It’s just not been the season for Kyle Busch so far. The two-time world champion has been struggling to find a footing in the 2024 season. It is hard to believe that someone who’s never gone winless in a season has been struggling to find one. And it’s not Kyle Busch; it’s also his teammate in the #3.
The winless curse is also upon Austin Dillon, who is in the 32nd position in the points table. When both your drivers are struggling, it also raises questions for the team and management. As many have already voiced their opinion, another NASCAR insider joins the cue in calling out Richard Childress & Co.
The performance Rowdy has had so far has got to be frustrating for him. And it is pretty evident, as he had said after his Sonoma race, “It’s been so dismal and so heartbreaking that I have a hard time dealing with enough stuff in my life that every Sunday to keep adding to it is getting harder and harder to deal with.”
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GoPRNLive shows the other side of mismanagement and team struggles
Kyle Busch is only the third racer to have won at least 100 races in a single series. After holding such a stellar record, it’s hard to believe that he’s currently winless, sitting 18th in the points table with only two top-5s. While for Busch, the playoff dreams are still within reach, for Richard Childress’ grandson, they seem to be getting more distant with every race.
Sitting in 32nd in the standings with only 294 points after 22 races, 34-year-old Austin Dillon has yet to lead a lap or secure a pole position. Plagued by three retirements, the #3 has zero top-5s and only two top-10 finishes. When both your drivers are in the slump, then maybe RCR needs to take a look within.
Along the same lines, as Alan Cavanna discussed Kyle Busch with Jeff Hammond and Doug Rice on the GoPRNLive video from August 7 on their YouTube channel, Cavanna said, “This is an off year for that entire organization and to see this happening and what should be Kyle Busch’s prime, you just look at it, and you think, ‘The problem isn’t Kyle Busch.'”
At the Brickyard 400, though, the #8 driver took most of the blame for a missed opportunity. Running in P6 and on course for a much-needed top-10 finish, Busch had former teammate Denny Hamlin in front of him. Trying to convert that into a top 5, he attempted a low pass on the JGR driver, but in the process, he clipped Hamlin. Although the #11 came out unscathed, Kyle Busch crashed into the Turn 3 wall, registering his sixth DNF in eight races.
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As a result, his winless streak extended to 43 races, and his chances of making the playoffs reduced even more. After the race, it was evident that the RCR driver needed some time off to reflect on the season, and that’s what he got owing to the Olympic break. He tweeted, “Got right where we wanted to [be with] a good car and some really good pit calls. I’m really sorry to all my guys and RCR for crashing while trying to b aggressive and get them a top 5 finish. Ready for this two [week] break. Really need it.”
While RCR had a competitive car in Indianapolis, that’s not been the case for most of the season. The missed opportunities or the lack of performance are not just the driver’s fault but also the team’s. Doug Rice and Hammond further explained how it is a shared burden by both. There are instances when the driver is taken out by no fault of their own. As for RCR, all of its problems have come in a bunch. The season has only four races left before the playoffs, and the time is ticking for them.
Also, according to Jeff Hammond, it’s going to take a miracle for the RCR team to get a spot in the playoffs. He said, “It’s going to take somebody pulling a rabbit out of their hat and getting a win here to either get RCR at least a brief moment in the playoffs.” Amid all this, there are some serious questions about Kyle Bush’s future. What must be a prime time in his career is proving not to be. Is he going to stay with RCR for longer than the 2024 season?
What is in store for Kyle Busch next?
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The consistency is simply lacking, Not whether it’s Busch or RCR who’s more at fault is uncertain. However, as for ‘Rowdy,’ most of his success came with Joe Gibbs Racing in 15 years between 2008 and 2022. His current team has struggled to find the pace so far, be it him or Dillon.
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Could there be a possibility of a team change for Busch? Maybe he could take up the #7 of Spire!
According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Kyle Busch is still under contract for 2025. Pockrass mentioned, “No. I don’t expect Kyle Busch to be in a Cup car at Spire next year from the people I talked to today. Kyle Busch has a contract with RCR for next year and while never say never, that is where I see him next year.”
Additionally, even Kenny Wallace, in a recent podcast episode, talked about the possibility of a team switch. However, for Wallace, it’d be shocking if Busch left RCR. As for his team, Busch is one of the most important assets and they will do everything to not let him go. Reiterating this, according to Wallace it will finally boil down to how much patience Kyle Busch has.
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Wallace said, “I think Richard knows that his cars need work and he’s got the driver to win. So Richard Childress has gotta go to work. That’s what I have to say that’s controversial. Richard Childress has gotta go to work. So it’s just gonna depend on how much patience Kyle Busch has.”
The Olympic break is soon to end, and racing will resume in Richmond. Kyle Busch desperately needs a win in the next four races. What do you think are his chances to make it in the playoffs? Let us know in the comments below.
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Is Kyle Busch's talent being wasted at Richard Childress Racing? What do you think?