Chasers let loose in game of 'Speedway Feud'

LAS VEGAS -- Some of the "answers" during Wednesday's "Speedway Feud" between top NASCAR drivers legitimately raised questions about how research was conducted prior to the event.

But make no mistake about a couple of certain facts.

Five-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson could not have possibly cared less about his team losing, or about inexplicably being left out of one category whose results supposedly were determined by a survey of crew chiefs. And Kyle Busch still loves himself some Kyle Busch, but apparently so do lots of others.

It was all in good fun as the central part of the Chasers for Charity Fanfest at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The sun was shining under a cloudless, bright blue sky and the mood of the participants was relaxed and playful -- much to the delight of an enthusiastic crowd.

The two teams in the Speedway Feud were comprised of the 12 Chase drivers who are in town to celebrate Champion's Week. On one side were Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch. On the other were Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle and Jeff Burton.

No way the Busch brothers, natives of Las Vegas, had any intention of being on the same team.

"I like it that way, and it's probably a good idea to keep us separate. It helps keep up a little bit of competition between us," a smiling Kyle Busch said just before the festivities got under way.

Officiating the event was celebrated stand-up comedian Kevin Burke, whose claim to fame is developing an "Understanding the Caveman" routine that has been popular in Vegas and elsewhere for seven years running.

Among the early questions asked of the contestants: Name the top five names that crew chiefs supplied in response to the question, "What current driver would you least like to have racing your driver for the win on the final lap?"

Kyle Busch was called upon first, and of course he answered, "Kyle Busch." He was right, too, with 42 votes (it wouldn't be the last time he offered his own name up as an answer -- and was correct).

But when Carl Edwards went second and offered up the five-time defending champ as the next-most popular vote-getter amongst the crew chiefs in the category, the crowd was delivered a surprise. Johnson not only wasn't second on the list, he wasn't on the list of the top five at all.

It took several minutes for the contestants to sort out that Gordon was the No. 3 vote-getter with 12 votes, Harvick was fourth with five and Edwards fifth with two. But it was left to Johnson himself to finally come up with the correct answer to the second name on the list.

"Juan Pablo Montoya!" he blurted out.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

That is correct, sir. Montoya received 38 votes.

It turned out to be one of the few questions asked that was answered correctly by Johnson's losing team, but the champ kept it all in perspective when Burke sighed late in the program and made a poignant observation, followed by a question Johnson could handle quite easily.

"You've got five Sprint Cup trophies," Burke said. "You really don't give a crap about losing this little game we're having here, do you?"

Johnson smiled broadly.

"Not in the least," the bearded man replied.

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