Kurt Busch says he'd beat up reporter, if not for probation (USA TODAY)

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By Chad Leistikow, USA TODAY

Updated 13h 16m ago

DOVER, Del. --Kurt Buschwas quite pleasant when interviewed by USA TODAY Sports shortly before his fourth-place finish in Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Dover International Speedway.

But not even a top-five could keep the temperamental driver from berating a reporter a few hours later ... as he did in last year's season finale that ultimately was the last of his many blowups as a driver for Penske Racing.

After the race, Busch was pressed by Sporting News reporter Bob Pockrass about whether he raced with restraint against Justin Allgaier (the two had an early scrape but there was no retaliation) because of his recent placement on probation.

To which, Busch said to Pockrass, "It (the probation) refrains me from beating the (expletive) out of your right now, because you ask me stupid questions. But since I'm on probation, I suppose that that's improper to say as well."

Busch had been placed on probation and fined $50,000 for burning out through Ryan Newman's pit box during the May 12 Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway. After that race, Busch and crewmembers got into a confrontation.

Busch, the 2004 Cup champion, has landed at Phoenix Racing, a single-car outfit that is a huge drop from his Penske Racing environs of the past several years.

An e-mail seeking comment from NASCAR about whether Busch's actions were a violation of his probation was not immediately returned. Busch is scheduled to start ninth in Sunday's FedEx 400 Cup race at Dover.

The video of Busch's Saturday tirade is below; Pockrass' question was preceded by Busch telling ESPN, "I'm on probation so I can't even pick my nose the right way."

DOVER, Del. -- Kurt Busch was quite pleasant when interviewed by USA TODAY Sports shortly before his fourth-place finish in Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Dover International Speedway.

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By Todd Warshaw, Getty Images

But not even a top-five could keep the temperamental driver from berating a reporter a few hours later ... much like he did in last year's Sprint Cup season finale that ultimately was the last of his many blowups as a driver for Penske Racing.

After the race, Busch was pressed by Sporting Newsreporter Bob Pockrass about whether he raced with restraint against Justin Allgaier (the two had an early scrape but there was no retaliation) because of his recent placement on probation.

To which, Busch said to Pockrass, "It (the probation) refrains me from beating the (expletive) out of your right now, because you ask me stupid questions. But since I'm on probation, I suppose that that's improper to say as well."

Busch had been placed on probation and fined $50,000 for burning out through Ryan Newman's pit box during the May 12 Cup race at Darlington Raceway. After that race, Busch and crewmembers got into a confrontation.

Busch, the 2004 Cup champion, has landed at Phoenix Racing, a single-car outfit that is a huge drop from his Penske Racing environs of the past several years.

An e-mail seeking comment from NASCAR about whether Busch's actions were a violation of his probation was not immediately returned. Busch is scheduled to start ninth in Sunday's FedEx 400 Cup race at Dover.

The video of Busch's Saturday tirade is below; Pockrass' question was preceded by Busch telling ESPN, "I'm on probation so I can't even pick my nose the right way."

See photos of: Nascar, Kurt Busch