Stewart Slams Busch in Rolling Stone Profile

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I've had a few days now to muse over the recent profile piece done in Rolling Stone on the always lovable Tony Stewart.

If you haven't had a chance to read it yourself, I'd highly recommend it. And if you have read it, I'm sure you'll agree with me on a couple of fronts:

1) If you love Stewart because of his rank attitude and keen ability to not adapt to what people say he should be, then this piece exemplifies why so many people are so passionate in cheering for Tony and ...

2) If you're not the biggest Stewart fan but enjoy reading about how drivers really live outside of the limelight, it's again right up your alley.

The article is loaded with juicy tidbits about Stewart's life and the language he uses when he's not around the media -- or at least attempts to refrain from using. It mainly follows Stewart over the course of a few races earlier in 2008 and includes written imagery about Stewart riding back on his airplane, what the inside of his Hummer looks like, and just how "lavish" his Columbus, Ind. home is.

The best part by far, however, is when Stewart bashes Kurt Busch during the qualifying session this past May at Texas Motor Speedway [and as a slight warning, the language isn't exactly Disney movie appropriate]:

Stewart looks at the screen, and another car's time pops up.

"There's the d**head," he says to no one in particular.

On screen, Kurt Busch just ran his qualifying lap in his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge. At the start of the season, Busch (the older brother of Kyle) got into a skirmish with Stewart during practice before the Daytona 500. Afterward, Busch and Stewart were called to the NASCAR official's hauler to iron things out, and while both decline to discuss what happened, rumor has it Stewart decked Busch with a punch to the face.

"You know those kids in high school that talk all the time and won't shut up?" Stewart says. "And every once in a while someone gives them a good wailing? That's Kurt."

Ziiiiiing!

It's good to know that despite what drivers claim in their weekly interviews, there is still plenty of sizzle and rivalry among drivers -- even if the general public doesn't much know about it.

Aside for that dig on Kurt Busch, Stewart offers some excellent stories about how he broke into racing (got tired of working in a machine shop), his run-in with Kenny Irwin Jr. at Martinsville many years ago (did you know Dale Earnhardt was involved?), and of course, his love for the opposite sex.

Most notably, Stewart is also an apparent fan of the ultra-ritzy Schlitz beer. Now that is something fans can relate to.

Go ahead and read it. It's the best 15 minutes you'll spend today.

NASCARs New Bad Boys

The late Dale Earnhardt Sr. may forever be "The Intimidator," but a new generation of drivers are building a case to be named among NASCAR's bad boys. Meet 10 young guns who are making a name for themselves through a series of collisions with the media, fans and fellow drivers.

Getty Images (4)

10. Dario Franchitti: Franchitti has had limited action in NASCAR's top-tier Sprint Cup Series, but the star came in with a ton of hype thanks to his 2007 Indy 500 victory, his wife Ashley Judd, and one of the best stories of the offseason -- he chased down an intruder in only his boxers.

Rusty Jarrett, Getty Images for NASCAR

9. Kasey Kahne: Don't be fooled by Kahne's boyish good looks and
mild-mannered attitude. The No. 9 driver got into a physical confrontation with a security guard last year which ended with the guard on the pavement and left Kahne with one charge of misdemeanor battery.

8. Juan Pablo Montoya: Juan Pablo Montoya is arguably one of the best open-wheel drivers of his generation, but he's gaining a reputation in NASCAR for "lowdown, nasty, dirty driving." He spun teammate and then-race leader Scott Pruett in last year's Telcel-Motorola 200.

Todd Warshaw, Getty Images

7. Denny Hamlin: While many could look past Hamlin publicly calling out crew members, no one could look past his recent incident with one of the most respected names in NASCAR. After crashing Kyle Petty last year at Dover, Hamlin's post-race comments left many NASCAR fans with a bad taste.

Todd Warshaw, Getty Images

6. Carl Edwards: Edwards may seem composed, but a more sinister side lurks beneath the star. One of the newest bullies has drawn the ire of NASCAR officials, threatened to make Tony Stewart bleed at Pocono in 2006, and faked a punch at teammate Matt Kenseth after the Subway 500 last year.

Marc Serota, NASCAR / Getty Images

5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick is no stranger to spats with angry drivers. He's considered by many to be NASCAR's most volatile driver due to his reckless driving style and bitter criticism of competitors. He was the first driver in NASCAR history to be suspended for a race in 2002.

Rick Havner, AP

4. Kurt Busch: The elder Busch has had confrontations with drivers, his former boss and even with a sheriff's deputy. His penchant for feuds began in 2003, when he instigated a fight with Jimmy Spencer, and he recently got into a physical altercation with Tony Stewart at Daytona.

Jason Smith, Getty Images

3. Robby Gordon: Gordon has established himself as one of NASCAR's most controversial figures over the years because of incidents that range from slamming his helmet at Michael Waltrip's car in 2005 to throwing debris onto the track in 2006, which resulted in chaos for drivers and a 50-point penalty.

Todd Warshaw, NASCAR / Getty Images

2. Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch's driving style has been called reckless, yet outstanding. NASCAR's Public Enemy No. 1 tried to pull a daring three-wide move on his older brother at last year's All-Star Challenge which sent both cars into the wall. The two didn't talk to each other for four days.

Jerry Markland, NASCAR / Getty Images