Kyle Busch not to blame for latest dustup

Moments after Regan Smith produced a feel-good story for NASCAR's Sprint Cup series, racing's latest version of "The Jerry Springer Show" broke out on a South Carolina pit road.

Smith won his first Cup race Saturday with the one-car Furniture Row Racing team based in Denver. Smith and the team showed you can win without being part of a multicar operation owned by an iconic name working in palatial shops in Charlotte, N.C.

Television coverage by Fox gave Smith his due but had to cut away for a confrontation in which Springer was the only missing link.

The latest episode of the Kyle Busch-Kevin Harvick feud broke out on the final lap at Darlington Raceway and continued on pit road when Busch drove his car away from an arm-swinging Harvick. Busch is quite the strategist whether racing or ducking a punch.

Harvick must have been frustrated because he couldn't spin Busch after tapping his bumper a few times in the waning laps. Busch, however, properly executed a takeout move that turned Harvick into the guard wall.

After Smith took the checkered flag, Harvick lurked near the pit road entrance waiting for Busch, who was clever enough to keep Harvick in front. Moments before they stopped, Busch broke the reverse gear in his transmission and was stuck behind Harvick.

Harvick left his car, and as he got to Busch just ahead of Harvick's crew that was rumbling like Clydesdales, Busch rammed the back of Harvick's car to get away. The driverless car turned left into a guard wall.

"Kyle, what were you thinking?" Springer would have asked.

"Well, Jerry," Kyle would have responded with a smirk to further rile Harvick, "I had to protect myself and get away."

At that point, Springer's enforcers would have stepped in to intercept a charging Harvick, whose action definitely would not have reflected his "Happy" moniker.

The only players missing from the scenario would be overweight wives with missing teeth.

We hope these boys regain composure before tonight's NASCAR truck race in Dover, Del. Busch entered several weeks ago; Harvick decided to join the fray after Saturday's tussle. Tune in.

NASCAR fined each driver $25,000 and placed them on probation through June 12 for what happened after the race -- not during the race. NASCAR is maintaining its "Have at it, boys" self-policing by drivers.

Dr. Phil at least would have offered counseling.

NASCAR, its tracks and TV partners want confrontation.

A commercial for the May 21 All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway features a Western, gunfighters theme with president Mike Helton acting as sheriff. And three caskets. (See it at http://is.gd/TZE9B4.)

There was plenty of time for NASCAR officials to intervene before Harvick got out of his car.

That is, unless the sheriff in NASCAR's ivory tower was complicit in promoting a brawl.

Blame NASCAR or Harvick for the distraction to Smith's celebration, but Busch is innocent this time.

Jeff Wolf's motor sports column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247. Visit lvrj.com/motorsports for more news and commentary. Follow Wolf on Twitter: @lvrjwolf.