HAMPTON, Ga. --- When Kurt Busch keyed the microphone on his two-way radio last Sunday, he thought he was talking only to his crew chief, Pat Tryson.

Their fiery exchange was the result of a braking problem, two collisions with the Martinsville Speedway wall and a season filled with frustration. Busch wanted to park his car; Tryson told him to keep going. Busch sarcastically responded by thanking him for possible injuries if he crashed again.

The discussion came in the heat of the moment. Neither had time to think about who might be listening -- or how many.

And if anyone in the grandstands missed it, ESPN Sports replayed the conversation during its broadcast on ABC.

NASCAR is the only sport, perhaps the only business, which allows everyone to eavesdrop while they're on the job. At 180 mph, there are no secrets -- and no time to think about who's listening.

Most of the time, the conversation is about the car. But sometimes, it's a lot more.

At New Hampshire in September, Dale Earnhardt Jr. went on a profane-laden tirade about the adjustments on his car. It got so bad, car owner Rick Hendrick broke up the argument between Earnhardt and his crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., telling the driver to "take a deep breath" and calm down. ESPN replayed Hendrick's response.

"Y'all can listen all you want, but if you hear something that upsets you, don't come crying to me or whoever said it on my radio," Earnhardt said. "That is the way I feel about it. I don't want to restrict the fans access; I like the access. If I am a fan, that is what I would want.

"I am very passionate about it, you know what I mean? I either have to be all or nothing. I am either in this or I ain't."

One of the most-famous overheard conversations came 16 years ago when car owner Junior Johnson told Sterling Marlin to let Bill Elliott pass him to help Elliott's championship hopes.

Sometimes, drivers feel the networks cross the line.

ESPN was criticized for replaying a comment made by Clint Bowyer during a race at Bristol, Tenn., last August. He blamed an accident on Michael Waltrip, calling him the "worst" driver in NASCAR and questioning NAPA Auto Parts' decision to sponsor him. Replays, however, clearly showed Casey Mears was at fault.

A day after the race, Waltrip issued a statement condemning Bowyer and the network's judgment.

ESPN uses replays to enhance its coverage. Anyone listening to Bowyer's radio heard his rant, so the network wasn't revealing any clandestine information.

For the most part, drivers and crew chiefs aren't concerned about big brother -- and everyone else -- listening. "What's funny is the same people who complain about it are the same ones who use it to their advantage," said Steve Letarte, Jeff Gordon's crew chief. "I usually watch what I say, so I really don't worry about it. I realize we're trying to sell it. We have to put on a show. I'm pretty straight-forward, so I don't worry about it."