For the first time in 20 years, Kyle Busch went winless in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Since his rookie campaign in 2005, Busch scored at least one win per season — and as many as eight two times (2008, 2018) — at the sport‘s top level. His 19 consecutive seasons with a victory are an all-time record — one he anticipated continuing in 2024.
But an uncharacteristic drop in performance from the otherworldly standard Busch set for himself resulted in the fewest top fives (five), top 10s (10) and laps led (230) of his career, with an 18.3 average finish that marked his worst since his rookie year (21.0, 2005).
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Simply put, Busch described the 2024 season — his second driving the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet — as “character building.”
“Certainly frustrating,” Busch said during Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway. “Just not at all what we had hoped it to be after some success last year, especially early in the year and having those three wins, and then struggling a little bit on and off, but then this year, just seemingly not being able to get the monkey off our back. I mean, even having a shot to win late in the day and being close at Daytona and maybe even closer at Kansas and just not being able to pull through.
“We probably had a handful of opportunities that slipped out from under us. So can’t say that we shouldn’t have won this year or never had an opportunity to, but obviously didn’t get it done.”
The past two years have been ones of significant change for Busch. Now 39, Busch started his career with three years at Hendrick Motorsports before joining forces with Joe Gibbs Racing for 15 years. His success over those 18 seasons was remarkable, as he collected 60 wins and two NASCAR Cup Series championships.
That tenure with JGR came to a close following the 2022 season, leading the Las Vegas native to Richard Childress Racing. He laments the record run is over but has a different perspective on it now that it has concluded.
“I would have much rather it been — if I’m going to run six, seven more years — it last 25, 26 years, and just make it a mark that will never be achievable, right?” Busch said. “But unfortunately, those things didn’t happen. Things changed for me a couple years ago, and I was grateful to be able to extend the streak last year and make it my own. But honestly, for there being guys that are at 17 (years) and one guy was at 18, and now one guy at 19, it’s hard to put that many good years like that together in a row. It’s difficult.”
That sustained success throughout his career is what Busch hopes to rely upon in 2025. Crew chief Randall Burnett will return to lead the No. 8 team, but RCR has made leadership changes already in this young offseason which the company hopes will lead to improved performance.
Veteran crew chief and competition director Keith Rodden has been named the team‘s vice president of competition, while former Stewart-Haas Racing leaders John Klausmeier and Richard Boswell have joined the ranks as well. Klausmeier will serve as RCR‘s technical director, while Boswell becomes the new crew chief for the historic No. 3 Chevrolet and driver Austin Dillon.
While Busch‘s results left much to be desired in 2024, optimism remains that a new win streak will begin in 2025.
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