Kyle Busch Unable to Shake Off RCR’s Short-Track Misery as Phoenix Outing Goes From Bad to Worse

Back when Kyle Busch kicked off the 2024 season with a podium for Richard Childress Racing at Atlanta, all eyes were on the #8 Camaro ZL1 and how it would continue to perform as NASCAR moved away from the superspeedways and to the short tracks. With that said, it seems like Busch’s luck at short tracks just couldn’t get worse, as the RCR star was setting spinning on an already miserable day at the Phoenix Raceway in Arizona.

Kyle Busch’s day goes from bad to worse as a late spin sums up his dismal time at Phoenix

When Kyle Busch and the #8 garage rolled up to Arizona, there were some major changes introduced in the crew to help curb a repeat of his pit-lane drama at Vegas. But while the pit-stops at Phoenix definitely seemed to be faster than the sub-17s pit-stops that the team were putting in during the race at Sin City, Kyle Busch wouldn’t get to taste the fruits of the team’s labor.

On lap 197 of 312, Kyle Busch, who was already a lap down in 25th, had his day made even worse when it looked like the #8 Chevrolet stepped out on the RCR driver through turn 2. Trying to save his car from spinning out, Busch tried to correct his wheel to the right, ultimately bumping into Zane Smith and entering a spin that sent him hurtling toward Kaz Grala and the inner wall.

Whilst Busch could avoid major damage and recover from the spin, the car put together within the #8 garage could only run in the 20s, with his ultimate finish position being down in 22nd, a spot that Busch is so not familiar with. Although it was a racing incident that triggered heartbreak for Busch this time, it’s safe to say the frustrations that the #8 driver is harbouring are on the rise each time the promising contender fails to come home with a result that reflects the same.

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With that said, it’s also worth mentioning that the animosity between the #8 garage and their star driver could grow if things continue down this road.

Has RCR finally gotten on top of its pit crew struggles?

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Following the consistent disappointments on the pit road for Kyle Busch, Richard Childress had to step up and make the decision to overhaul the pit crew for Phoenix. With new Front and Rear Changers as well as a new Jackman, the #8 crew seems to be heading in a better direction, with Busch also stating before the race that they had been thoroughly chewed out by Richard Childress, prompting the crew to jump into action.

Although it is to be noted that it was Busch’s car getting loose that cost him the race at Phoenix, the #8 driver had not forgotten the pit crew’s slow efforts at Daytona and Atlanta. Naturally, Busch had to give the crew a piece of his mind to get them back on track.

Busch was quoted by NASCAR, “I know that [pit-crew coach] Ray [Wright] and all the guys there in the pit crew department are working super hard. Trust me, they’ve heard it not from me but from Richard week in and week out. So, their ears are bleeding, but I know they’re trying and I know we’re working hard. Trust me there were plenty of offers over the offseason to try and get different talent up there and we just weren’t able to secure it.” 

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While RCR had struggled to bring in new pit crew members over the winter break, the addition of three new members means the #8 garage may finally be back on track. With the help of new faces and a little push from Kyle Busch, we can expect to see faster pit-stops from the RCR crew sooner rather than later.