Kyle Busch just lived through the worst season of his storied NASCAR career, and there’s no sugarcoating it—2024 was a disaster. The driver known as “Rowdy” saw his legendary win streak crash and burn, marking the first time since his full-time debut in 2005 that he finished a season without a single victory. And now, all eyes are on his 2025 comeback—if he can pull one off.
For a driver who built his reputation on dominance, Busch’s numbers from last season are downright shocking. A winless campaign, an average finish of 18.31, only 5 top-5s, and just 10 top-10s—the lowest in his career, even worse than his rookie season. When the checkered flag waved on the 2024 campaign, Busch found himself stranded in 20th place in the final standings—an unthinkable position for a driver with 63 career Cup Series wins.
But perhaps the most gut-wrenching stat of all? The end of his historic winning streak.
An Opportunity Lost, A Legacy Wounded
Since his first full-time season in 2005, Busch had won at least one race every single year—a streak that could have extended to 20 straight seasons if he had managed just one victory in 2024. The cruelest part? He had chances.
Coke Zero Sugar 400, Daytona: Busch was right there, but rookie Harrison Burton somehow managed to hold him off in the final turn. A second-place finish, but no victory.
Darlington, the very next race: This time, it was Chase Briscoe who outdueled Busch, snatching away what might have been Rowdy’s last real shot at keeping the streak alive.
Two second-place finishes. Two gut-wrenching missed opportunities. And then… nothing. The win never came.
Busch Breaks His Silence: “It’s Over. It’s Done.”
On a recent episode of NASCAR Live, Busch finally addressed the elephant in the room. His response? Brutally honest.
“It’s over, it’s done. It’s 19, that’s the record. Somebody go get it. That’s basically how I look at it. I’m not starting a new one cause I’m not gonna be around for another 19. So there’s no sense in saying that we are starting anything new. But it does just sort of give you a sour taste in your mouth. That I wasn’t able to continue.”
For a driver who built his brand on winning, this is a tough pill to swallow. And just to add insult to injury, 2024 also marked the first time Busch failed to make the playoffs since the format was introduced in 2014.
Can He Rebound in 2025?
Busch isn’t hiding from the reality of his situation, but he’s also not throwing in the towel.
“We need a win. We need to be in victory lane, we gotta win on Sundays. It’s going to be bittersweet when we win in 2025, that we didn’t do it in 2024, and that the streak isn’t now 21. But I think it is what it is and we move on.”
That’s a telling statement. Even he expects to bounce back. And history suggests he can. After all, Busch still remains one of the greatest drivers NASCAR has ever seen. His 102 Xfinity Series wins, 66 Truck Series victories, and two Cup Series championships (2015, 2019) make him a certified legend, win streak or not.
The One Thing Left to Prove
At this point, Busch has done just about everything in NASCAR—except win the Daytona 500. He has all the other major jewels of the sport:
✔️ Southern 500 (2008)
✔️ Coca-Cola 600 (2018)
✔️ Brickyard 400 (2015, 2016)
But the Great American Race? That trophy still eludes him. And with his future in the sport uncertain, 2025 could be one of his last legitimate shots at claiming it.
After a miserable 2024, Kyle Busch has no choice but to fight back. The legend has been humbled—but is he finished? Not a chance.
