NASCAR's 'Dirty Dozen' Take 'Boys, Have at It' to Heart

Since NASCAR famously adopted and embraced its "Boys, Have At It" policy, some drivers are "having" more than others. Aggressive driving is nothing new to NASCAR. Most fans consider hard-nosed driving and rough-and-tumble finishes a large part of what makes their sport so compelling.

In these last few crucial weeks to set the 12-driver Chase for the Championship, however, this go-for-it mindset has risen to new heights -- or lows. There has been as much finger-pointing and shoving in the garage as bump-and-run on the race track ... and even a little profane name-calling during driver introductions.


In alphabetical order the "Dirty Dozen" are:

Kurt Busch, No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge: Busch was "having at it" years before NASCAR actually made the slogan policy, famously tussling with then reigning "Mr. Excitement" Jimmy Spencer and other veterans as he cut his teeth earlier this decade.

This season, Busch's primary nemesis couldn't be more unlike Spencer, it's four-time Sprint Cup champ Jimmie Johnson. They made contact during the road course race at Sonoma, Calif., last year, then in less subtle ways banged doors for the win at New Hampshire in June before colliding again at Pocono earlier this month. And the score may still not be settled.

Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota: Arguably the sports new "Bad Boy," Busch is embracing the role even as he continues to fill his mantle with trophies. Last week he nudged Brad Keselowski out of the lead in order to win a Nationwide race. A couple months ago he was playing rough with his own Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin. He's even committed the ultimate fan sin: wrecking the sport's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Busch has proven he's not afraid to go door-to-door with anyone coming between him and the next victory.

Carl Edwards, No. 99 AFLAC Ford: If Busch is the "Bad Boy," Edwards is the bully with a smile. Friendly, popular and television-ready, Edwards is the ultimate good guy off the track. But as Keselowski will attest, if you get on Edwards' bad side, he will not hesitate to send you a strong message or right the wrong.

Edwards is currently on season-long probation after a pair of well-publicized, dangerous run-ins with Keselowski, including a frightening retaliatory move this spring that resulted with Keselowski's car launching upside down into the wall at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Jeff Gordon, No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet: This is an unlikely list to find Gordon's name, but even NASCAR's ultimate "Nice Guy" isn't going to be pushed around on the race track by a Formula One driver (Juan Pablo Montoya) or even a Hendrick Motorsports teammate (Jimmie Johnson). Gordon and Johnson have had three high-profile run-ins this season.

As the elder four-time champ, Gordon explained,"When you're out there on that race track and you're a competitor, you want to win. You want to do everything you possibly can to get that win. There are times when that competitor and you are going to push things maybe too far.''

Robby Gordon, No. 7 Toyota: The off-road champ and former open-wheel star is a perennial member of this list. He's the last driver to be suspended from a Cup race -- for blatantly ignoring a black flag during a Montreal Nationwide race two years ago -- and has had feuds with a "Who's Who" list in the garage. Although age (he's 41), Cup experience and the responsibilities of team ownership have mellowed him somewhat, Gordon's competitors still race with care when it comes to battling him for position.

Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet: The Sprint Cup Series championship leader was one of the most aggressive drivers - on track and off -- when he first entered the sport earlier this decade. He once famously crashed into victory lane to have it out with Greg Biffle when they raced in the Nationwide Series in 2002. People forget Harvick was actually suspended from a Cup race (2002) because of naughty behavior.

But since taking over the late Dale Earnhardt's Chevrolet, Harvick has been a little more selective in picking his battles. This season, second-year driver Joey Logano and Keselowski have tested his patience.

Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Toyota: The "young gun" of 2006, Hamlin has had his issues with any number of drivers, from settling a score with Keselowski in last year's Nationwide Series finale in Homestead to a run-in with his teammate Kyle Busch in this year's All-Star race. With a series-leading five wins, it's hard to argue against his method.

Brad Keselowski, No. 12 Penske Racing Dodge: Controversy seems to have surrounded the young Cup rookie from even before he scored a full-time ride with Roger Penske. Even his only Cup win at Talladega, Ala., last year was full contact -- his last-lap collision with Edwards causing a checkered flag melee that resulted in Edwards's car hitting the catch-fence and its debris injuring fans.

This year, Keselowski has been on the receiving end. He was launched airborne by Edwards at Atlanta and then crashed out at Gateway, forcing NASCAR to place them both on season-long probation. This last week at Bristol, Tenn., he and Kyle Busch exchanged fenders while racing for a Nationwide win. Keselowski spun and Busch won.

Joey Logano, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota: No one doubts the talent of this 20-year-old, but it seems as if he's still trying to prove he can't be pushed around by the veterans. He and Kevin Harvick had words last month and two weeks ago at Michigan, Logano and and Ryan Newman had to be separated in the garage after he spun Newman out during the race.

Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Target Chevrolet: Since entering the Cup series in 2007, the Columbian has employed the same brand of aggressive driving that made him successful in Indy cars and Formula One. Remember this is a guy who wrecked his own teammate -- Scott Pruett -- to win a Nationwide road course race in Mexico in 2007.

The problem is some of Montoya's stock car competitors have been less than pleased with his penchant for rough driving. Montoya has tangled with Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson, to name a few.

Ryan Newman, No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet: If you believe second-year Cup driver Joey Logano, the veteran Newman "never gives anyone a break" on the track. But other than a little finger-in-the-chest advice session from Newman following a collision between those two at Michigan, and a less-than-friendly rivalry between Newman and former champ Dale Jarrett years ago, Newman has stayed out of the rivalry limelight.

Tony Stewart, No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet: Earlier in his NASCAR career, the former USAC and IndyCar series champion was well known for his aggressive style and willingness to bend bumpers with the best of 'em (Dale Earnhardt included). But he too seems to have mostly mellowed with age (he's 39). If you don't raise his ire anyway.

Stewart and Montoya went at it in last year's Cup finale at Homestead and he imparted his own brand of racing wisdom on road course expert Boris Said at Watkins, Glen, N.Y., earlier this month.