I realize that it has been pretty much a week since the last incident between NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch and most people have already reported on it, but here is my reaction now that I actually have time to sit down and write about it.
First lets take a look at the latest incident (which occurred at Pocono last week) between these two. (There have been many others over the years that Johnson and Busch have been in the sport).
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCYmKIsJUjM
Note that Bush’s tires do not turn into Johnson as Johnson alleges.
Kurt could have wrecked Jimmie if he wanted to but he didn’t. They talked it out. Nothing wrong with that. Jimmie just isn’t much of a talker I guess.
This is not even the first incident that has taken place between these two at Pocono. Take a look at this incident from the race last year where Johnson spins out Busch on purpose.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29oLmU4t5_E
Also take a look at this incident from Infineon in 2009 where Jimmie Johnson turns Kurt Busch around.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmDofoXarI0
Is it any wonder why Kurt would be angry with Jimmie after all this. Just because Johnson is a 5 time champion does not mean that others should pull over and make it easy for him. Although that seems to be what he expects…and from most drivers he gets what he wants. However, that makes the racing boring. Kurt Busch is making things interesting by breaking convention and making Johnson earn his sixth title. Busch will be a threat which Johnson will have to negotiate if he wants a sixth straight title, because unlike others, Kurt Busch will not just pull over for him.