Lightning fast. That’s the only way to describe Austin Dillon at Richmond Raceway. The Richard Childress Racing driver finished first in practice, posting the fastest lap time in his No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro. He also finished sixth in qualifying, five spots ahead of teammate Kyle Busch, and took his first Cup Series win of the season, while Rowdy finished a modest 12th.
With both drivers running identical cars and the same setup, how could Austin Dillon be so much faster than his teammate in the Cook Out 400? The performance gap between the two drivers sparked a debate between NASCAR insiders and former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Steve Letarte. Reflecting on Richard Childress Racing’s sudden rise to fame, the discussion focused on how it might affect Kyle Busch’s fortunes before the start of the playoffs.
Was Richmond a sign of the rebirth of Richard Childress Racing?
It’s never a good feeling for a driver to be overtaken by another driver, but it’s infinitely worse when “the other driver” is his teammate. That’s exactly what happened to Kyle Busch when he was passed by Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon at Richmond Raceway. Adding insult to injury for Rowdy, Dillon got a win, one that Kyle Busch has been desperately wanting all season. Although the circumstances surrounding the win were controversial, it begged the question: How was Dillon so much faster than his teammate?
Discussing how the speed of Chevrolet no. 3 could affect Kyle Busch, Dirty Mo Dough podcast host Steve Letarte asked NASCAR insiders for their thoughts. Tampa Timms responded by saying, “I think it’s better. I think he (Kyle Busch) knows he’s in the building. They can move engineers around as much as they want. They can do what they want, it’s in the building. I think this is a plus. »
The show’s producer, Travis Rockhold, echoed those sentiments, saying, “If this was 15 years ago, I’d say it’s worse because it’s older and everything.” I think it’s better. He says to himself, “Okay, that’s it, let’s get better.” However, the professor disagreed with the two, saying, “No, I think it’s worse.” If he has it, why doesn’t Kyle have it too? Why is it different?
Despite his contract with Richard Childress Racing until 2025, Kyle Busch has been linked with a move away from the team. Reports suggest that Spire Motorsports has been in bad shape following the split from Corey LaJoie, with team owner Jeff Dickerson willing to break the bank to get Rowdy. The source of all the speculation surrounding Busch’s future stems from the fact that his season has been disastrous. With five retirements already and 43 races without a win, Busch was struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That was until Austin Dillon won at Richmond Raceway. His playoff spot may have been taken away, along with 25 hard-earned points, but Dillon’s victory in the 2024 Cook Out 400 will be a huge source of relief for Richard Childress Racing. The team has struggled throughout the season, but now that it has shown signs of significant improvement, the goal will be to repeat this situation for the remaining three races of the regular season. Kyle Busch, hoping for a miracle to make the playoffs, will want his car to be like the No. 1 Chevrolet. 1. 3 of Dillon in Richmond, giving him a chance to save his 2024 season.
Austin Dillon expresses support for Kyle Busch’s playoff ambitions
The Cook Out 400 at Richmond ended in the most controversial way possible, with Austin Dillon crushing Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on his way to the checkered flag. Despite the nature of his victory, Kyle Busch was one of the first drivers to congratulate the 34-year-old, giving him some much-needed emotional support.
Rowdy praised his performance, saying, “You were the best dude and you dominated,” giving credit where it was due, even though Busch didn’t even crack the top 10. In return, Austin Dillon expressed support for the ‘ambitions of Kyle Busch after the season, saying on the podcast Dirty Jr. Download: “We have to do everything we can to help Kyle get on the road to victory and also secure a playoff spot. And Kyle is a man to be respected because of his commitment to win at all costs. , like all great racing drivers.
He also had a disappointing season by his standards and we all feel that at RCR and we need to get him to where he is able to do this, running in the top 5 and winning wins every week and hopefully we can start this dynamic . now »
With three races remaining in the regular season, Kyle Busch is hoping for a strong showing at Michigan, Daytona and Darlington. The 39-year-old has never gone an entire season without winning a race in his professional career, and if there is even a glimmer of hope that he can salvage his season, Busch will grab it with both hands. As such, nothing less than a win will secure a playoff berth, meaning Richard Childress Racing must repeat what it did in Richmond once again – but this time, it must be in the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro. 8 of Busch. Do you think Kyle Busch can make the playoffs? Tell us in the comments!
