustafson said. "The No. 1 priority in that situation is safety to other people, and that's what we got away from."

The race was stopped because of the accident in Turn 4 involving Elliott Sadler, Michael Waltrip, Kyle Petty, Joe Nemechek and Reed Sorenson.

"It happened in the worst spot because the sun is glaring there and you can't hardly see anything," Nemechek said. "All of a sudden everybody was wrecking."

Sadler's car got the worst of it, destroying the entire front end.

"I just looked up and the racetrack was blocked," Sadler said.

But it wasn't blocked enough for Busch to get back to Mears.

"Things happen," Gustafson said. "We take full responsibility for it. Emotions run high."