“Second Stuff Sucks” – Kyle Busch Dissects Back-to-Back Busch Light Clash Heartbreak, Claims He Was Better Than Denny Hamlin

For Kyle Busch, the Clash at the Coliseum is turning out to be a rather unlucky event of late. Rowdy has come close to winning the pre-season exhibition race on each of the last 3 occasions but has never been able to get the job done. In the post-race press conference, Rowdy expressed disappointment with himself in not being able to win on these types of tracks despite consistently running in the top 3.

Busch’s former teammate Denny Hamlin won this year’s clash after taking the lead of the race towards the end. Rowdy ended up finishing P2 despite being in what he believed was a better car. Strategy won the battle at the end of the day. The 2-time Cup Series champion’s former team made the better decisions on the day.

Despite an impressive finish, Kyle Busch rues his luck at the Clash

Since the Clash was moved to the LA Coliseum from the Daytona International Speedway, Kyle Busch has finished P2, P3, and P2. Looking at those results, one would argue that he is one of the best at these kinds of races. However, when the NASCAR veteran was asked about it, he implied that he was just not good enough yet to win these quarter-mile track races.

“I wish I was better. To tell you the truth, second, third, second kind of hurts. I don’t know what it really is, it’s just tight nature kind of stuff and the things we all end up doing with Legend Cars, Late Models all that and always kind of enjoy getting back to those every once in a while whenever I can,” he said.

The 38-year-old also recalled a race that he ran last year on a similar track in New Hampshire. Even in that event, the Richard Childress Racing driver ran well but was only able to end the race with a P2 finish.

“Last year I remember I went up to New Hampshire and ran a late model race at a tight big quarter small 38 mile race track and finished second there too so second stuff sucks,” the 38-year-old added.

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Busch was impressed by his former team, Joe Gibbs Racing. After the race ended, he came out of the car and acknowledged that they had made better strategic decisions than Richard Childress Racing, which may have stung him a bit.

Rowdy acknowledges Joe Gibbs Racing’s ‘better adjustments’

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After his former teammate Denny Hamlin was done toying with the crowd, Kyle Busch was asked about his performance in the race. Despite losing out to the #11, Rowdy remained adamant that he had the better car on the night. The #8 did run better than the #11 in the first part of the race. It was only towards the end that Hamlin started picking up the pace.

“It definitely does sting. I felt like in the first half we were better, had a better car, we were better than the #11 but some of the adjustments we made weren’t as good, some of the adjustments they made were better. All in all just glad to have a good night, glad to come out here in one piece even with all the bumping and banging and everything else that happens,” the 38-year-old added.

He might not have won, but it is still a solid end to the pre-season exhibition. Rowdy will be raring to go in the Cup Series where he will be expected to win races. Can the NASCAR veteran win his third championship this year? Only time will tell.

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