LAS VEGAS - NASCAR Busch Series rookie Kyle Busch has been fined $100 by Las Vegas Motor Speedway for confronting a driver after a Legend Cars Pro/Master feature race Saturday. Busch, a 19-year-old Las Vegas native, was racing in his hometown during an off week for the Busch Series. After leaving the race early with mechanical problems, Busch reportedly waited for race winner and former rival Spencer Clark, 17, to arrive in the postrace inspection area. Busch leaned into the car to confront Clark, but it's unclear whether he tried to punch Clark.
Busch was quickly escorted away by track security.
According to a speedway statement Tuesday, Busch was fined for "conduct and actions detrimental to the betterment of the sport." Clark was not fined.
Busch has won four Busch Series races for Hendricks Motorsports this year and is second in the standings. He also has raced on a limited basis in NASCAR's Nextel Cup series.
A Hendricks team official would not allow Busch to comment on the incident.
NASCAR: Veteran crew chief Michael "Fatback" McSwain was reunited with driver Ricky Rudd when Wood Brothers Racing hired him on Wednesday.
McSwain replaces crew chief Ben Leslie, who accepted a position with Ford Racing Technology. He takes over next week at Bristol Motor Speedway.
McSwain and Rudd worked together at Robert Yates Racing from 2000 to 2002, winning three races and four poles. But the two had a public falling out midway through the 2002 season, and both ended up leaving RYR.
McSwain went to Joe Gibbs Racing as Bobby Labonte's crew chief and Rudd went to drive the famed No. 21 Ford for the Wood Brothers.
Gibbs released McSwain last month.
NEW RULES: In an attempt to control escalating costs and enhance racing, NASCAR announced a new gear rule for the Nextel Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series.
The rule, which will take effect next season, will restrict teams to gear ratios determined by NASCAR in an effort to limit maximum engine revolutions per minute.
NASCAR president Mike Helton told the Associated Press that the rule is expected to reduce team costs tied to engine research and development.
"It's not going to have a huge initial impact," he said. "But it's part of the ongoing effort to minimize corner speeds by controlling tires, aerodynamics and engines."
The new rule will be in place at tracks in all three national series with the exception of Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, where NASCAR already limits horsepower with carburetor restrictor plates.
In a related announcement, NASCAR confirmed it will reduce rear spoilers in the Cup series by an inch, to 41/2 inches, at all non-restrictor plate tracks next season. NASCAR decreased the spoilers by three-quarters of an inch entering the 2004 season in another effort to promote more passing.
NASCAR chairman Brian France said the sanctioning organization talked extensively with team owners before deciding on the gear rule.
"Rpms have been on a continual rise since the 1970s and the associated costs of gaining an edge in that area have escalated substantially during that time as well," France said. "We have also noticed a substantial decrease in the number of engine builders over the past several seasons and this new rule should help reverse that trend."
Engine builder Ernie Elliott said several weeks ago in an interview with the AP that he didn't think the new rule would accomplish what NASCAR hopes.
"NASCAR seems to think this is going to bring the have-nots closer to the haves," Elliott said. "But the truth is the haves will just find a way to make up for the lost rpms by spending their money somewhere else."
Most teams are getting about 9,500 rpms and producing about 800 horsepower, but NASCAR will cut both those numbers under the new rule.
