Kyle Busch faced another setback in what has been a challenging season for the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. He came close to breaking his longest winless streak at the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway but ultimately fell short. As the race entered its final stretch, Busch spun out, dashing his hopes of victory once again.
With 32 laps remaining, Busch was battling Chase Briscoe in an attempt to lap the driver of the #14 Ford and take the lead. However, the “dirty air” from Briscoe’s car prevented Busch from passing. The Richard Childress Racing (RCR) driver lost control in Turn 2, spinning out and finishing in 19th place. This result extended his winless streak to 50 races, a frustrating statistic for someone of Busch’s caliber. Reflecting on the incident, Busch, a 63-time Cup Series winner, shared his disappointment:
“I’m sure [Chase Briscoe] was racing to stay on the lead lap, and he was probably racing whoever was in front of him, too. They’ve got their race to run, but back in the day, you’d give a lane and let the leaders go. I wasn’t getting that today. I tried to force the issue and get around him, but when I went to the outside, all the air just went the wrong way, and I spun out.”
This incident marked the second time this season that Busch’s race was affected by Briscoe. During the final race of the regular season, Briscoe secured his place in the playoffs while Busch finished second. Busch’s frustration has been building, as he expressed:
“It doesn’t matter what I expect anymore. Nobody gives anything in this sport; it’s all about taking.”
The on-track battle between Busch and Briscoe has drawn attention from NASCAR insiders. Fox Sports journalist Bob Pockrass offered his perspective on the Kansas race, highlighting that Briscoe, as a playoff driver, couldn’t afford to give Busch the space he needed. Pockrass noted that the situation might have been different if Briscoe hadn’t been competing for a playoff spot. A post by Fox Sports on X (formerly Twitter) emphasized this point:
“A non-playoff Chase Briscoe should give Kyle Busch more room in that situation. But a playoff Chase Briscoe can’t afford to do so.”
Pockrass elaborated on his thoughts, explaining that playoff drivers need to fight for every position they can:
“As long as you’re still in the playoffs, you’ve got to do whatever it takes to stay in the race. You might hope for some forgiveness later or expect it to even out at some point, but for now, Briscoe needs those spots. He can’t afford to go a lap down if he wants to stay in contention.”
It’s important to note that Busch holds a unique place in NASCAR history. He is the only driver to have won at least one race in 19 consecutive seasons. With just six races remaining in the season, Busch has limited opportunities to keep that streak alive and extend his remarkable record for another year.
The ongoing rivalry between Busch and Briscoe, combined with the pressure of the playoffs, creates an intriguing storyline as the NASCAR season progresses. Both drivers are focused on their goals, and neither is willing to give an inch. For Busch, the frustration of another missed chance at victory continues to grow, but he remains determined to find success before the season concludes.
As the races wind down, all eyes will be on whether Busch can break his winless streak and continue his record-setting run. However, the competitive nature of the NASCAR playoffs means that every driver, especially those still in the hunt for the championship, will be fighting for every advantage, just as Briscoe did at Kansas.
“Let the leaders race” – Kyle Busch expresses frustration over Chase Briscoe’s actions amid missed Kansas opportunity
