When discussing NASCAR’s greatest comebacks, Kyle Busch’s 2015 campaign can’t be left too far behind. Despite being hailed as a ‘generational talent’, Rowdy had not managed to get his hands on the elusive Cup Series championship after 10 full seasons. Going into his 11th Cup Series season, nobody had penned Busch as a favorite by any means. The guy had just one top-5 finish in the driver’s standings since 2011 and after a crash during the Xfinity race in Daytona, things looked done and dusted for Rowdy.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver suffered a career-defining crash, sidelining him for almost three months. Taking a trip down memory lane, the Nevada native reflected on the horrific incident that forced him to miss the opening 11 races in the NASCAR Cup Series. The No. 18 Toyota driver not only made a full recovery from his many injuries, but he also went on to win the championship for the first time in his career in a remarkable redemption story.

Kyle Busch accepts his role in the horrific Daytona crash

It felt like the season was over even before it began. Kyle Busch doesn’t have fond memories of the 2015 Alert Today Florida 300 and understandably so. The driver competed at Daytona International Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval and was eager to gain track positions in the season opener. Ahead of him were Brad Keselowski, Ryan Reed, and Jones, and Rowdy sensed an opportunity to get a drafting run started to slide through the narrow opening that was visible from his windshield in the middle of the racers ahead. A move he would later come to regret.

Everything went wrong as Kyle Busch got to Erik Jones’ rear bumper and started pushing, getting him loose and causing him to spin. Recalling the incident, the driver said, “Coming through the trial, there’s about eight laps to go and I see a hole through the middle and I’m pushing my teammate who’s right in front of me and I bump him a little bit too early and I get him squirreled up in the tri-oval, and he turns back, right. I missed him, but the air off of his car spun my car out and it darted me towards the infield and I hit the infield wall at 90 miles an hour at 90G’s and hurt really bad.”

To say that the crash was a horrific one would be an understatement. The No. 18 Toyota looked like a complete wreck, and the sheer impact of the collision broke Busch’s left foot and right leg. Emergency services arrived at the scene almost instantly, dousing the fire and pulling ‘Rowdy’ out of the vehicle, who appeared to be struggling and was lying on the ground. In the hospital, the racing driver said, “Man, I don’t think I’m gonna be able to race tomorrow”, and went on to recall the response he received, saying, “Everybody’s like: ‘Yeah, tomorrow’s definitely out. Probably the next one, too.’”

Kyle Busch only has himself to blame for the incident, and the racing driver does feel guilty about his involvement in the controversial wreck. After undergoing surgery, the Nevada native was forced to undertake months of physical therapy while multiple drivers subbed for him on the racetrack. In less than three months, ‘Rowdy’ made a comeback in the All-Star race in May, and ended the season with five wins (including four in five races) to win his first Cup Series championship at Homestead-Miami.

Busch is due another comeback in 2025

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Kyle Busch knows what it takes to win against all odds. A decade after his infamous accident at Daytona International Speedway, the 39-year-old is finding himself fighting against the odds once again. The Richard Childress Racing driver failed to make the playoffs in 2024 after finishing the season winless for the first time in his full-time cup career, despite coming agonizingly close on several occasions. A three-wide photo finish at Atlanta saw him come in third by 0.007 seconds and back-to-back runner-up finishes in Daytona and Darlington were heartbreaking for Busch. However, it’s time for him to start with a clean slate, and he will hope to hit the ground running in the upcoming Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray and the crown-jewel Daytona 500.

Sharing his thoughts about the season ahead, Busch candidly said, “It’s always nice when you look toward a new year and you have an opportunity to have a few new people around you. Working around the shop and getting that chemistry is something you need for a successful season. Last year, I don’t think we met the expectations that we all wanted. Our first season with RCR, we were successful, but unfortunately last year, we didn’t hit our goals. We want to turn things around and get back to our winning ways this year.”

With a change in personnel, renewed focus, and an insatiable desire to get back to Victory Lane, there is no reason why Kyle Busch can’t overturn his bad fortune in 2025. Keith Rodden will step in as the Vice President of competition while John Klausmeier joined as technical director from the defunct Stewart-Haas Racing. While Randall Burnett remains Busch’s crew chief, the overall team strategies could see a fresh look, which is what Busch needs after a tumultuous year of coming ever so close but not getting over the line.

However, getting back to winning ways will be far from easy and the competition will be fierce when the Cup Series action resumes. Moreover, Richard Childress Racing will need to give the veteran racer competitive equipment to challenge for race wins, something that he was desperately lacking in 2024. ‘Rowdy’ won’t be settling for another lackluster season this time around, and will be hoping all the stars align so that he can fight for race wins once again. What are your expectations for Kyle Busch in 2025?