Kyle Busch’s 2024 season has been nothing short of frustrating, and his latest race at the Hollywood Casino 400 was a perfect example. Busch, nicknamed “Rowdy,” has been chasing his first win in 50 races. Time and time again, he’s come close to breaking that streak, but something always stands in his way. Unfortunately for Busch, Chase Briscoe has been a recurring obstacle this season.
Earlier in the year at Darlington Raceway, Briscoe managed to overtake Busch in a dramatic last-lap move, earning himself a playoff spot and leaving Busch on the outside looking in. Now, with the playoffs out of reach, Busch has been racing purely for pride, which only adds to the sting when things don’t go his way. To make matters worse, rumors are swirling that Busch may be eyeing some form of payback against Briscoe, as tensions between the two drivers continue to rise.
Busch’s impressive career includes winning at least one race per season for 19 consecutive years. But this year, that streak is in serious jeopardy. At Kansas Speedway, Busch looked poised to finally break through and claim victory. He led the race with 32 laps to go and was driving well. But disaster struck when he found himself battling fiercely with Ross Chastain. As Busch’s No. 8 Chevy came up on Briscoe, who was just trying to stay in the race and avoid being lapped, things went awry. Busch’s car got loose going into Turn 2, hit the wall, and spun out. In a matter of seconds, his chance for victory slipped away, and he ended up finishing in 19th place.
The loss was a bitter pill for Busch to swallow, especially since Briscoe is the driver who prevented him from making the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. The tension between the two drivers hasn’t gone unnoticed. On the “Door Bumper Clear” podcast, Bubba Wallace’s spotter, Freddie Kraft, even commented on the situation, saying, “If you’re in Chase’s position, especially now being out… you don’t want to make enemies at this point, and he did.”
In fairness to Briscoe, there wasn’t much he could do to avoid the incident. As the driver of the No. 14 Ford, Briscoe was fighting to keep his playoff hopes alive and couldn’t afford to go a lap down. Letting Busch pass easily would have been detrimental to Briscoe’s chances of advancing in the playoffs. While Busch’s misfortune was unfortunate, he also has to take some responsibility for what happened on the track.
With just six races remaining in the season, both Busch and Briscoe are running out of time to turn things around. For Busch, the clock is ticking as he tries to secure a win and avoid ending the season without a single victory. Meanwhile, Briscoe is fighting to stay in playoff contention. He’s currently 25 points below the elimination cutline, and his 24th-place finish at Kansas was a significant setback in his quest to make it to the Round of 8.
The upcoming races at Talladega Superspeedway and Charlotte Oval are crucial for both drivers. For Briscoe, the stakes couldn’t be higher. He needs a strong performance at Talladega to keep his championship hopes alive. With Stewart-Haas Racing shutting down operations at the end of the 2024 season, Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang will be sporting a special throwback paint scheme at Talladega. The car will pay tribute to team co-owner Tony Stewart with a yellow-and-black livery honoring Stewart’s longtime sponsor, Rush Truck Centers. The design echoes the paint scheme Stewart used during his prime.
Stewart-Haas Racing shared the new paint scheme on their social media, posting an image of the car with the caption, “What a rush it’s been. As a long-standing partner of SHR, @rushtruckcenter will look familiar with @ChaseBriscoe_14 in an iconic @TonyStewart throwback at Talladega.” Stewart himself even chimed in, saying, “This is bad—.”
The partnership between Rush Truck Centers and Stewart-Haas Racing dates back to 2010 when Tony Stewart drove the No. 14 Chevy. As for Briscoe, he’s the last Stewart-Haas Racing driver still in the playoffs after his dramatic win at Darlington. The 29-year-old finished fourth at Talladega last year, and he’ll be looking to match or improve on that result this time around. With his future secure after signing with Joe Gibbs Racing for 2025, Briscoe is hoping to give Stewart-Haas Racing the perfect sendoff by winning the championship at Phoenix Raceway later this season.
As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Talladega, the pressure is on. Can Kyle Busch finally end his winless streak? Can Chase Briscoe keep his playoff hopes alive? With so much on the line, the next few races promise to be thrilling.
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