One race, and suddenly Busch is facing big deficit (cont'd)

Busch went ballistic over the radio, cutting loose a torrid stream of profanities despite Addington's best efforts to calm him down. The infraction is plainly spelled out in Section 9-15-A of NASCAR's rule book: "When following the caution vehicle during a caution period," the manual states, "drivers much maintain their position in relation to other cars in the field or as otherwise directed by NASCAR Officials, and will not be permitted to pass other competitors or the caution vehicle when preparing to enter pit road."

Now they were in real trouble, saddled with not only a parts problem but a one-lap penalty on a racetrack famous for long green-flag runs. Busch restarted in 43rd, a lap behind the leader, and already knocked down to 10th in series points. His needed a caution to receive the free pass and get back on the lead lap, but the next 44 circuits were all green. Soon leader Jimmie Johnson went by to put him two laps down. And then a car that had been threatening to break loose all day finally did, spinning on Lap 83 and taking a shot in the left rear by the sliding vehicle of Jamie McMurray (watch video).

"We'd have probably been all right if the 26 [of McMurray] hadn't hit us," Addington said. "We'd have got it fixed and lost a lap or so. That didn't happen."

Instead they came to pit road twice for repairs, the second stop an extended one that left Busch eight laps down and with tape covering his car's mangled left rear. He caught a break later in the race, when a five-car accident -- involving another Chase participant, Matt Kenseth -- allowed him to make up a few more spots (watch video). But now he has some work to do to avoid becoming the fourth regular-season leader to fail to win the championship in the playoff system's five-year history. Tony Stewart in 2005 is the lone exception.

"That's what everybody in this Chase is going to try to avoid -- having a simple problem like that," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. "Matt had his problem, too. And they're not out of it by a long shot. They're still going to be there each and every week. That's a hole you don't need to be digging yourself into."

With nine races remaining, how substantial is Busch's 74-point deficit?

"I don't think it's a big deficit, because he was 80 ahead [of me] coming in," race winner Greg Biffle said. "That could be made up fairly quickly. When you reset the points, a points shift can come so easily. You'll see those swings like we have at the beginning of the season. He's certainly not out of it -- as long as he doesn't self-destruct."

He certainly exploded a few times Sunday, at least over the radio, even when spotter Jeff Dickerson tried to inject a bit of levity. "Your Broncos are up 7-0," he told Busch during a 10-minute red flag following the Kenseth incident, referring to the driver's favorite NFL team.

"Who gives a [expletive]," Busch retorted.

"He's got to be frustrated," said Rick Hendrick, Busch's former car owner. "To run like he's run, I'm telling you, you've got to learn how to lose. Learning how to win is the easy part. Learning how to lose is the hard part of this deal."

Busch clearly didn't like losing Sunday, when he walked silently past a cluster of reporters gathered behind his No. 18 transporter, briefly entered the hauler, and then took off. Joe Gibbs was inside with him. "He was really disappointed," the former football coach said. "In a situation like that, you don't talk a lot. You let him spend some time by himself. We're still proud of him ... we've just got to find a way to battle back."

That begins next weekend in Dover, where Busch won in the spring. "We're not giving up, trust me," Addington said. "We're not giving up at all. We'll get in there [Monday] morning and get to digging. We've got a test in Atlanta for Goodyear, and we'll just pick up and go on and go to Dover. We won there the first race this year, so I think we can go back and do it again."