Kyle Busch will have mixed feelings as NASCAR heads to Mexico City for a points-paying race for the first time. Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit is the venue where Busch won the last Xfinity Series event held in 2008. But it is the events in Mexico from two years ago when Busch was detained at a Mexican airport that loom over his return to the country.

In late January 2023, Busch landed himself in trouble for carrying a gun and ammunition during a routine check at a Mexico airport. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison along with a $1,000 fine, but a local judge allowed him to return to the US after paying an undisclosed bond. Since then NASCAR and the RCR driver have confirmed his participation in the race in this historic race on June 15, but his past troubles were once again brought up  by former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Chad Knaus.

Chad Knaus got too candid on Kyle Busch’s legal troubles in Mexico

Following detention and subsequent release, Busch clarified that he has a valid concealed carry permit from his local authority in the US. But he mentioned that he had made “a mistake by forgetting” that the weapon was in his bag. Busch also apologized for the incident while thanking the authorities for their cooperation. NASCAR also clarified that they wouldn’t sanction the driver.

Busch has put all that behind him and tweeted his excitement about returning to Mexico last year. “Excited to race for another win in Mexico in 2025!” he wrote. But he is being reminded about his act every now and then.

Well, Knaus was talking about the return of NASCAR to Mexico on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The discussion started with a race-related incident that involved Busch, but it took a wild turn as Knaus spoke about Rowdy’s legal troubles.

Chad Knaus was sharing his thoughts about the last Xfinity Series races south of the border. Co-host Mike Bagley noted, “The racing was awesome” before adding, “Well, that was until Adrian Fernandez got dumped in Turn 1, and then things got dicey down there.”

In response, the HMS vice president of competition questioned, “Wasn’t that Kyle Busch?” The veteran announcer replied, “Yep, leave it to Kyle to start an international incident.” But Knaus was caught up in the act, and spoke about Rowdy’s recent trouble with Mexican authorities, “He’s had trouble in Mexico a couple of times, hasn’t he?”

Bagley tried to change the subject and laughed as he said, “Well, we’ll just move on along. Let’s talk about personnel changes. Are there any for Hendrick Motorsports in 2025?”

“Oh man. Kyle’s going to be calling me here in a minute,” Knaus said as the whole SiriusXM Radio panel burst out in laughter. Co-host Pete Pistone also joked, “Yeah, exactly. Line one, Kyle Busch for Chad Knaus. Go ahead.” Well, we are not sure if Busch did give Knaus a call, but we do know he is looking forward to his return to the circuit in Mexico.

Busch was vacationing with his family in Quintana Roo in 2023 before the incident at the airport unfolded. The .380 caliber pistol with six hollow-point bullets was found in his bag when it was being scanned at a terminal for a private aircraft. A judge determined in late January that the charges could stand in court before he was sentenced on 3 February.

Although Busch has gotten himself in deep waters with the local law enforcement authorities in Mexico, he’s had a memorable time competing on the racetrack. The 2008 Busch Series race, which was NASCAR’s last trip to Mexico, saw Kyle Busch take the checkered flag.

So, this explains the enthusiasm the RCR driver has for his return to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Rowdy returning to winning ways in Mexico City after a torrid 2024 outing would be one of the storylines to watch out for this year.

The 2024 NASCAR campaign is in the past, and Rowdy should be looking ahead toward a new year with optimism. His ardent supporters are rallying behind him, but it was indeed surprising to see Dale Jr. bat for the RCR driver.

Dale Jr. trusts Rowdy’s ability to stage a comeback in 2025

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At 39, the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion can count his peak years racing in NASCAR on his fingers. We have seen drivers hit a plateau after reaching their forties in the modern era, thus highlighting the start of their fall from grace. Unable to win a single race during the 2024 campaign, critics and rival fans have begun to question Kyle Busch’s ability to compete at the highest level. But veteran driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t sold on this idea. Rather, he expects Rowdy to roar back to form with a motive to make amends for his recent setbacks.

“I just can never count out Kyle Busch; you just can’t… He has to be the most motivated guy out there. He does not like losing, and he certainly doesn’t like breaking streaks.” Dale Jr. shared this while speaking on Dale Jr. Download. If Rowdy was out of touch, he wouldn’t have been within touching distance of winning multiple races in 2024. The streak of bad luck started when he finished third in a thrilling three-wide photo finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

He did hit a rough patch from here, but the #8 RCR Chevy team roared back to life after the Olympic break. Had it not been for the fiery Chase Briscoe at the Southern 500, Kyle Busch could’ve had his first win of the season. It was as if the tides never turned in Rowdy’s favor even when he was on the cusp of winning a race. This happened at the fall race at Daytona. Despite leading the field on the late race restart, he had to settle for a silver medal.

One can only imagine the fire that might be burning inside of a fierce competitor like Busch. And Dale Jr. feels that the disappointments of 2024 will act as fuel that will spark a massive comeback run this year. “You’ll hear the comments where you can tell through what he’s saying that those things matter. To go winless last year…I think he feels like he’s gotta prove it all over again. So he’s going to be super determined.”

For some NASCAR pursuit, they would want to see Rowdy get back to winning ways on a traditional oval track. But they wouldn’t mind him winning an international points-paying race in Mexico either.