Pocono Raceway should have been a clean slate for Kyle Busch. But even before he hit the track, controversy found him. Busch made headlines during media day, not for his car, but for his comments about Dale Earnhardt Jr. As Junior stepped into a new role, serving as crew chief in the Xfinity Series for Connor Zilisch, fans celebrated. It was a big moment, symbolically and emotionally. But Busch didn’t join the celebration.
When asked about Junior’s stint on the pit box, Busch smirked and replied, “It’s all publicity, spin it however you want. He’s just going to be a warm body on the box.” Those few words lit up NASCAR social media like a short-track caution flag. Busch later took to X to explain himself, saying, “This has nothing to do w any animosity towards Dale Jr. I’m referencing how silly the suspensions for cc are these days…” Still, Jr Nation, was not convinced as old wounds resurfaced fast.
Jr Nation hadn’t forgotten their chaotic late 2000s, and Busch had just poked the bear again, only this time, with words instead of bumpers. And just like that, Busch’s weekend began in hot water. The tension followed him to the track like a storm cloud. What was supposed to be a fresh start after a miserable race in Mexico turned into yet another wreck-filled nightmare. Once again, at Pocono, the past and present collided. And once again, Kyle Busch left wondering if he’ll ever outrun the Pocono curse.
Kyle Busch’s miserable season continues!
Kyle Busch came to Pocono hoping for redemption. After a disappointing showing in Mexico City, he looked to flip the script. Instead, things spiraled on lap 83. Coming out of the tunnel turn, Busch slid up the track and clipped Todd Gilliland. That slight contact was all it took. Busch spun, and the mess grew. Christopher Bell, Shane van Gisbergen, and Ty Dillon all got caught in the aftermath. It was the second straight week Busch triggered a multi-car crash.
Over the radio, all he could say was, “Yeah, I gotcha,” when told to make a lap and pit. Frustration clearly boiled over. “I can’t keep a straight wheel down the straightaway. So, we’re going to have to do something,” Busch told his team. Meanwhile. Christopher Bell, one of the drivers caught in the wreck, tried to avoid the chaos but still got a piece of it. “I barely nosed the wall. Tires are up right now but severely flat-spotted,” he reported. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver knew the problem wasn’t his; it was what unfolded in front of him.
Whoa! Suddenly a crash. Bell, SVG, Kyle Busch, Ty Dillon.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) June 22, 2025
Pocono has never been kind to Kyle Busch. In fact, it was one of the last tracks he figured out. “Pocono’s fun. I mean, it’s very challenging and gave me a headache for a lot of years,” Rowdy admitted before the race. He only cracked the code after 2014, eventually winning four times with Joe Gibbs Racing. But since moving to Richard Childress Racing, he’s been nowhere close. In his last six Pocono starts, he’s crashed out twice, finished outside the top 20 four times, and hasn’t led a single lap in the last two years.
The only time he truly tamed the triangle in recent years was in 2021, his last win there, driving with a broken gear shift and stuck in fourth gear. Since then, it’s been frustration and failure. And with each passing year, the Pocono magic feels further away. That magic is missing everywhere right now. With 74 races since his last Cup Series win, Kyle Busch is mired in his longest drought. The two-time champion hasn’t taken a checkered flag since 2023. In 2025, he’s made 16 starts. Only one has ended in the top five. His average finish? A discouraging 18.06. There’s been speed, but no substance. Promise, but no payoff.
Busch is still running nearly all of his laps and stays in the mix. But staying in the mix isn’t winning. And for a guy with 63 career Cup wins, that matters. Right now, Rowdy is searching for answers. The No. 8 team looks lost. The Pocono crash was more than a wreck; it was a symbol. A team stuck in reverse. A driver haunted by both steering problems and a storm of expectations he can’t shake. And if you ask someone who knows him best, the struggle is real. As Kyle Busch continues to battle the curse, frustration, and fading momentum, big brother Kurt Busch has weighed in on what he sees.
Kurt Busch speaks up about No.8’s slump!
Kurt Busch knows racing slumps. He lived through them. So, when he talks about his brother’s struggles, he does it with the weight of experience and the honesty of a sibling. “Yeah, I’m seeing the slump from the No. 8 car and the No. 3 car this year. But those things happen. I mean, you’re on top of your game one year, you come back to the track next year, and you’re like, ‘Why am I P20 on the board?’ It happens,” Kurt said this weekend, just after stepping into a major new role in NASCAR, i.e, serving as grand marshal.
The words carry empathy. Kurt knows how brutal this sport can be, especially when expectations are sky-high. Kyle Busch isn’t just any driver; he’s a two-time champion, a 63-time Cup winner. But none of that matters when your car isn’t fast, and your weekends end in wrecks. Kurt understands that pain. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Kurt is doing what he can to keep things moving forward for the Busch family. That includes helping Kyle’s son, Brexton, navigate his early racing career.
“This past week, there was a Legends car opportunity for my nephew, his son, Brexton, to race in Northern California. So, I was trying to help line that up for them. You know, whether it’s decals or sponsorship, or even a corporation,” Kurt shared. But he made it clear, Kyle is still in control of his own destiny. “If there’s a chance to help Brexton’s career move forward, those are things that I’m doing behind the scenes. But not all that much. I mean, Kyle’s got it under control.”
Kurt’s tone isn’t one of concern, but of faith. He believes his brother will bounce back. And while Rowdy Nation might be worried, Kurt is betting on experience, skill, and time. Because if there’s one thing both Busch brothers have proven, it’s that they know how to fight their way back. But for now, at Pocono at least, the curse continues.
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