NASCAR Martinsville 2014: Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch feud, exchange barbs

An early accident cost Brad Keselowski a chance to win Sunday at Martinsville Speedway and he left no doubt who was to blame.

During a Lap 40 competition caution, Keselowski left his pit stall and hit the slowing car of Kasey Kahne and then was clipped from behind by Kurt Busch. Keselowski said it was the contact with Busch that forced him behind the wall to fix his damaged front suspension.

“I got into the back of (Kahne), but Kurt just accelerated and drove right through us, absolutely drove through us,” Keselowski said in the garage as his team made repairs. “I’ll tell you, I’m about tired of his recklessness.

“Kurt tore the whole suspension off the car so it won’t turn or do anything. So thanks, Kurt. Appreciate it, bud.”

When Keselowski returned to the track after extensive repairs, he jostled with Busch repeatedly.

At one point Keselowski slowed right in front of Busch, resulting in contact between the two. Keselowski also expressed his displeasure with Busch by giving him an obscene gesture down the front straightaway.

Following Keselowski brake-checking him, Busch radioed to his team that he was going to fight in the garage afterward saying, “I’m going to go (expletive) that dude’s (expletive) face up.”

Busch, who also sustained damage in the earlier incident on pit road, would go on to win the STP 500. He called Keselowski’s antics “punk-ass” and said he would seek retribution at the appropriate time.

“He targeted us,” said Busch after winning his 25th career race. “He was aiming for us. He tried to flatten all four of my tires. That’s a no-fly zone. That’s a punk-ass move and he will get what he gets back when I decide to give it back.”

Busch also had a different version of what transpired on pit road.

“I can’t believe he overreacted and he’s as upset as he is,” Busch said. “(Kahne) was trying to pull into his box and Brad ran into the back of him. I steered right to go around Brad and then he clobbers our left-side door, and it’s like, ‘okay, accidents happen on pit road.’ It’s congested. It’s not a place to race, because of all the pit crew guys down there. I didn’t think much of it.”

Keselowski and Busch are former teammates at Team Penske, where they enjoyed a good relationship. But this incident, along with another last year at Kentucky Speedway, seems to have changed Keselowski’s perception of Busch, though he says he still respects him.

“He does awesome things for charity and he’s probably the most talented race car driver,” Keselowski said. “But he’s also one of the dumbest, so put those three together.”

And what about Busch wanting to punch him in the face?

“Tell him come here,” Keselowski said. “I’m right here. He knows where I’m at. Leave Victory Lane and we’ll go.”