For most part, everyone played nice at NHMS

LOUDON, N.H. -- So much for all this talk of aggressive driving and lack of respect getting out of control in the Cup Series. On this June Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, it was much ado about nothing.

That's not to say there wasn't plenty of drama. After Jeff Burton spun out Kyle Busch 11 laps from the finish of the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 -- just the second caution for an accident and the final of four yellows in the race -- the last eight laps were filled with inadvertent contact, lead changes and, eventually, apologies.

Loudon Video

• Johnson, Busch bumpin'
• Burton gets into Busch
• Montoya gets rough
• Post-race reactions

"I hate that Kyle and I got together there at the end," Burton said. "I just screwed up. He didn't do a thing wrong and that is 100 percent on me."

But the real story unfolded in the final laps, when Kurt Busch made contact with Jimmie Johnson to take the lead coming off the final restart, only to have Johnson return the favor with two laps to go.

"A nice nudge," is how Busch described his move.

"You always want to make sure that when you do pass him, he's not completely upset with you," Busch said. "Your motive is always to pass a guy clean. Driving down into Turn 3, I had all the intentions of passing him on the inside and try to cut underneath him at the apex. I just got into him a little bit in the left rear and nudged him up and was able to squeak by.

"I just didn't flat-out wreck him or cut his tire. I didn't drive over him. It was a nice nudge that we're used to seeing and appreciate on short tracks."

Johnson responded like the four-time champion -- and now five-time winner this season -- that he is.

"I usually get caught up in it, so I knew what my thought process was: 'Wreck his ass,'" Johnson said jokingly. "And my end result was like: 'You can't do that, you'll wreck yourself. You still have a chance to win the race, focus on your job and do your job.' It made it easier for me to get off the brake a little earlier and nudge him."

Busch lost second place when Tony Stewart nudged Busch for the position on the final lap. (Continued)