Kyle Busch’s race at the 2024 Hollywood Casino 400 can only be described as heartbreaking. Throughout the season, Busch, often called “Rowdy,” has come agonizingly close to breaking his 50-race winless streak, only to fall short. Once again, Chase Briscoe stood in his way. Earlier this season, the two drivers battled it out at Darlington Raceway, where Briscoe overtook Busch on the last lap to secure a playoff spot.
It’s been a frustrating season for Busch, to say the least. The two-time Cup Series champion has been competing without much at stake beyond pride. A prominent NASCAR insider even suggested that Busch may seek some form of payback in the upcoming races as tensions between the two drivers escalate.
Busch, who has won at least one Cup Series race in each of the last 19 seasons, faces the possibility of his winless streak extending. At Kansas Speedway, he appeared poised to break that streak, leading the race with 32 laps remaining. However, it all unraveled when he was caught in a fierce battle with Ross Chastain. As Busch’s No. 8 Chevy approached Chase Briscoe’s car, trying to lap him, Busch’s vehicle got loose through Turn 2, bounced off the wall, and spun out. In one instant, all of Busch’s hard work came undone. He had worked diligently to overtake Chastain, only to end up finishing in a disappointing 19th place.
The loss must have been especially tough for Busch to swallow, given that Briscoe is the very driver who kept him out of the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. The tension between the two drivers has not gone unnoticed, with Bubba Wallace’s spotter, Freddie Kraft, commenting on the “Door Bumper Clear” podcast: “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 Briscoe’s defense, there was little 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 could not afford to go a lap down. If he had let Busch pass easily, Briscoe would have risked losing even more positions on the track, which would have been detrimental to his chances of advancing to the next playoff round. While Busch’s misfortune was painful, he ultimately must shoulder some of the blame for the outcome.
With just six races remaining in the season, time is running out for both Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe to salvage their seasons. Busch has six more opportunities to secure a victory and avoid ending the season winless. On the other hand, Briscoe is currently 25 points outside the elimination cutline, and his 24th-place finish at Kansas Speedway was a major setback in his quest to make it to the Round of 8. He will need to recover quickly, with upcoming races at Talladega Superspeedway and Charlotte Oval critical to his playoff hopes.
As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Talladega, excitement is building. For Briscoe, the stakes are higher than ever. A strong result at Talladega could be the key to keeping his championship hopes alive. With Stewart-Haas Racing set to cease operations at the end of 2024, Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang will sport a special throwback paint scheme honoring team co-owner Tony Stewart. The yellow-and-black livery will pay tribute to Stewart’s sponsor, Rush Truck Centers, and is similar to the paint scheme Stewart used during his prime.
Stewart-Haas Racing shared the news on their official X (formerly Twitter) account, posting an image of the new livery 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.” The post included a picture of the brand-new paint scheme, prompting Stewart to remark, “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 is the only driver from SHR still competing in the playoffs after his dramatic victory at Darlington Raceway. The 29-year-old driver finished fourth at Talladega last year, a result he will be looking to match or surpass 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.
Bubba Wallace’s Warns Tony Stewart’s Mentee Against ‘Enemy’ Kyle Busch in 2-Words
