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Can Kyle Busch End His Daytona 500 Curse? The RCR Star Aims to Replicate Dale Earnhardt’s Iconic Breakthrough

Simon Monroy by Simon Monroy
February 13, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Can Kyle Busch End His Daytona 500 Curse? The RCR Star Aims to Replicate Dale Earnhardt’s Iconic Breakthrough

Feb 12, 2025; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch during Daytona 500 media day at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

For two decades, Kyle Busch has chased the one victory that has always eluded him. Will 2025 finally be his year?

For NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, the Daytona 500 was the ultimate prize that kept slipping through his fingers—until 1998, when he finally shook off the ghosts of Daytona in one of the sport’s most emotional victories.

Now, 27 years later, another Richard Childress Racing (RCR) driver is staring down the same challenge: Kyle Busch. Entering his 20th Daytona 500 without a win, Busch hopes to mirror Earnhardt’s long-awaited breakthrough and finally hoist the Harley J. Earl Trophy.

A Familiar Story: The Earnhardt-Busch Parallels

Dale Earnhardt dominated at Daytona for years, but bad luck, crashes, and unpredictable superspeedway chaos kept him from Victory Lane at the Great American Race.

Then came 1998—a day forever etched in NASCAR history. Earnhardt led 107 of 200 laps, refusing to let another Daytona 500 slip away. When he took the checkered flag, pit road erupted in celebration, with crew members from every team lining up to shake his hand.

“I don’t think he ever believed he’d never win the 500,” Richard Childress said after that victory.
“He’d won enough other races down here to know he could win the 500, but there was always something that got in his way.”

Fast forward to 2025, and those words could easily be applied to Kyle Busch.

Busch is one of the most successful active drivers in NASCAR, a two-time Cup Series champion (2015, 2019) and 62-time race winner—but Daytona has never been kind to him.

Busch’s Painful Daytona 500 History: So Close, Yet So Far

Busch’s Daytona heartbreaks have played out year after year.

  • 2007 – A last-lap crash ended his shot at victory.
  • 2008 – Stuck in traffic in the final laps, unable to challenge for the win.
  • 2009 – Dominated the race, leading 88 laps before crashing out 30 laps from the finish.
  • 2016 – Earned a third-place finish but fell just short.
  • 2019 – Came agonizingly close, finishing runner-up in his best Daytona 500 result yet.
  • 2024 – Was in the mix late but finished P8.

Every time he’s had a chance, bad luck has struck, keeping him from one of the most prestigious victories in the sport.

Can Busch Follow Earnhardt’s Path in 2025?

Busch himself is aware of the eerie similarities between his journey and Earnhardt’s.

“Yeah, it’s been I guess 20 years trying now here this year,” Busch acknowledged.
“Another guy at RCR once upon a time had 20 years of trying and was able to capitalize on that. Hopefully, this year is our year for being able to do that.”

Busch knows he’s been close, but he’s not leaving anything to chance.

“The last couple of years we have been really strong in that race,” he said.
“We’ve been there late in the goings, had opportunities on restarts and whatnot, so we want to be able to have the same chances this time around and bring home the checkered flag.”

If Busch can avoid the chaos, stay near the front, and get the right push in the closing laps, he could finally follow in Earnhardt’s footsteps and cement his place in NASCAR history.

And if he does? Expect him to pull an Earnhardt and finally throw that monkey off his back.

Will 2025 Be the Year Busch Breaks Through?

  • Earnhardt took 20 years to win Daytona. Busch is at 20 years and counting.
  • RCR was the team that ended Earnhardt’s drought—can they do it again for Busch?
  • Busch has come close multiple times—will luck finally be on his side?

One thing is certain: Kyle Busch won’t stop fighting until he gets his Daytona 500 moment.

And when that day comes, it will be one for the history books.

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