MARTINSVILLE, Va. - Todd Gilliland apologized for a comment he made about Kyle Busch moments after winning his first career Gander Outdoors Truck Series race Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.
Gilliland drives for Kyle Busch Motorsports and has faced criticism from Busch this year about a lack of performance.
After crossing the finish line Saturday, Gilliland said on his team’s radio: “Kyle Busch you can stay in your (expletive) motorhome.”
Busch congratulated Gilliland in Victory Lane on his win after the race.
Gilliland was asked about the comment after the race and said: “It was just kind of heat of the moment really. Just a lot of emotions. Everyone has heard what he (Kyle Busch) said and obviously it’s true, we should’ve been running better. I’ve wanted to win for the last year and a half as well. I’m doing all I can and the guys at the shop are. It was pretty much just heat of the moment. Probably wish I didn’t say it now, but it is what it is. He said some stuff about me and it is what it is.”
Gilliland also posted an apology on Twitter:
Like I’ve said before we should have won by now and it just hasn’t happened. I want to apologize to @KyleBusch for what I said after the race. My emotions got the best of me obviously and a lot went through my head as I took the checkered. Two more wins to chase🏁
— Todd Gilliland (@ToddGilliland_) October 26, 2019
NASCAR.com sought to reach Kyle Busch for comment but stated it was unsuccessful.
Busch first made critical comments this year about Gilliland at Atlanta in March, saying then: “I don’t know how many times (in 2018) we were in meetings and I was just yelling at him about ‘Let’s go.’ Our stuff is not that slow. You got to get up on top of the wheel and make it happen.”
Busch also said in March at Atlanta: “We’ll hopefully be able to get (Gilliland) places because, you know, his career is on the line. You don’t get very many chances at this.”
Gilliland has one win, six top fives and 13 top-10 finishes this season in 21 races.