DARLINGTON, S.C. --- During the two-hour break between practice and qualifying last Friday, Kyle Busch appeared calm and relaxed. He talked of making peace with himself and his fellow competitors and learning to enjoy his place as one of the premier drivers in NASCAR.
Eight hours later, he was a wild man.
Most agree it's not easy to control emotions, especially when they're fed by octane and the thrill of danger. A sport with no timeouts and no cooling off periods offers little escape for emotional types such as Busch.
What triggered his latest outburst was a last-lap bump by Steve Wallace at the Richmond International Raceway during the Nationwide Series race. Wallace slowed down in the third turn, and Busch regained his lost position. But he challenged Wallace on pit road after the race.
Before the race, Busch said, "I feel like maybe I'm a little more easy-going."
Afterward, here is a sampling of his ramblings:
"I don't care; I'll wreck as many cars as I need to," Busch ranted. "... It's going to hurt him a lot more than it's going to hurt me. If he wants to play this game, he'll get hurt."
Emotional meltdowns aren't new to NASCAR. High speeds, 3,400-pound cars, the pressure to succeed in a highly competitive environment and the element of danger keeps everyone on the edge -- and it doesn't take much to push someone over.
"Sometimes, it builds up over a period of time, then your anger is really difficult to manage," Carl Edwards said.
Edwards was out of control two years ago at Michigan after Dale Earnhardt Jr. spun him on the final lap to win the Nationwide race.
Edwards finished the race, drove down pit road, went back on the track and slammed into Earnhardt's car during his victory lap.
He also went to Victory Lane to spoil Earnhardt's celebration.
Others have learned ways to harness their anger. Jeff Gordon said he focuses on finishing the race and earning as many points as possible.
Scott Riggs said he yells at himself as loud as possible. Tony Stewart screams to anyone -- and everyone.
"The best thing you can do ... is just get it out so you can set a reset button and get focused again," Stewart said.
"That's the most productive thing you can do."
Reach Don Coble at don.coble@morris.com.
DODGE CHALLENGER 500
(RACE NO. 11 OF 36)
WHERE: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway WHEN: 7:20 p.m. Saturday
TRACK DIMENSIONS: 1.366-mile oval with 23-to-25-degree banking
BROADCAST: Television -- 7 p.m. Fox-Ch. 54; Radio -- 7 p.m. Motor Racing Network, Sirius Satellite Radio 128
LAST YEAR'S WINNER: Jeff Gordon
GET MAD ON THE TRACK
1979 DAYTONA 500: Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison were battling for the lead on the final lap when they bumped three times down the backstretch. The third bump sent both into the third turn wall. Minutes later, they were joined by Bobby Allison in a free-for-all on the track apron with CBS cameras rolling.
TONY STEWART VS. THE MEDIA: Stewart's first Sprint Cup Series title in 2002 was marked by several run-ins with the media. He pushed a photographer at Indianapolis, earning a $10,000 fine from his sponsor, Home Depot, and a mandatory trip to anger management classes.
JIMMY SPENCER VS. KURT BUSCH: Those two had a multitude of problems. In 2002, Busch knocked Spencer off the track to win at Bristol, and Spencer sent Busch into the wall at Indianapolis. It boiled over at Michigan, where Busch admitted on his radio he was trying to flatten Spencer's tire at 200 mph. Spencer responded by slapping Busch in the garage area, and Busch responded by filing a police report. No charges were filed, however.
KEVIN HARVICK VS. RICKY RUDD: Harvick didn't like getting bumped by Rudd at the end of a race at Richmond in 2002, and he charged at Rudd on pit road. He parked his car beside Rudd, blocking his ability to get out. Harvick then climbed on top of Rudd's car.
RANDY LAJOIE VS. BUCKSHOT JONES: Those two waged a personal battle for years in the Nationwide Series. Jones was wrecked by LaJoie at Bristol, and his team spent more than an hour making enough repairs so Jones could return to the track -- solely to wreck LaJoie.
-- Complied by Don Coble
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