BROOKLYN, Mich. -- If anyone was really expecting a different Kyle Busch to show up this weekend at Michigan -- considering a recent points penalty at Pocono and just coming off probation for his off-track hijinks with Kevin Harvick -- they deserve to be disappointed.

It isn't happening.

Busch was monosyllabic with the media about a number of subjects Friday, including negatives on whether he'd spoken with Harvick or if he was going to change his driving style, now that his five-week probation had ended.

The hits just kept on coming for Busch. The No. 18 was one of three JGR cars that had their oil pans declared "unapproved" during Friday's inspection at MIS. The outcome of that is yet-to-be-determined.

But at least Busch gave more of an explanation of how the left-front corner of his race car was 1/16th of an inch beyond NASCAR's tolerances after finishing third at Pocono last weekend, saying that he and crew chief Dave Rogers had spoken about the infraction.

"We've talked a little bit this week and they found out what the problems were," Busch said. "It was in the front springs so we'll see if we can't get with the manufacturer and figure out how we can make heat not be an issue."

As usual, the media asked for an irrelevant opinion, and Busch wasn't tolerating it.

"It doesn't matter whether you feel like [the penalty] does or doesn't [fit the crime]," Busch said. "It was something that we had wrong and we did not fit within the rules after the race. Certainly there needs to be something done to that. Joe Gibbs Racing issued a statement earlier this week that we accept the penalty and we'll move forward."

This weekend -- for 250 miles Saturday and 400 more on Sunday -- Busch said nothing would change in his driving, which he said wasn't altered by his probationer's status.

"It didn't matter being on it or being off of it," Busch said. "I try to race the best I can each and every week, as hard as I can and as clean as I can.

"Sure, sometimes there's a time where you get into somebody or you get loose and you get into them and you spin them and they're mad at you. It wasn't intentional. There's no malicious intent involved in it. It's just a product of racing. Hopefully we can keep racing that way."

Busch may have to be extra watchful around Harvick, who raced him aggressively last weekend and who has a history of using his fenders to defend his Richard Childress Racing organization's honor. But Busch said he didn't necessarily expect retaliation from Harvick this weekend.

"I'm not expecting anything at anytime, but that doesn't mean that it won't happen," Busch said. "It's fine with me. It's not my problem. I race my race car and he drives his. You saw how I raced [at Pocono]."

Five-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson is another guy who'll be paying attention, and grinning at least part of the time.

"We'll definitely keep our eyes open with our other competitors down the road," Johnson said. "I think I've been aware of them being around one another, period -- now that they're off probation, I don't see it being much different.

"I've had my eye watching those two for a while, like everyone else has, so I don't see it being a lot different than that. I don't know where Kevin's mind is and what he has, or if he mentioned that he had one coming. I have no clue what's going to happen, but I'm sure we'll all be very entertained."

Although Johnson admits the feud between Busch and Harvick has been a favorite of his for quite some time, it's not the only NASCAR soap opera he's witnessed.

"Yeah, even before [probation I watched them]," Johnson said. "As you mentioned, the thing in Homestead and there's just certain guys that when I'm around them -- the 39 [Ryan Newman] and the 42 [Juan Montoya] -- when they're around one another. It's just going to take an extra second to watch.

"It's not that I'm sitting there expecting something to happen, but I just want to be able to choose directions and not drive into whatever takes place. There are a couple pairings like that, that exist out there. For a while it was the 24 [Jeff Gordon] and the 17 [Matt Kenseth] -- like what's going to happen there? We typically have that going on and this is no different than any other instance. I just don't want to be in the mess."

Busch at least, took particular note of how Harvick raced him at Pocono.

"When you're getting pushed down the front straightaway all the way to the bottom of the race track, you're trying to get away from the situation; it wasn't happening," Busch said. "He [Harvick] kept following me, so I backed off and waited for my next opportunity to pass him.

"And then, when I did pass him, he then pushed me all the way down the frontstretch. At first, it brought back a memory of what he said after Homestead [2010, when Harvick intentionally wrecked Busch] and how he was racing me like a clown all day and then he parked me. So, it seems like there was a different side, there."

Harvick had actually accused Busch of "racing me like a clown all day" in last November's season finale before Harvick decided he'd had enough and wrecked Busch. But at any rate, Busch said he'd make every effort to keep his cool, once again, at a track where he's yet to win in the Cup Series.

"It's a lot easier to [stay patient] earlier in the race than it is at the end of the race," Busch said. "If it was for a win, it would certainly be a heck of a lot harder to do than if it's for a fifth or sixth or something like that. I've learned a lot. I think it will be a lot different."

Busch didn't miss a chance to throw in a sponsor plug when he was asked about ill-mannered drivers possibly needing a snack to brighten up their mood.

"There's probably a few [grumpy people] that could use a Snickers bar," Busch said, "but names, I won't mention."

Related:
NASCAR penalizes No. 18 team for Pocono issues
Busch's car fails post-race inspection at Pocono
Busch says Coulter's truck damage unintentional
Was Childress/Busch clash good for the sport?
Childress fined $150K, on probation until Dec. 31