The 2024 NASCAR Cup season has been nothing short of a nightmare for Kyle Busch and Richard Childress Racing (RCR), as Busch’s impressive 20-season win streak is now under serious threat. With just six races left in the season, Busch’s 52-race winless streak continues to haunt him, and last Sunday’s Kansas playoff race offered the best opportunity yet to end the drought. Unfortunately for Busch, what seemed like a golden chance to secure victory turned into yet another disappointment.
With 32 laps to go at Kansas Speedway, Busch, running up front with one of the fastest cars on track, lost control and spun out while trying to pass Chase Briscoe of Stewart-Haas Racing. Briscoe, who was on the verge of being lapped, didn’t yield enough space to Busch, causing a critical airflow disruption that sent the No. 8 Chevy driver into a spin, ultimately costing him the race.
“Running 10-tenths, trying to make up speed and cover the 1 car [Ross Chastain], I just got too big a hurry,” Busch explained. “The 14 [Briscoe] turned down the hill to get clean air from the guy in front of him. I went to his outside and plugged a hole, but for some reason, I just felt nothing off the corner.”
Despite pushing hard all day, Busch expressed deep disappointment, particularly over the missed opportunity to reward his RCR team for their tireless efforts. Busch felt the weight of responsibility, admitting that impatience may have been a factor in his costly mistake.
“I hate it for my guys and everyone at RCR,” Busch lamented. “They deserved to get the win today. We hung with the 1 car [Chastain] for 15 laps, finally passed him, and could get away. But then, we’d catch a lap car, back up, and the gap would close again. I guess I just got in too big a hurry.”
Chase Briscoe, a self-proclaimed Kyle Busch fan, offered his side of the story after the race. According to Briscoe, the incident was a case of bad timing and bad luck. He clarified that there was no contact between the two cars and maintained that he had given Busch enough space to complete the pass.
“I don’t know if we ever touched,” Briscoe explained. “These cars are so sensitive when you’re off to the right. I was trying to give him a car width and a couple of inches. As soon as he got to my right rear, I saw him get loose. I literally left him the top lane.”
For Briscoe, the incident only added to an already challenging day, as he struggled to stay on the lead lap. As the season nears its conclusion, both Busch and Briscoe will be looking to turn things around in the final six races, but the Kansas playoff race will surely linger as a missed opportunity for both drivers.
With Busch’s 20-year win streak in jeopardy and time running out, all eyes will be on the No. 8 Chevy driver to see if he can bounce back before the season wraps up. The Kansas incident underscores the unpredictable nature of racing, and for Busch, it’s another heartbreaking chapter in a season that has yet to go his way.
