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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Gloomy clouds are looming over Richard Childress Racing’s horizon. Childress inducted a supposed savior at the end of 2022, and that driver is in a miserable slump. Kyle Busch currently lies at risk of continuing RCR’s dampening status. Additionally, his race performance indicates that his NASCAR record winning streak of 19 consecutive seasons is finally coming to an end.

Yet the No. 8 driver is resilient. In recent media briefings, Kyle Busch declared his steadfast loyalty to the team and to his ambition of restoring RCR’s glory. It closely resonated with his 2023 goal: “When you’re a part of this organization, we’re going to fight together as long as you’re willing to fight with us.” This persistent attitude impressed a NASCAR veteran who highlighted Busch’s efforts.

Some motivational words for Kyle Busch

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When Busch first entered RCR, he established a fiery winning streak. It almost felt like he was well on his way to achieving the Championship title that Richard Childress coveted. He won three races before the midpoint of 2023. It closely resembled Jeff Burton’s resurgent glory in RCR. Burton won four Cup wins for the team after joining in 2004, besides seven Xfinity trophies and making the playoffs four times.

However, things have not unfolded similarly for Busch. Ranging from pit team issues to Next Gen car complaints, Busch just keeps getting hit by a domino of problems. As he stands 31 points below the playoff cutline, his crew chief’s confidence seems meaningless to many. NBC on NASCAR host Nate Ryan offered his doubts: “He hasn’t had a great season since he won six races in 2018 six years ago.

But Jeff Burton began his argument with, “I have a ton of respect for Kyle Busch.” Having raced Busch earlier in neck-to-neck battles, Burton knows Rowdy’s talents. “He has done things in a racecar that most people can’t. He is brash, he is cocky, he is confident. But at the same time, he also is smart.”

Burton also praised Busch’s honesty and accountability. “I give him credit for his comments to the media, which is talking to the fans about the things he has struggled with… So I’m not gonna get on him…I’m a simple-thinking guy. If you’re willing to look at yourself and say, I gotta be better, the team’s gotta be doing the same…They’re working their guts out.” Then he gave his clear-cut verdict on Busch’s struggles: “We may look at him differently…but he is a human being.”

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Around 16 years ago, Burton tackled Rowdy’s almost invincible talents. Hence, Jeff Burton’s views are based on firsthand experience and cannot be denied. 

Burton edged out a fiery Busch

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Entering the Sam’s Town 300 in 2007, Jeff Burton already had an advantage. He owned five top-fives and six top-tens at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. However, his RCR teammate (read rival) Kyle Busch proved to be a prickly thorn in his side. Late in the race, a wreck caused a caution and a seven-lap battle between the two drivers. Busch snatched Burton’s lead on the restart, and what followed was a massive trading of paint and tight racing.

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But with two laps to go, Jeff Burton’s fortunes broke open – and he was left scratching his head at how he beat the fiery Kyle Busch. Burton described the situation in 2007: “I didn’t think that I had much of a chance to get the win, but I just kept fighting and kept trying. With one-and-a-half laps left, we had made a dent in his lead, and on the last lap, I made another dent. I made my mind up that Turn 4 was going to get interesting because I knew that I wasn’t going to lift and he wasn’t going to lift either. I got the Chevy on the outside, and that was cool and it worked out for us.”

Can Kyle Busch bring back that amazing last-lap fury to the present? Let us wait and watch the next races to witness a stroke of luck.