Johnson and Busch clear the air _ finally _ following Chicago run-in

Johnson and Busch patch things up following tiff

INDIANAPOLIS — So much for that Jimmie Johnson-Kurt Busch feud.

For now anyway.

The two NASCAR stars have cleared the air — finally — following their latest run-in at Chicago two weeks ago and don’t expect any carry-over in Sunday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Johnson said Busch walked over smiling in the garage area before practice on Friday and the two had little trouble sorting things out.

“It was nothing,” Johnson said. “He walked over smiling.”

The three-time defending series champion stressed to Busch their recent trouble wasn’t personal.

“There’s been a couple of periods in my career where no matter where I go on the track I end up driving into somebody and it’s the same dang guy,” Johnson said. “It ended up being Kurt the last few weeks and I assured him that it was nothing that I’m searching him out for, it’s just been circumstances.”

Both times, those circumstances cost Busch valuable track position late in the race.

At Sonoma in June, an error by Johnson knocked Busch out of the Top 10. Three weeks later in Chicago, Johnson got a little nudge from teammate Jeff Gordon and ended up banging into Busch, who retaliated by “bodyslamming” Johnson. While Johnson held on for eighth, Busch slipped back to 17th.

Afterward, a decidedly upset Busch questioned Johnson’s ability as a champion.

Johnson sent a text message after the race offering to meet and explain things. Busch never hit reply, something he blamed on a busy schedule and poor cell phone service.

During their brief chat, Johnson said he didn’t ask Busch if he needed to change phone companies.

“When I didn’t see anything back or hear anything back I didn’t take it any way because I’ve had to track people down for two, three days just to touch base with them,” Johnson said.

Johnson took the blame for the incident at Sonoma, but feels he didn’t do anything wrong in Chicago and doesn’t expect to race Busch differently if the two end up in close quarters on Sunday.

“I’m not going to change anything,” Johnson said. “I certainly don’t want to run into people, that’s my motive.”

Busch will have some work to do if he wants to get in the same crowd with Johnson at the Brickyard.

Though he acknowledged meeting with Johnson, he declined to comment further before ducking into his trailer after qualifying 41st. Johnson, who is third in the points race — one spot ahead of Busch — will start 16th as he searches for his third win at the Brickyard in four years.