NASCAR racing thrives on the strength of some key track relationships. The driver-spotter can arguably be the most crucial in this regard. As the driver carves his run through tricky corners and hot-headed rivals, the spotter serves as his eyes on the track. So this could be a crucial reason why Kyle Busch has been constantly hitting the wall over the past few Cup races.

When Busch made the switch from Joe Gibbs’ fold to Richard Childress Racing, he was leaving behind a treasure trove of memories. Those precious achievements could be possible due to some equally invaluable relationships. And Kyle Busch may be missing one of those in particular.

Possible missing piece in Kyle Busch’s misery jigsaw puzzle

Kyle Busch clinched three race wins in the first half of the 2023 season, snubbing doubters of his JGR departure. But then the blues kicked in—for the past year and a half, Busch has yet to visit Victory Lane. Last weekend’s Chicago Street Race marked the 41st race that the 63-time Cup winner missed kissing the trophy.

And his missing relationship with his former spotter may very well be the reason. Tony Hirschman and Kyle Busch have worked together as a power duo at Joe Gibbs Racing since 2012. And they have achieved numerous accolades, clinching two Cup championships (2015, 2019) and several race trophies. Most importantly, Hirschman could calm down Rowdy in tough situations—a crucial element in the hot-headed races of NASCAR.

NASCAR insider, named “NASCAR Prophecy” on X, underlined the driver-spotter element in Kyle Busch’s misery recently, reflecting on the fact that after Busch left JGR, Hirschman mentored Ty Gibbs and the team’s Xfinity drivers into excellence. “Don’t underestimate the ability a spotter has to calm its driver and keep them in a good mental space. Tony helped Kyle become one of the best drivers in the CUP series. Now we watch the growth of Corey Heim & TY Gibbs over the last few years, and I have to give credit where credit is due. Tony is the best in the spotter stand and no doubt helps drivers become the best in the world.”

Kyle Busch, known to have a rough temperament, was hard to tackle in his early Rowdy years. So Hirschman came as a blessing—he could communicate with Busch on an equal level. Busch himself lauded his relationship with his JGR spotter in 2017. “I’ve picked up a guy I can rely on and really trust. He does a really good job being able to not only coach a little bit as the race goes on, talk to you about different lanes that other drivers are using at times, but also, he’s really useful in the sense of being able to be accountable.”

Tony Hirschman now fields Ty Gibbs in the NASCAR Cup Series. Recently, at the All-Star Race, he even sounded off against Busch’s wrecking tactics. However, the veteran spotter’s stance on Busch in 2017 was very different, as he fondly nurtured a track relationship with him.

So far, their polar attitudes have balanced each other

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Tony Hirschman learned the tricks of the trade under his father’s guidance. While he was growing up racing, his father gave him tips about being a spotter as well. Hirschman spotted his father in 1994, who taught him what a racer needs from a spotter. And those lessons paid off enormously in Hirschman’s tie-up with Kyle Busch. While Busch is known for his aggressive demeanor, Hirschman is the polar opposite, harboring a placid attitude.

And this situation panned out perfectly as they balanced out their characteristics on the racetrack. Hirschman hailed their relationship in 2017 while explaining this unique dynamic. “Personally, I love working with Kyle. I can’t say that I’d want to work with anyone else. He’s fiery, he’s a competitor. He’s 100 percent racer. Now, again, I grew up racing so I consider myself a racer as well. It’s just my temperament may be a little bit more laid back and even-keeled. I think that’s a good mix between the two of us. I’m not the fuel to his fire; I’m kind of the ice water to his fire. We kind of balance each other out.”

However, gone are those days of fire and ice. Now Tony Hirschman advises his Ty Gibbs on how to tackle the rowdy advances of Kyle Busch. Who knows, maybe things will pick up for Kyle Busch if fate brings the duo back on the same team again. For now, Busch needs to make do with his No. 8 RCR team.