Kyle Busch Takes the Blame on Himself as His Dismal Performance this Season Continues to Haunt Him

It is really a pity to see Kyle Busch struggle at Richard Childress Racing. After a promising debut campaign last year, things have just not gone right for the two-time Cup Series champion. Currently, in his longest winless streak, Busch finds himself in a tough spot but has come out strongly to take responsibility for the situation.

After securing three wins in the 2023 Cup Series season, Kyle Busch secured a flying start to his RCR career. With his experience and skills behind the wheel, he should undoubtedly be challenging for the title. However, as things stand, Rowdy is struggling to even make it to the playoffs in the ongoing season.

Kyle Busch gets candid about the ongoing problems at Richard Childress Racing

With eight races remaining in the Cup Series regular season, Kyle Busch stands 19th and is 45 points below the playoff cutoff line. By his standards, it is safe to say that the 2024 campaign has been a disappointing one. He now stands 38 races without a win, the longest winless streak in his career.

While things have not gone right for him on the track, much of it has been as a result of mechanical failures. Surprisingly, the #8 team at Richard Childress Racing hasn’t lived up to its high standards. Time and again, unprecedented issues and wrecks have become problematic for Busch and his team.

There is no denial about the efforts that have been put in, but results matter immensely in NASCAR. If a team of Stewart-Haas Racing’s stature can shut down its operation after being in the sport for over two decades, anything is possible. Sooner or later, the lack of results will hamper RCR.

However, Kyle Busch remains positive about his team’s chances. Before the race at the Nashville Superspeedway, he spoke to the media about his current situation. When asked what could help change the results on the track, Busch said, “It’s just speed and comfort, that’s the biggest thing.”

While Busch admitted that there is no shortage of effort, the desired output on the track is not achieved. He said, “The guys are busting their ass, they are working as hard as they can work. I know that we are all doing everything we can all day, every day to get what we want but just the feel is not there for me and at times it’s not there for Austin either. So we’re trying to get all of that better.”

Despite demanding more from his team, Kyle Busch admitted things have to change from his end as well. He said, “The more comfortable you are, the more positions you can put yourself in and take chances. I feel like I’m having a hard enough time making laps on my own to ever think about trying to make a pass on someone.”

While Busch accepted his role in the poor form he and his team are going through, he has the belief of making it to the playoffs.

Kyle Busch faces the daunting task of qualifying for the playoffs in the 2024 season

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Despite his poor form, it takes only a single race for someone like Kyle Busch to turn things around. Having said that, with the likes of Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe, and Joey Logano currently above him, the challenge to triumph over them lies ahead of Rowdy.

Speaking to The Tennessean last week, Busch spoke candidly about what could help his team. He said, “Fast cars cure all. Being able to have confidence and to go out there and run hard and run fast and put myself in positions to win, that’ll certainly make a lot of gains and make everybody happy.”

Busch’s team has indeed lacked pace throughout the 2024 campaign so far. Without a doubt, the change in pace could make a ton of difference in how the #8 team could approach a race. While that’s one thing, the 39-year-old highlighted another important thing.

He said, “The last three weeks have definitely not helped, that’s been a huge setback.” This comes after Busch registered three finishes of 35th in the last four races. He added, “We just have to stop the bleeding. I think I’ve been saying that for the last six months, and it hasn’t stopped. And the last week, it’s been gushing pretty hard.”

Indeed, a lot needs to be changed at RCR to turn things around. While Kyle Busch believes in achieving the desired change, plenty will depend on how his approach changes. It would be interesting to see how he plans to compete in the remaining eight races of the regular season.