The NASCAR All-Star race relatively speaking isn't one of the sport's premier races, but as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch proved Sunday night, there's always a chance for drama when high speeds and tight corners are involved.
Joey Logano won the All-Star race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, but Stenhouse and Busch stole the show just moments after the checkered flag flew. In the middle of Logano's post-race interview, Stenhouse and Busch got together to discuss an on-track run-in.
That run-in came very early in the night. Busch wrecked Stenhouse on the second lap of the race, ending the latter's night very early. Given the logistics at North Wilkesboro, though, Stenhouse wasn't able to leave the compound like he might at a bigger, modern track, so he was forced to sit around and think about the incident all night. Busch, meanwhile, went on to finish 10th place, and as he returned to the haulers after completing the race, Stenhouse was waiting for him.
After a brief chat, fists started to fly. Well, one fist at least, as there were fireworks not only in the air but on the ground as well.
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FOX: NASCAR released an alternate angle of the scrap Sunday night, and it is a doozy (just watch it with the volume down if the kids are nearby).
One fun wrinkle from the whole thing: You can hear Stenhouse Jr. yelling about his dad right around the 10-second mark. That's because Ricky Stenhouse Sr. is right there in the mix, in the grey quarter-zip with the backward hat, trying to get his pound of flesh, too. The funniest line in the entire video is Stenhouse Sr. insisting "I ain't on him!" after trying to get in a few haymakers before being pulled off Busch by crew members.
Another angle, this one from the official NASCAR account, gives a great look at Busch and the elder Stenhouse throwing down. It sure looks like Busch landed a right on Stenhouse Sr.'s cheek.
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Shortly after the fight, FOX Sports reporter Jamie Little was able to get Stenhouse Jr. for an interview, and the driver was more than willing to give his side of the whole thing,
"I'm not sure why he was so mad that I shoved it three-wide, but I mean, he hit the fence and kind of hit the wall and ran into me," Stenhouse Jr. told Little. "When I was talking to him, he kept saying I wrecked him. Definitely built-up frustration with how he runs his mouth all the time about myself, but I know he's frustrated because he doesn't run near as good as he used to."
Little then asked whether there would be another round, and it sounds like Stenhouse is open to bringing this into the squared circle for some sort of charity boxing match.
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"Yeah, I don't have anything else for him. If we want to do a charity match, I would do that, raise some money maybe for the NASCAR Foundation or something," he told Little. "That would be fun. Really other than that, I don't have anything else for him."
If they really want to make some money, Stenhouse Sr. getting in the ring might be where the real money is at, but Busch might want to tread carefully with that one.
Featured image via Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports Images
