Edwards, Busch rivalry exactly what sport needs

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Kyle Busch was called into the dreaded NASCAR officials' hauler following Saturday night's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

No one was saying what exactly transpired behind the sliding glass doors of the hauler after Sprint Cup Series director John Darby crooked his finger toward a group that included Busch, his crew chief Steve Addington and the owner of Busch's No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs. It was pretty obvious, however, that Busch was delivered a tongue-lashing after he ran into the side of race winner Carl Edwards' No. 99 Ford during the cool-down lap (watch video).

Darby and his fellow NASCAR officials should have delivered Busch some high-fives instead. Maybe even a pat on the back, followed up by a note of thanks to the entire No. 18 team for spicing things up.

Suddenly, the 2008 Sprint Cup season is dripping with drama -- and perhaps NASCAR's next great rivalry has moved from the incubation stage into full-blown adulthood.

Sure, Busch's move was childish and his post-race comments came off as the whiny complaints of a poor loser. He was upset because Edwards had passed him for the lead with 31 laps to go by rapping him from behind and essentially moving him out of the way -- you know, like lots of guys used to do at Bristol, much to the satisfaction of crowds that have been sellouts for 53 consecutive races.

Edwards' countermeasure, when he retaliated for Busch's post-race bumps by turning hard left into the right rear of the No. 18 car and turning it around, might rank as immature as well. But man, it was great to see.

It's exactly the sort of stuff NASCAR needs to pump up the volume on its sport and this season with two weeks left to go before the latest Chase to the Sprint Cup championship commences.

He said, she said

Busch tried hard to restrain himself after the race, but it quickly became obvious that he was upset with the way Edwards had muscled past him and that he considers it some sort of continuance of deviant behavior by the driver of the No. 99 Ford on the racetrack (watch video).

"He'll always come back and say he's sorry," Busch said. "He did it at Milwaukee and he's done it a few other times. It's just his normal fashion. That's fine. I've grown to know that now.

"You know, to pass a guy, to hit him getting into the corners ... is very tired. But that's what he did. ... I had been getting into the corner light all day, and I don't know, maybe I over-braked and drove myself right back into his nose." (Continued)