Why 2023 Is Not a Failure for Kyle Busch Even if He Loses the Championship

As the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season nears its conclusion, the main championship contenders are becoming clearer. As things stand, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Michael McDowell, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr are already eliminated. Meanwhile, Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, and Kyle Busch are on the bubble. If either of them does not perform well at the Charlotte Roval, that will spell the end of their championship challenge.

For Busch in particular, it would be really gutting to miss out on a third Cup Series title. What makes it even sadder is the fact that it could be his first championship with a brand-new team. Also, bear in mind that he is the most successful NASCAR driver in the modern era. The 38-year-old currently boasts 63 Cup Series wins, 102 Xfinity Series wins and 64 Truck Series wins. Sadly, with the way things are going, he will miss out on the 2023 title, unless he gets a miracle win at the Charlotte Roval.

Even if Kyle Busch gets eliminated, is it really a bad thing?

Initially, it would have been disappointing because he has worked extremely hard this year. However, we do have to consider that this is his first season with Richard Childress Racing. He has already beaten his teammate Austin Dillon and reached the Playoffs, which the latter failed to achieve. Furthermore, Kyle Busch spent a long time in the Joe Gibbs Racing stable, and in the buildup to 2023, there were questions about his pace.

This was because he had struggled a lot in 2022 and just about managed to keep up his win streak. Fast-forward to 2023, he has amassed three wins this season and was a consistent front-runner. Of course, one would not have blamed him if he had taken some time to adjust to life at Richard Childress Racing. However, he defied all expectations and hit the ground running right from the word ‘go’. In other words, he has capped off a successful start to his RCR campaign, even without winning the title.

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How bad was the Joe Gibbs Racing situation?

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Last year, Mars Incorporated dropped a massive bombshell, that they were leaving the sport. M&M’s fall under the Mars Inc. umbrella, and that meant that Busch would be without his long-time sponsor. From there, there was a massive hectic scramble to find a new sponsor to continue with Joe Gibbs Racing. Sadly, that did not come to pass, so Kyle Busch had to seek other pastures, and fortunately, Richard Childress was in the market for a top driver. They struck while the iron was hot, found a willing sponsor, and the rest was history.

In 2022, Kyle Busch just about scrounged a win at the Bristol dirt race. After that, he never reached Victory Lane, and his relationship with JGR was on the decline. It didn’t mean that he stopped trying to win races, as he amassed four 3rd place finishes and two 2nd place finishes in 2022. However, he did struggle for the rest of the season and ended his miserable year in 13th place. Now, he is in a much better position and actively vying for the championship with Richard Childress Racing.

Kyle Busch is a driver who should not be underestimated

Admittedly, we are talking as if he is pretty much out of the running for the 2023 Cup Series championship. Mathematically speaking, he is out of contention, and the only chance is if he somehow wins at the Charlotte Roval. Busch has never won at the Roval, but Richard Childress Racing does have two wins there, courtesy of Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Burton. So the pressure will be on to try and emulate them.

Considering that this is a road course, then most of the road course ringers will be the favorites. That includes the likes of his predecessor Tyler Reddick, and Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott. The latter will be keen to salvage something from this miserable season, especially after missing the Playoffs for the first time.

In other words, if the #8 driver can qualify well, he could well be in with a shot to win. As far as the Playoff rules go, if he wins a Playoff race, it guarantees a berth in the next round. This means that Busch will make it into the Round of 8 and join William Byron and Ryan Blaney. The latter two have already qualified for the next round with their wins at Texas and Talladega, respectively. In the meantime, it could spell disaster for the other drivers who are at the lower end of the Playoff table.

2023 is pretty much a year of building momentum for him

To be frank, it would have been a bit of a stretch to expect the 2-time champion to win the title in his first season for RCR, although he is giving it a very good shot with his impressive run in the Playoffs. Wherever Busch finishes this year, he will definitely try to build on it for the 2024 season, where he will be stronger. This is because he will be a lot more comfortable in his #8 Chevrolet and will work hard alongside teammate Austin Dillon.

As an experienced head in the NASCAR Cup Series arena, his input will be valuable. In essence, RCR can work even more seamlessly, with the 2-time Cup Series champion. Maybe together, Busch can deliver his third Cup Series title and the organization’s seventh career title. Then again, one must not count their chickens before they are hatched, as their rivals could be just as strong, if not stronger.

Among the ones to watch out for, is the perennial Hendrick Motorsports threat, and the Joe Gibbs Racing contingent. Although the HMS Playoff contenders are halved, JGR still has three threatening drivers. Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney showed that he still exists, and Ross Chastain shouldn’t be underestimated either. Additionally, the likes of 23XI Racing and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing are going to be dark horses for the championship, with their good form.

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