[vincesanity82]

Kyle Busch finished second in Saturday night's Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway, but clearly feels he could have had a better outing with a little boost from his teammates.

Busch, 22, is parting company with Hendrick Motorsports at the end of this season. After Saturday night's race, he claimed that the teammate relationships he shares in the company are already essentially gone.
Busch claimed that none of his Hendrick temmates worked with him in the drafting lines on the restrictor-plate track. One could assume that means they never got in position to do so, though all four Hendrick cars were running in the lead group in the closing laps of the race. But Busch says that wasn't entirely what he meant.


"There was a few opportunities to get behind me and help me, the 24 [of Jeff Gordon] especially," Busch said. "We were running there behind him and then he got passed by the 26 [of Jamie McMurray]. We got by the 24 there and I ducked all the way down to the inside and was on the inside lane and Jeff I think was clear or was clear the lap later and could have came down and helped us and got three Hendrick cars in a row - me, him and the 48 [of Jimmie Johnson] - but chose not to do so and chose to stay up high and help another Roush car.
"It was just frustrating with that and then Jimmie got booted out of there, I guess, and Kurt [Busch] got up there. Then Kurt and I got together and that was probably the best tandem that we had all day long and the best situation we were in. We just didn't have quite enough in order to keep it in front of that 26. He was pretty strong."


Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins the team of Gordon, Johnson and Casey Mears next season. Until the end of this year, though, Busch says that he's pretty much on his own. He's still confident he can perform well and make the Chase For The Nextel Cup as long as he continues to get good equipment. But Busch admitted that he "sort of" feels like a guy without a team now that he's leaving Hendrick.


"That's what I'm alluding to basically but walking down pit road saying congratulations to Jeff Gordon I got blown off so I guess I'm the outsider looking in now and I'm probably not going to be invited into the team meetings next week so I think bliss is over at Hendrick Motorsports for Kyle Busch," said Busch, who is fielding offers for next year. "We'll get ready for 2008."

Busch questions teamwork of Hendrick group

[Nevadastars]

That is now commonly known as "The Vickers Syndrome".

[Mike24]

No wonder no one would work with Busch. He was all over the track and about spon out twice in the race, by himself. I know I wouldn't work with him when he is about to wreck and take out 20 cars. I don't blame anyone for not working with him.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by Mike24

No wonder no one would work with Busch. He was all over the track and about spon out twice in the race, by himself. I know I wouldn't work with him when he is about to wreck and take out 20 cars. I don't blame anyone for not working with him.

I wonder how HMS fans would react if he was not leaving the organization. I'm thinking it would be more like "what a driving clinic he put on". No matter what anyone thinks, the kid had some amazing car control, and I am by no means a fan of his. Bottom line is, he nearly won the race with little help at a plate track.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by Nevadastars

I wonder how HMS fans would react if he was not leaving the organization. I'm thinking it would be more like "what a driving clinic he put on". No matter what anyone thinks, the kid had some amazing car control, and I am by no means a fan of his. Bottom line is, he nearly won the race with little help at a plate track.

I'm not taking any credit away from him. I was amazed that he saved the car, and he has some major talent. But he was all over the place, and I understand why no one wanted to even get near him. But I agree, it was still a strong performance without much help.

[Lefty Noob]

I'm sorry, but I read this and all I can think of is - "Dude, what did you expect? You're a lame duck with the team. They're not going to bend over backwards to help you, and I can bet from this point forward, your car will not see any improvements or new technology that the Hendrick guys come up with."

No way they're going to let him in on things just so he could take that knowledge to another team next season.

[Pepsi One]

Funny no one brings up the fact that when Mears was leading Kyle done everything he could to get past Mears not help him or the four car pack wouldn't have broken up in the first place! But I forgot when it comes to bashing Gordon we make up our own rosy version of the truth!

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Pepsi One

Funny no one brings up the fact that when Mears was leading Kyle done everything he could to get past Mears not help him or the four car pack wouldn't have broken up in the first place! But I forgot when it comes to bashing Gordon we make up our own rosy version of the truth!

No one in this thread even mentioned the 24 outside of you and Busch himself, so I'm not sure where the Gordon bashing you're speaking of comes into play.

[tkj24]

Originally Posted by Mike24

I'm not taking any credit away from him. I was amazed that he saved the car, and he has some major talent. But he was all over the place, and I understand why no one wanted to even get near him. But I agree, it was still a strong performance without much help.

He is a major talent. So is Tony Stewart. But the attitude has to go. That is what hurt him at HMS to start with. Like leaving the track with the crew working on his car.

[Pepsi One]

Where was Kyle when Gordon needed a shove!

[Pepsi One]

What many of you fail to recognize is 90% of Gordons day was spent on the high side which tells me his car wouldn't handle down low, so does it makes sense for him to move an ill handling car behind another ill handling car because Im not sure two ill cars make one right!

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by tkj24

He is a major talent. So is Tony Stewart. But the attitude has to go. That is what hurt him at HMS to start with. Like leaving the track with the crew working on his car.

Yeah, and who knows? That might've actually been what cost him his job, considering Junior finished up in the #5 and might've really liked what he was driving. I don't think I'm too far off in suggesting that having that opportunity to run HMS equipment might've sold him on joining the company, which in turn led to Busch's release.

[Pepsi One]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Yeah, and who knows? That might've actually been what cost him his job, considering Junior finished up in the #5 and might've really liked what he was driving. I don't think I'm too far off in suggesting that having that opportunity to run HMS equipment might've sold him on joining the company, which in turn led to Busch's release.

That and when he looked in victory lane the first fourteen weeks he saw a member of HMS 10 times!

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Pepsi One

That and when he looked in victory lane the first fourteen weeks he saw a member of HMS 10 times!

Don't forget he was one of those wins, too - first racer ever to win a COT race. That said, he clearly was never a member of the Hendricks A-team.

[Pepsi One]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Don't forget he was one of those wins, too - first racer ever to win a COT race. That said, he clearly was never a member of the Hendricks A-team.

I thought we were refering to Junior, my bad!