Kyle Busch Reminisces MTJ “Kicking His Ass” as He Pays Homage to His Debut Partner and Their Legendary Battles

Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr have had many battles over the years. Whether it was 20 years ago in the Busch Series or the NASCAR Cup Series in the last decade. The NASCAR veterans have come a long way since making their debut around the same time. Having a similar trajectory, both drivers have seen the highs and lows NASCAR has to offer, and have emerged victorious with three Championships combined.

With Martin Truex Jr announcing his retirement from full-time racing, Kyle Busch has paid homage to his debut partner, rival, and respected colleague in a recent interview.

Kyle Busch takes a trip down memory lane

Martin Truex Jr and Kyle Busch went head-to-head several times in their long and illustrious careers. It all began 20 years ago when Kyle Busch made his debut in the then Nextel Cup Series driving the No. 84 Chevrolet for Rick Hendrick. What followed was a fierce battle with Martin Truex Jr for the Busch Series title, who ended up winning it with Chance 2 Motorsports. Meanwhile, at 19, Kyle Busch won Rookie of the Year, winning five races and finishing second in points.

Speaking about their debut season and legendary clashes over the years, Kyle Busch told Frontstretch, “Him kicking my ass at Furniture Row and being so mad about that all the time, but no, I mean him and I actually came in at the same time. Not many people really know it but he and I were slated to share the chance two-car together and then when I got my opportunity at Hendrik, that gave him the full-time opportunity in the 8 Busch car and me in the 5 Busch car. We competed for a championship and he beat me out of the gate with that one.”

Kyle Busch candidly added, “We’ve been here the whole time together and we’ve always had a great relationship a great understanding and respect for one another. It was always fun working with him and being a part of the same team with him. You know, his skill level and how good he is at what he does, I would say the lesser of the effort that he puts in from others and yet he can still get good results.”

Both Martin Truex Jr and Kyle Busch have been each other’s top competitors over the years. However, not many outdo the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season, when Martin Truex Jr was at Furniture Row Racing while Kyle Busch was at Joe Gibbs Racing. Truex Jr and Kyle Larson were at the pinnacle of their form, with not much to separate them. Truex finished the season with a staggering 8 wins, 3 poles, 19 top-five finishes, and 26 top-ten finishes to win his first-ever Championship. While, Kyle Busch finished second, just five points behind Martin Truex Jr, winning five races in the season. However, the 2024 season hasn’t been lucky for both of them.

How have they fared this season?

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Despite wrecking out in the final lap at Sonoma and running out of fuel, Kyle Busch’s 12th-place finish was his best result in the last four races. That pretty much sums up Rowdy’s struggles this season. It seems like an eternity ago that Kyle Busch won his last race in 2023. With 37 races without a win, the longest of his career, it’s no wonder that Busch said he’s going through the toughest stretch of his career.

Despite pit lane issues, driver mistakes, and mechanical failures, Busch sits just eight points out of the playoff spot at the moment, and a result in Iowa could make all the difference. If he earns stage points and gets more top-10 finishes, Busch should make it to the playoffs if there are no new winners outside the top 16 in points. Such has been Kyle Busch and Richard Childress Racing’s season so far, that nobody would be surprised if he wins the race, or finishes 20th.

As for Martin Truex Jr, he remains winless this season but is well positioned for another run in the playoffs thanks to his 5th position in Cup Standings. Despite running out of fuel and finishing 27th in Sonoma Raceway, his season so far has been largely positive, with four top-5 finishes and seven top-10 finishes. The 43-year-old will hope to end his full-time Cup Series career on a high, and what better than winning his second Championship?

Do you think Kyle Busch will make it to the playoffs? Let us know in the comments!