Despite a potential victory slipping through his fingers at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Kyle Busch, driving the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, proved he is far from surrendering his fighting spirit. In a race where he led 42 of 95 laps, disaster struck at the 78th lap when Denny Hamlin’s No.11 Toyota locked its tires and collided with Austin Dillon, Busch’s teammate. The resulting yellow flag proved a game-changer, particularly disastrous for Busch.
Busch’s older tires were no match after the restart. Christopher Bell, driving the No. 20 Toyota, managed to overtake Busch with only five laps remaining. Running on fresher tires, Bell secured the win by a two-lap margin. Despite a commendable performance, Busch, the star driver for RCR, finished fifth. This outcome marked another instance where Busch and his crew were inches away from victory.
However, Busch’s post-race demeanor was strikingly different from past reactions. Instead of his trademark fiery temperament, he demonstrated acceptance and graceful defeat. He acknowledged the strategic superiority of his opponents, stating, “Obviously, could have been one spot better, but still not a win.” This calm reaction and praise for his team are a stark contrast to his P4 finish at Dover last year, where he demanded more from his team.
The tire issue was a significant sticking point for Busch post-race. He lamented, “If only we had tires as good as the twenty.” His pit stop at lap 69 put him behind Bell’s lap 71 stop, a strategic setback that cost him the race. Despite this, Busch showed remarkable appreciation for his team’s efforts, a potential indication of a stronger and more resilient RCR team in future races.
Jeff Burton, on the Inside the Race podcast, echoed this sentiment. He noted Busch’s confidence in his team’s ability to deliver winning race cars. He highlighted the stark contrast in Busch’s attitude from last year, stating that Busch’s praise for his team and his car signals a promising future for the team.
Busch’s winless streak is a continuation of his challenging 2024 season – the first full Cup Series year without a win since his rookie season in 2005. This continued dry spell broke his NASCAR-record streak of 19 consecutive seasons with at least one victory.
Busch’s post-race reaction was a far cry from his 2024 attitude, where he had pointedly confronted Christopher Bell. This year, Busch was gracious, praising Bell’s racing style and congratulating him on his win.
Despite a challenging race at COTA and the continuation of his winless streak, Busch’s resilience is undeniable. His fifth-place finish at COTA marked his season-best performance. His confident post-race tweet, “If we keep doing what we’re doing, it won’t be long,” underscores his belief in his team’s current direction.
With a strong showing at Daytona, a solid top-10 finish at Atlanta, and an impressive performance at COTA, Busch has shown he remains a serious contender. While victory eluded him at COTA, his strong performances signal that it won’t be long before we see him returning to the winner’s circle.
