“I’m numb. I don’t know what to do,” said Kyle Busch after crashing out while leading the race at Kansas in 2024. That loss marked Busch’s 51st Cup race without a win. Fast forward to 2025, and that streak is unfortunately going strong at 68. Busch is a NASCAR icon with over 230 career victories, yet he is enduring a punishing 2025 season that’s testing his resolve. His latest heartbreak unfolded at Texas Motor Speedway, where a devastating crash mirrored last year’s collapse at Kansas. Now, he’s baring his soul, sharing the frustration of pouring everything into a race, only to see it unravel in an instant.
The race in Texas began with promise. Busch, starting third in his No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, was a force early on. After a race marred with cautions and restarts, with less than 50 laps to go, Busch fought his way back up to third, battling among the leaders and poised for a shot at victory. The moment felt electric—this was his chance to shine, to silence the doubters and end the drought. But in a cruel twist, just two laps later, his car slammed into the wall, ending his day in a wreck.
Kyle Busch is fed up with trying
The raw and unfiltered RCR driver revealed to Bob Pockrass ahead of the race at Kansas, reflecting on last week’s misery, “Just totally bummed you know. We worked all day and fought hard to get ourselves back up in position to have a shot to be able to go race for it we restarted third there we were running third and it was like okay you know this is your moment this is where you shine this is where you get paid the big bucks like go get it.” The Texas race was a rollercoaster. Busch started strong, clawing his way to third place by lap 191, where Kyle Larson led under green flag conditions with 75 laps left.
The field was fierce, with 12 lead changes among nine drivers and six cautions for 43 laps, and Busch’s spin was just another addition to a list of drivers getting spun by the bumps on Turn 4. Busch added, “Literally two laps later, I’m crashed. So same thing happened here last year. Put yourself in those positions. You live for those moments of being able to go get it and get a win, and boom, we’re in the wall. We’re crashed. So I don’t know why or what, but I’ve been rewarded 230-plus times of being able to go get it and go get the win when it comes down to it.”
Then, he delivered a heartbreaking confession, “It seems like I get penalized for trying.”#8 Chevrolet driver was in the thick of it, ready to capitalize on a track where he’s tasted victory before. His disappointment then shifted to a tone of annoyance. Busch was audibly frustrated at the Bumps on Turns 3 and 4 at Texas, which ruined the race for many drivers, including himself.
Josh Berry was in the lead when he hit that bump and spun out, and Chase Briscoe spun early in the race. Meanwhile, Ryan Blaney, who was in contention for the win, avoided the top lane entirely as he didn’t want a bump to wreck his speed. Busch echoed everyone’s frustrations, adding, ” You had three guys crash this year… I bet you there was probably three or more that crashed last year… Whether they completely cut that section out and just repave that section or whether they grind it, I really don’t care, but you probably got to smoothen it out.”
Kyle Busch said he was totally bummed leaving Texas after a crash in the final laps. His thoughts on having the car come out from underneath him at Texas, much like here at Kansas last fall, and the bump at Texas. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/SUCZn4mztY
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 10, 2025
By lap 267 at Texas, Joey Logano crossed the finish line to win, and Busch was nowhere near the front. It’s not just one crash; it’s a haunting repeat of Kansas 2024, the track where the Cup Series heads this weekend. Busch uncovered the challenges he expects to face with the racetrack, “Kansas is tough all around, and a lot of it has to do with the wind. The wind can really play havoc on the car’s handling, depending on which direction it’s blowing.”
The two-time Cup champion has been hot and cold at Kansas lately. His run in 2024 showed promise as the speed was there, but the handling let him down as the race heated up. His last 6 races at Kansas have seen three top-10 finishes but also three outside the top-15. It seems like Kansas is a win-or-bust race for Busch, and with the winless streak growing every week, the pressure is certainly on Rowdy.
For now, Texas’ sting lingers like an open wound. Busch’s words, raw and piercing, reflect a racer who lives for the thrill of victory but keeps crashing into literal and figurative walls. His fans, hanging on every race, are left asking: When will their champion’s luck finally turn?
Kyle Busch’s bad luck may be external as well
The man who once dominated tracks is grappling with a winless streak that has stretched since his last victory at Gateway in June 2023. The Texas Motor Speedway race was a dagger to the heart. Kevin Harvick, now a FOX Sports analyst, stirred hope with a bold prediction as Busch was charging ahead in third place. Harvick said on the broadcast, “The guy right behind him [Ryan Blaney], Kyle Busch. We know how hungry he is to get his car back in victory lane.” And just as he finished that sentence, Busch was into the wall.
Harvick, reflecting on his Happy Hour podcast, said, “Everybody’s rooting for Kyle Busch. Everybody wants Kyle Busch to win right now, and I was trying to give the guy some love. And mid-sentence, we’re backed into the fence off of Turn 4.” his voice was heavy with regret for jinxing his friend. Close calls, like a near-win at Atlanta in 2024, slipped through his fingers, and mechanical issues plagued his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing car. Yet Busch’s fire burns bright. He’s still out there, battling for every position; his determination is unshaken.
Each race feels like a plea for redemption. Will 2025 bring the comeback we’re praying for? Rowdy Nation’s holding its breath, hoping the racing gods finally smile on him.
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