Busch

Kurt Busch is still taking a beating, all in the fallout from Jimmy Spencer punching him in the face.

Spencer was suspended from Saturday night's race at Bristol Motor Speedway for bopping Busch in the nose after the race last week. But Busch has clearly been made the villain in this battle, receiving a hearty round of boos in all the prerace activities.

It didn't matter in the end, though. Busch stood strong and went on to win the Sharpie 500.

But it wasn't easy.

Fans and competitors in the garage area were snapping up T-shirts that either said "Free Jimmy," or mocked the bloody nose and chipped tooth Busch got in the altercation.

He also took a good deal of criticism from his fellow competitors, who disagreed with Busch intentionally trying to flatten Spencer's fender last week in Michigan and then saying it was "part of racing."

"I don't agree with flattening fenders," four-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon said. "I'm not going with him on that."

And Bill Elliott, another veteran, also disagreed.

"I just call it dirty racing," Elliott said.

It's certainly not the reception or reaction Busch was looking for at Bristol, where he has won the past two spring races. The first one was last year, when Busch knocked Spencer out of his way to score his first career victory.

"I hate it that Jimmy's not here this weekend," Busch said. "He's a tough competitor, just like I am, especially at this place."

Busch's race at Bristol wasn't exactly clean, either, as he bumped and spun Sterling Marlin to take second place. Busch would pass Kevin Harvick for the lead shortly thereafter.

Bristol bumping and banging
Rusty Wallace, the Bristol leader with nine career victories, had a short run on Saturday night.

Wallace was running in the 15th spot when Michael Waltrip made contact with teammate Jeff Green and spun into the turn four wall. As he slid back down the track, Wallace couldn't avoid slamming right into him.

Wallace finished 43rd and was transported to Bristol Wellmont Medical Center for evaluation. He was seen and released. Waltrip, meanwhile, failed to finish for the first time this season. He came into the event fifth in the point standings and dropped to eighth after his 42nd-place finish.

"I just ran out of room," Waltrip said. "Jeff squeezed me down a little bit and I hit the apron. I hate if for Rusty and hate it for our whole team. It's a setback for us."

Wallace was in a special car commemorating both series sponsor R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and the late Alan Kulwicki.

Remembering Davey
ChevronTexaco is honoring the late Davey Allison, the first driver the company ever sponsored, with a special paint scheme at his home track later this year.

Havoline will mark the 10-year anniversary of Allison's death at Talladega Superspeedway next month by painting rookie Jamie McMurray's with a retro scheme that resembles the car Allison drove during his 1987 rookie season.

"I am very proud for Davey that even after 10 years, he is still remembered as not only a fierce competitor, but a fine man," said his widow, Liz Allison-Hackett.

"This celebration of Davey's life is a collaboration of many people who felt the need to have Davey recognized as we mark the 10 year anniversary of his death."