Their two motor coaches sit side by side in the infield of Daytona International Speedway. Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin are neighbors this week as the Daytona 500 approaches.
"That's his bus," Patrick said, pointing out her kitchen window Friday morning, the day after Hamlin spun her out for the second consecutive day, requiring her and her team to stage a wild comeback in one of Thursday's two 150-mile qualifying races to make the field for Sunday's Daytona 500.
What followed was a nationally televised argument, complete with lapel grabbing, raised voices and little common ground.
"There were so many cameras around I had to make sure I didn't swear too much," Patrick said with a laugh some 12 hours later.
Hamlin, as of midday Friday, had not called Patrick, had not texted Patrick, had not come over with a plate of peace-offering baked goods or maybe a bottle of her preferred wine. He wasn't budging -- or was possibly oblivious -- even as their dispute was on near constant loop on the highlight shows because what's better than Patrick getting in someone's grill?
This puzzled Patrick since she considers Hamlin one of her best friends on the circuit. Patrick and her boyfriend, fellow driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., regularly have dinner with him, golf with him, just hang out with him.
Why Hamlin hasn't been in touch probably involves men being from Mars, women being from Venus, or something like that, but that wasn't helping at this point Friday morning, especially since Hamlin also sent Patrick spinning during practice Wednesday, costing Patrick her primary race car
"I was mad enough after Wednesday. So I texted him and said, 'What happened?' " Patrick said. "I still think he didn't think much happened. He even said at the end, 'Go get them in the Duels.'
"I'm like, 'Dude, you put me in this situation.' It's not the end of the world, I'm only dropping back 10 spots, but still, he crashed my primary car."
She understands racing can be funny at times. She shrugs. This is NASCAR after all. Doesn't something like this go down every week?
"I love the fights," she said. "I was so excited that in the Unlimited [a preseason all-star race] we already had a brawl. That's the stuff that is exciting."
Between the ears
Jack Nicklaus has maintained for years that Tiger Woods will one day break his record of 18 major professional golf victories, but sounded more doubtful than ever Thursday.
"He's got a lot of golf in front of him, but it's going to be up to him. He's still got to do it," Nicklaus said on Golf Channel. "He may, he may not. Obviously chances are harder for him now than they were five years ago, but I still think he has time on his side."
The Golden Bear has been where Woods is right now, and he's come through on the other side. Perhaps that's why he can say with some confidence that Woods' problems, including his short-game woes, are the result of a mental block.
"Tiger's struggling, I don't think there's any question about that. We all know that, he knows that. I think he's struggling more between his ears than he is any place else," Nicklaus said.
Woods has struggled since his return to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge. He looked lost inside 50 yards at the Phoenix Open and struggled in 11 holes during an abbreviated start at the Farmers Insurance Open two weeks ago.
Nicklaus said he faced a similar issue in 1979.
"I was actually putting it around bunkers. I couldn't chip it," he said. "I was terrible, I was just awful."
QUIZ
Where was Danica Patrick born?
ANSWER
Beloit, Wis.
Sports on 02/21/2015