Kyle Busch and his 2024 campaign have been a story to forget. Having failed to win a single race this season, Busch sits 93 points behind the playoff cutline. With only two races left in the regular season, a win at either Daytona or Darlington could come to Rowdy’s rescue. While the Richard Childress Racing driver wishes to turn around his form, he has another big responsibility on his shoulders.

In his debut season with RCR last year, Kyle Busch made a lot of noise with three wins. However, the form deteriorated from last season itself, resulting now in a 45-race winless streak for the two-time Cup Series champion. Unarguably, it is one of the toughest phases Kyle Busch has witnessed in his racing career. While a win could change things, it will certainly help extend a record that once belonged to the great Richard Petty.

Kyle Busch faces an uphill task at Daytona amid a 45-race winless streak

In the 2024 campaign, nothing seems to have gone in favor of Kyle Busch. With three top-five and seven top-ten finishes, Rowdy has struggled with consistency in his racing. What’s worse is his car suffering five DNFs this season. While it says plenty about the state of affairs at Richard Childress Racing, Busch’s efforts seem to reap nothing productive.

The #8 driver has not only spent more time in the simulator but has also tried a change in his crew members. Unfortunately, it hasn’t gone in his favor one bit. Kyle Busch now faces the threat of missing out on the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Speaking about his current form to Associated Press journalist, Mark Long, Busch mentioned his struggles.

In a disappointed fashion, Rowdy accepted, “It seems like the harder I work … the worse we are at the racetrack.” He sits 93 points behind 17th-placed Bubba Wallace and 94 points behind 16th-placed Ross Chastain. While the former JGR driver faces the risk of missing out on the playoffs after 12 years, another record of his is at stake.

Currently, Kyle Busch holds the record for the most consecutive years with a victory, starting in 2005. In the process of making this record, he beat past Richard Petty, who set it by winning between 1960 and 1977. Luckily for Busch, he could still extend the record even if he registered a victory in the playoffs regardless of whether he qualifies or not.

While Kyle Busch carries his wrist injury from the Brickyard 400, he remained unfazed by this record given his form struggles. He said, “You try to keep it going as long as you can. You want to set that year mark as high as you possibly can, just to try to not let anybody ever get there again. Look at how many years it stood for Richard Petty before I was able to get it.”

Unsurprisingly, making it to the playoffs matters more to Kyle Busch than extending his consecutive yearly win record. Having said that, could Daytona be the answer to his on-track woes?

Will Kyle Busch make an unexpected winning run at Daytona this weekend?

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45 races without a win isn’t a short-term problem. While Kyle Busch understands that, there has been plenty that needs to change at Richard Childress Racing. With his #8 car lacking speed, the on-track and pit-road issues have only added more misery to his woes. However, it could all change with a victory at Daytona this weekend.

Having said that, it isn’t going to be easy for Rowdy. Busch has registered a victory only once at Daytona, that too in 2018. While there’s no guarantee of anyone winning, the 39-year-old will need some luck on Sunday. Like him, there will be others who are desperate to secure their place in the playoffs. Who knows someone might pull off an Austin Dillon-like move at Daytona this Sunday.

Surely, NASCAR will not spare the driver this time around and be more proactive with the punishment. From Kyle Busch’s perspective, if Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Cindric, Michael McDowell, Justin Haley, and Erik Jones have all walked victory lane, there’s no reason why he cannot be hopeful of a win. Speaking to NBC Sports this week, Busch accepted what it will take to win.

He said, “We know we’re not doing the best right now, so we’re all trying to strive to get better and put ourselves in the spots that we all want to be in. It’s not due to a lack of effort. I know that. There’s plenty of hard work going around. It’s just a matter of being a little bit better at it, being a little bit smarter at it, and trying to make the most of it.”

Apr 29, 2023; Dover, Delaware, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch stands behind the pit road wall during practice and qualifying for the Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY SportsBusch further added, “It’s just a matter of taking a strong mental approach to it and being able to have the mindset of a champion and to go out there and take the good days when you can get the good days and try to let go of the bad ones when they happen but learn from them and move forward.” Hopefully, this should help Busch record his debut win either at Daytona or Darlington.

While the NASCAR fandom will love to see Kyle Busch fight in the playoffs, they would also love him to extend the stunning record of a win for the 20th consecutive year.