Busch burning after bad stop takes him from lead

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Kyle Busch was forced to bite his tongue nearly off during the final laps of Sunday's Cup Series race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Known for his candor but willingness to refine his perceived bad attitude, the young driver silenced himself.

Well at least he tried his best.

Lap-by-Lap: Atlanta

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Busch led three times for a total of 77 laps only to finish 20th due to a bad pit stop where the jackman failed to jack the car high enough to change the tires. The resulting poor track position set him up to be collected in an accident involving Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. during the final laps of the race.

Busch, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet and Chase contender, was frustrated and let it be known.

Over the radio, Busch, an outgoing Hendrick Motorsports driver who will drive for Joe Gibbs Racing next year, warned his crew not to talk to him if he brought the car back "wadded up."

Team owner Rick Hendrick during post-race interviews was asked to respond to his driver's attitude.

On one hand, Hendrick said he sympathized with Busch's frustration, but on the other, he still expects his driver to maintain a civil tongue.

"I understand ... to be leading the race, things are going your way and then to come in on a caution and have a bad stop ... but good stops put him in that position originally," Hendrick said.

Hendrick said the issue will be discussed next week amongst the team and driver.

"When guys are frustrated some handle it better than others," Hendrick said. "I think Alan [crew chief Alan Gustafson] and the guys put him in a great car. It's just the way it goes sometimes."

Gustafson said his driver drove a great race.

"We just didn't close the deal there at the end," he said. "I don't know, I think Matt [Kenseth] came out seventh and we should have been right there with him. If we had come out sixth, the way it went on, we wouldn't have won the race because there wasn't enough time.

"I hate it for my guys, they really deserve it. Kyle drove a great race. This is a very humbling sport."