Saturday night’s Wonderful Pistachios 400 brought one of the wildest and exciting NASCAR races Richmond International Raceway has seen in recent years. A record tying 15 cautions brought on by a multitude of accidents added all of the thrills, tension and taunt nerves NASCAR fans enjoy so much.

  But what many NASCAR fans missed out on the frayed nerves and run-ins that followed the race on into a media center. When Kurt Busch stepped into the room, the real show began.

  Busch’s night was highlighted by a pair of on track run-ins with “Five-Time” Jimmie Johnson and a pit road run-in with a reporter, from whom he reportedly had to be restrained by crew members.

  Entering the media center Busch picked up where he left off, swerving away from the press conference stage and to the camera platform in the back of the room where he confronted NASCAR.com writer Joe Menzer. With a metal railing separating the two, Busch began berating Menzer over the earlier incident on pit road. The driver so inflamed Menzer that the reporter momentarily charged at Busch before cooler heads prevailed and made Busch go back to the front of the room.

  Still in a snit, Busch took a seat at one end of the press table beside his brother Kyle while Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart occupied the remaining seats.

  However, before the interviews could begin, the tension in the room doubled as Johnson entered the media center.

  Unlike Busch, Johnson was in a lighthearted mood. Seeing there was no space left on the stage, he circled back to the side of the room to wait for the next round of interviews.

  Not wanting Johnson to be left out, Newman decided to give him a job. “We could have Five-Time introduce us,” Newman joked. “That would be cool.”

  After the laughter died down, an additional chair was added for Johnson on the opposite end of the table from Busch. He then jokingly cuddled up close as Stewart threw an arm around his shoulders.

  But the apprehension quickly returned when Busch was asked for his viewpoint on the wrecks with Johnson.

  “For 398 laps we had a solid car and one of those laps I got into Turn 1 too hot and got into the #48,” Busch said. “The other lap was when the #48 retaliated and spun us around. If you guys can really figure it out, you can figure out what to write, but to me when guys are out there racing, we’re racing. That’s what we’re supposed to be writing about.”

  The ball was then tossed into Johnson’s court as he added his thoughts on if the level of payback will continue into the Chase. “When someone feels wronged, a lot of times people are going to take that opportunity to get even and settle it then and go on with it,” he said.

  Like the on-track incidents, everything could have been put to bed then and there if not for an earlier televised statement by Busch during his pit road interview.  “When he came back at us, you know, you see it coming,” he said. “That’s not something you see from Jimmie Johnson every day so I know we’re in his head.”

  The real question was who was in whose head.

  When Associated Press reporter Jenna Fyer questioned Johnson about the statement, Busch cut her off. “I didn’t say that tonight,” he interrupted.

  “You did,” Fryer replied.

  “Did not,” Busch shot back.

  “I can pull the transcript,” Fyer said indicating the printed version of Busch’s earlier interview.

  “Pull your Twitter. Pull your Twitter,” Busch said.

  “It’s not on Twitter.”

  “Facebook,” Busch said.

  “It’s not on Facebook.”

  “You said, ‘We’re in his head,’” Fryer replied. “It was on TV.”

  “Okay,” Busch finally conceded.

  At some point, Busch’s brother Kyle, normally considered the more irrational one of the pair, appeared to have heard enough and put his fingers in his ears.

  The rest of the press conference proceeded without incident but when Busch left the stage he confronted Fryer. The reporter handed Busch a copy of the printed transcript with the ‘in his head’ statement. Busch took it from her, tore it in half and set it back in front of her before promptly leaving the room.

  Throughout the weekend, several drivers made statements about testing Johnson’s mental toughness. At least for Kurt Busch, it appeared he came out on the losing end.