Pruett steamed at Montoya
SCENEDAILY
MEXICO CITY - Scott Pruett wasn't looking to hug teammate Juan Pablo Montoya after the Telcel-Motorola Mexico 200 Busch Series race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The teammates have had a good relationship, but Pruett certainly wasn't going to join in Montoya's victory celebration after Montoya got into the back of Pruett as they battled for the lead on lap 73 of the scheduled 80-lap race.
In fact, Pruett said he believed Montoya's move underneath him in the esses should have resulted in a penalty for aggressive driving.
"I guess that goes," Pruett said. "I'm disappointed. I can't even put it into words. It's one thing, you're really careful with other teams, with other drivers, and you talk about it and talk about it and talk about it in team meetings - don't take each other out no matter what.
"And then I get taken out by my own teammate."
Montoya apologized profusely in the postrace news conference. Montoya said he thought Pruett saw him on the inside, and when Pruett came down to take the inside line, there was nothing he could do.
"It's hard racing," Montoya said. "I'm really sorry that happened. In a way, I have to blame myself because I had a fast enough car to pass him afterwards.
"I raced against him in open-wheel, and we won the 24 hours [at Daytona in February]. We actually had a very good relationship. We helped each other all weekend. It's a sad moment. As happy as I am that I won, it is a sad moment for the team."
NASCAR Busch Series Director Joe Balash said that NASCAR officials did review a replay.
"We looked at it once in the tower, and it looked pretty clear - they just both ended up in the same space," Balash said.
In fact, Pruett said he believed Montoya's move underneath him in the esses should have resulted in a penalty for aggressive driving.
Anyone but Montoya and they would have been penalized 😡
They were probably afraid of a riot if they would have penalized him. 😀