Top five rivalries on and off the track

NASCAR has always had a bad guy. Some of the men who went on to become the most beloved stars in racing history actually started out as the most despised men in the garage. Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace, even Dale Earnhardt all took their turns as the man who wore the black hat.

These days, that man is Kurt Busch. It began in 2001 when Busch began a seemingly endless feud with likable everyman Jimmy "Mr. Excitement" Spencer. The spat culminated at Michigan in '02 when an on-track dispute motivated Spencer to try and rearrange Busch's nasal cavity after the race. Spencer was suspended for one race, and Busch won the following week at Bristol, setting off an ear-splitting chorus of boos. They haven't stopped since, given new life by Busch's quarterly disputes with NASCAR officials, his run-in with Phoenix area police last fall and some very aggressive contractual maneuvers to leave Roush Racing.

4. Tony Stewart vs. Jeff Gordon

Stewart's dislike for Gordon has very deep and very personal roots, a fact that Tony's rabid Midwestern fan base eats up like a Sizzler buffet.

Four-time Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon and his teammate Jimmie Johnson talk with Indiana native Tony Stewart before the 2004 race. TonyStewart.com: Tony's official site (Tom Strickland / Associated Press)

Gordon loves to tout his legacy as one of Indiana's great racers. Problem is Jeff wasn't born in the Hoosier State. He was born in Northern California and then moved to the Indianapolis area after his driving career had already started. So when the four-time Cup champ is introduced as "Jeff Gordon of Carmel, Indiana," it burns Stewart — who was born, bred and still lives in Indiana — like Ben Gay in his jockey shorts. And every time Gordon adds another Brickyard 400 win to his resume — he's won four — and the media touts his "home-state advantage," it's like sticking a butter knife in Tony's ear.

The tension between the two has boiled over multiple times, from New Hampshire to Daytona to the West Coast. Gordon reacts to Stewart's hip shots in the one way he knows will gall Tony the most, with a smile and a wave.

In the grandstands, no one is doing either.

3. Roush Racing vs. Hendrick Motorsports

Roush vs. Hendrick (Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

NASCAR's version of the Yankees and Red Sox. The two largest empires in all of American motorsports have more money, more talent and more resources than anyone else in their world and they know it. Hendrick touts Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Brian Vickers and five Cup titles since 1995. Roush is stocked with Mark Martin, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and two Cups over the last three seasons. Their talent scouts scour the nation for teenage driving talent, and they routinely throw cash around to pluck the best pit crew talent from other teams in the garage.

Their knack for gobbling up talent is second only to their ability to harvest race fans, taking their competition off the track and onto Souvenir Row and the NASCAR merchandise aisle at WalMart.

"Jack and I do get a little competitive," admits Rick Hendrick. "So much so that I told him I think he moved his race shops over by the Lowe's Motor Speedway for no reason other than to keep an eye on me."

2. Ford vs. Chevy

Larger than even Hendrick and Roush are the car makers that they represent. Roush is the flagship team of the blue oval; Hendrick the unofficial headquarters of the Bowtie Brigade.

But the burning hatred between fans of Ford and Chevy goes way beyond any two race teams and reaches back decades earlier than 2006. America's two largest automakers have officially been doing battle since NASCAR's very first season. Other cars have come and gone, from Studebaker and Jaguar to Plymouth and AMC, but these two Motown monsters have been the constant. No other car has won the coveted manufacturers championship since the 1970's.

When Jeff Gordon wrecks, his fans quietly root for the likes of Kevin Harvick or Dale Jr. for no reason other than the shared insignia on their noses. And when Mark Martin falls off the pace, even he anxiously pulls for one of his Ford stablemates to beat "that other car."

Meanwhile, the highways of America carry the banners of battle between fans of both sides. Don't believe me? Start paying more attention to the bumper stickers slapped onto the pickup trucks around you during that morning commute. "FORD — Found On Road Dead". "Chevy — the failing heartbeat of America". And of course, Calvin the cartoon character relieving himself on the logos of both.

1. Jeff Gordon vs. The Earnhardts

Stevie Waltrip on the '01 Daytona 500 Proverbs 18:10: The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous man will run to it and be safe. "That was the scripture for that day for Dale. He always would give me a hug. We always said we loved each other. That was how I said goodbye although I didn't know I was saying goodbye."

DW's '01 interview with Dale Jr. Column on the interview 'What would Dad do? Part I: 'I don't want to ever forget' Part II: Growing up Earnhardt Part III: 'He was the best' Part IV: Heavenly father Part V: Light helmet, heavy heart? AllWaltrip.com: DW's official site

When Jeff Gordon began his rise to NASCAR power in the early 1990's, he did so in a world dominated by Dale Earnhardt. Their championship battle in '95 became the embodiment of Old School NASCAR vs. New School NASCAR. Gordon came from California, Earnhardt from North Carolina. Gordon had pretty hair, Earnhardt had a Wyatt Earp moustache. Gordon was pretty, Earnhardt was pretty mean.

The longtime blue-collar fans suddenly found themselves sitting alongside preppy bankers and country club housewives, creating a grandstand Mason-Dixon line that exists to this very day.

After Dale Earnhardt's death, son Dale Jr. took his father's place as the living, breathing symbol of NASCAR's dirt-covered Carolina roots. All while Gordon kick-started a decade of youthful influx that threatened to replace country music with hip-hop and cigarettes with cell phones. When Gordon captured a controversial win over Junior at Talladega in 2004, the second version of Gordon-Earnhardt became more intense than even the original.

Outsiders may question the validity of a rivalry that has yet to produce a real live championship battle, or at the very least, a weekly duel for race wins. But one stroll through a racetrack campground or superspeedway grandstand leaves no doubt. NASCAR Nation is divided, and for that, we should all be thankful.

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Ryan McGee is the managing editor at NASCAR Images. He can be reached at his e-mail address: rmcgee@foxsports.com.