CONCORD, N.C. -- While one of the racing Busch brothers was in heated conference with a teammate following Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the other was celebrating joyously in Victory Lane.

The singular moments, like the brothers themselves, were relative.

Kurt Busch has won crew chief Steve Addington over, making him a vocal defender.

“

That cat right there is amazing. Honestly, I have never worked for anybody like him.

”

-- STEVE ADDINGTON

Shortly after Kurt Busch hoisted one of those oversized checks for $1 million over his head, and everyone within about a one-mile radius was showered with Miller Lite beer and/or oversized bottles of champagne, winning crew chief Steve Addington sat on the edge of the Victory Lane stage and motioned toward his driver.

"That cat right there is amazing," Addington said after Kurt Busch had wheeled the No. 2 Dodge from 11th to first during the final 10-lap segment of the 100-lap event. "Honestly, I have never worked for anybody like him. I tried to figure out his emotions and stuff like that, and I just let it be now. I learned he's going to get all he can out of a race car."

Addington knows more than a little about the Busch brothers. He's in his first year as crew chief for Kurt, after having spent 69 points races over most of the previous two Sprint Cup seasons as crew chief for Kyle -- the one who sought out Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin for retribution after the two of them got together when they were running one-two with eight laps to go Saturday night.

In more than a slight twist of irony, the block Hamlin placed on the younger Busch that ultimately sent Kyle in search of Hamlin's head afterward had another residual effect as well. As they tangled, Kurt surged past the feuding pair and two other contenders and into the lead -- going from fifth to first in less than a single lap.

"It was amazing how the seas parted for us," Kurt said. "I saw Kyle up in the fence and Denny wiggling, but I was still passing [Joey] Logano and the [No.] 48 car [of Jimmie Johnson]."

Holy crap, Dodge man!

Addington was trying to figure out what was going on as his driver powered to the front. He lost sight of the No. 2 Dodge as it raced hard into Turn 1 of the 1.5-mile speedway -- and when the team's spotter, Chris Osborne, first came on the radio, Addington feared the worst was happening as the car came out of Turn 2 and headed down the back stretch. (Continued)