Wild day on road course has little to do with restarts

SONOMA, Calif. -- It was a wild day at Infineon Raceway on Sunday, but not necessarily for the reasons feared by many prior to the Toyota/SaveMart 350.

Post-Race Reactions

Kurt Busch talks about his contact with Jimmie Johnson, and Johnson apologizes.

• Post-Race Reactions
• Johnson spins Busch

Several drivers said before the race that they thought double-file restarts after cautions would create massive mayhem. But of the more than a dozen incidents involving cars running into each other, going off the track or spinning on their own -- some of which drew yellow caution flags and some that didn't -- only two appeared to even remotely have anything to do with the new rule allowing leaders to start alongside one another on restarts.

That isn't to say there weren't incidents involving race leaders. One of the worst occurred on Lap 90 of the scheduled 110-lap event when Jimmie Johnson, running fifth at the time in his No. 48 Chevrolet, punted Kurt Busch, who was running fourth in his No. 2 Dodge.

Busch ended up having to settle for 15th, while Johnson ended up fourth behind race winner Kasey Kahne, runner-up Tony Stewart and Marcos Ambrose. Johnson immediately apologized for the incident on his radio after it occurred, and then sought out Busch after the race to say he was sorry again.

"I initially was thinking that it was a pretty tough day out there when you're running fourth and a three-time champion dumps you," Kurt Busch said. "He hit the curb and just launched into us. He came over and apologized right after the race.

"It was just two champion drivers going for the same spot. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it should have been much better. I was so worried we were going a lap down and [then have to] finish way back there."

Johnson added: "Unfortunately, I got together with the No. 2 and got him into the wall, so I had to find him and apologize. It was just a racing deal, nothing more. It left a bruise on our left-front, but other than that it was a good day for us." (Continued)