I think it’s fair to say Jack Roush and Lee White will not be exchanging Christmas cards this year. After White – senior vice president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development – challenged the innocence of Roush Fenway Racing in its rule violation last week, Roush came out firing mad.

Taking the first chance he could, Roush went on the defensive offering an extensive technical description of how the fastener failed causing the violation. His explanation was followed up by relating Lee White to an “ankle biting chihuahua.”

White was quick to reverse his position and clear up his statements, “I don’t know if the situation with the No. 99 car at Las Vegas was intentional. And I apologize if it has come across like that.”

White went on to say, “I’ve know Jack Roush for almost 25 years and consider us friends.”

A day after telling USA Today’s Nate Ryan he felt Roush Fenway Racing purposefully caused the lid on the oil tank cover to come off the No. 99, White backed up by saying, “I will tell you categorically – Jack Roush doesn’t cheat. He never has, I’m absolutely certain that he doesn’t now or ever will.”

This story continues to unfold and is tied into the building rivalry between Jack Roush and the Toyota camp. The championship car owner has been very critical of Toyota since their debut and this weekend’s comments show this feud is not likely to end any time soon.