It’s about R-E-S-P-E-C-T

David Reutimann (pictured) said he was backed into a corner and had to stand up for himself when he intentionally wrecked Kyle Busch at Kansas Speedway. Reutimann hit Busch in Sunday’s race as retaliation for earlier contact between the two. Busch, a championship contender, was running seventh when Reutimann wrecked him and ended up finishing 21st. It cost him significantly in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship standings, as Busch dropped from third to seventh. But how it affected Busch was not in Reutimann’s thought process. He had strong runs spoiled in three of the last four races and felt like he had to send a message that drivers can’t run him over. “It’s all about respect. Sometimes you give it a lot more than you get it.”

Associated Press