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As the 2023 season nears its climax, Kyle Busch stands on precarious ground, well aware that even minor misjudgments, such as speeding on pit road, could derail his ambitions. Last year, while racing with Joe Gibbs, Busch encountered a challenging period characterized by a myriad of penalties. In total, he was penalized 18 times, including four speeding penalties, four equipment violations, and a loose-wheel penalty. Additionally, at Richmond, the improper use of tape further tarnished his record.

Transitioning to this season with Richard Childress Racing, it seems penalties continue to tail Kyle Busch, not allowing him respite. The weight of these recurrent issues looms large, especially considering his unanticipated early exit from the playoffs last year, a first in his NASCAR Cup Series career, due to engine failures at key races in Darlington and Bristol. Undoubtedly, Busch aspires to eschew such setbacks as he delves deeper into addressing these concerns ahead of the crucial playoff races.

Kyle Busch expresses to eliminate mistakes at the playoff stage

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Kyle Busch commenced the season on a high note with a victory at Fontana, California, although it was marred by a pit road penalty. Subsequently, speeding penalties became a recurring issue, with Dover being another notable instance. His streak of misfortune persisted at the Phoenix Race. There he faced the double blow of a speeding penalty coupled with a pit road penalty.

Despite these challenges, Kyle Busch’s tenure with Richard Childress Racing this year showcased his prowess, tallying three wins and eight Top 5 finishes. Nonetheless, his trajectory this season wasn’t devoid of hurdles; reminiscent of his previous year with Joe Gibbs, he experienced engine failures and penalties. His inconsistency placed him in the same bracket as Ross Chastain and William Byron, notable for their fluctuating momentum.

Reflecting on his strategies, Busch commented on the distinct approaches they adopted for short tracks. He is harboring hopes they would be beneficial in the playoffs.

He said, “We had a lot of different thoughts and philosophies and ideas through the year that wasn’t resonating. But we, with one hopeful that would work as we were finally out of ideas and it worked, you know, so I feel like there’s a good play there at Martinsville. Therefore hopefully going to Martinsville having a good race at Martinsville and then also if we’re championship eligible we’re going to Phoenix. We’re going there any way we know but we wanna be contenders that time of the year.

However, Busch didn’t shy away from addressing the team’s struggles, stating, “I had just say other weakness right now is just our inconsistency. That’s basically what it is, you know, it boils down to, you know, pit road or Kyle in the race track crashing trying to make a pass and you know the engine happening at Indy. Just certain things that just kind of keep adding up that but keep knocking us.”

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Following a commendable P3 finish at Richmond, Kyle Busch encountered another dip in performance, drifting out of the top 10. However, securing the 7th spot at Daytona has regained his confidence. He’s also been strategic about revealing his game plan for the forthcoming races. Surprisingly, he hinted at not going all out all at once.

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Last year’s engine failures with Joe Gibbs Racing were a significant setback for Kyle Busch. It resulted in an early playoff elimination. This season, he emphasizes the importance of managing pressure and executing at the highest level.

Prior to the Daytona finale, Kyle Busch shared some insights, stating, “I feel like you kind of, can be a little bit easier, more laid back whatever you want to term that for not putting a whole lot of pressure on yourself through the first round. Obviously last year we had two engine failures that knocked us out so it was stressful. But you’d like to just kind of roll through there that you know seeing yourself, setting your standards for top 10s.

Is Kyle Busch poised to clinch his third title? His team owner, Richard Childress, certainly seems to think so.

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In a recent tweet by SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Richard Childress praised Kyle Busch, calling him beyond the team’s expectations. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

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