Blk3GM's Busch Series News - Bodine/Earnhardt incident shakes up points

Blk3GM's NASCAR Busch Series News

Bodine/Earnhardt incident shakes up points
July 26, 1999 - By Brett Borden, NASCAR Online

FOUNTAIN, Colo. - After Saturday's incident with Todd Bodine, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has dropped to a 24-point deficit behind points leader Matt Kenseth.

Just like last year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth sit atop the NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division point standings with a healthy cushion on the rest of the field. So much for drama, right? Guess again.
A trip to Pikes Peak International Raceway has the points leaders pushing and shoving like kids playing King of the Mountain.

Whether he intended to or not, Todd Bodine has stirred things up in the NASCAR Busch Series following a late incident with Earnhardt Jr. in Saturday's NAPA AutoCare 250. With 10 laps to go in the race, Little E was racing side by side with the little brother of Geoffrey and Brett Bodine, until contact between the two sent Earnhardt into the wall. It also dropped him from a fourth or fifth-place finish to a 36th-place effort, and from first to second in the points.

A visibly frustrated Earnhardt Jr. verbally chastised Bodine on ESPN after the accident.

"Nobody else had any problem getting by us," said Earnhardt. "He can't get by us without wrecking."

After the race, Bodine stepped up to the plate and apologized for his role in the Turn 2 accident. But that was before he was told of Earnhardt's comments.

"He's running his mouth," said Bodine. "He's upset. He's better than that. You can't hold grudges when you race every week. It was a racing deal. I got a run on him and he tried to pinch me down. I tried to keep him up and he got loose. I shouldn't say this but I will&if he had more experience he would have said 'let this guy go and finish fifth'."

Bodine also told reporters of an earlier incident between the two drivers, where he felt he was the victim of an overaggressive Earnhardt Jr. at Nazareth Speedway.

Then Bodine's comments were relayed to Earnhardt Jr., who seemed agitated all over again.

"You know, he ran into me during a caution in Nazareth," said Earnhardt. "So I don't know what he's talking about when he refers to Nazareth. I think the best thing I can do is bite my tongue on the whole deal. Because whatever I do or say will get criticized in the media. You can say this, though. I will hold a grudge over this until, well, you know. They say what goes around usually comes back around."

After Earnhardt Jr.'s misfortune, Kenseth instantly shot from a 62-point deficit to a 24-point lead over his friend and rival. Jeff Green, who was 198 points behind the leader before Saturday, is now only 112 points back. Bodine's deficit has shrunk from 359 points to 278.

Just like that, the points race is interesting again.

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Blk3GM's Dale Earnhardt Site was born on July 26, 1998 and is owned and maintained by Gary Harris. This site is a tribute to "NASCAR's Greatest Driver" and his up and coming son. We are not affiliated with any official Team, Sponsors, Media Group or NASCAR. This site is solely for entertainment purposes. Information and statistic's on this site have been collected from various NASCAR related sites on the internet, from Winston Cup Scene, Newspapers, Television and our personal experience at Winston Cup and Busch Grand National races. All statistics are believed to be accurate at the time they are updated but cannot be guaranteed.