Kyle Busch reignited his celebrated NASCAR rivalry with Joey Logano by playfully trolling him over his son‘s birthday, injecting new intensity into one of racing’s most scrutinized feuds. The incident occurred during a conversation with Denny Hamlin on the Actions Detrimental podcast, where Busch revealed his dread that his son Brexton might be born on the 22nd—a number synonymous with Logano’s car.
“So Brexton’s due date was on the 22nd, and I was like we are not having a Logano baby. F**k that,”
Busch recounted, underlining just how deeply the competitiveness between himself and Joey Logano runs. Fortunately for Busch, Brexton’s actual birthday turned out to be May 18, a number Busch personally drove for Joe Gibbs Racing.
This lighthearted jab quickly reignited memories of the complicated and long-standing rivalry between Joey Logano and Busch, who have clashed repeatedly on and off the racetrack. Their conflict most recently flared at this year’s Daytona 500, where Busch strongly criticized Logano for a late-race crash. Commenting on Logano’s actions, Busch said,
“Looks like the fastest car got in a hurry to get to the wreck,”
and added,
“Logano was by far the fastest car today. Saw a lot of laps led. And he could about do anything. The Penske cars were very strong.”
Busch’s critique didn’t end there. He went on to accuse Joey Logano of reckless impatience, stating,
“We still got (15) laps to go, and he’s trying to go through the middle and make a hole that isn’t there and just created chaos. I hate it for all of our guys. We had a fast car, and we were in position and just kind of biding our time. You’ve got to know how wide your race car is to be able to find a hole that it’ll fit in, and he obviously doesn’t know that.”
Such comments exemplify how friction between these drivers can erupt, spilling over from critical race moments to public statements.
Beyond Daytona, their rivalry cropped up notably at the 2023 Clash. Joey Logano spun Busch during the race, leading Busch to finish third, a result that left him dissatisfied. Reflecting on the incident, Busch’s frustration was evident:
“It’s really unfortunate to be raced by guys who are so two-faced,”
he told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
“We were in the TV booth earlier in the night together and when we were all done with that he was like ‘Hey man, good luck tonight.’ I’m like ‘OK, great. Thanks. Yeah … whatever,’ and then lo and behold, there you go, he wrecks me. Don’t even talk to me if you’re gonna be that kind of a–hole on the race track.”
The significance of this rivalry extends far beyond individual races. Joey Logano, himself a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion with 37 race wins, and Kyle Busch, a two-time champion and current leader in total Cup Series wins, both symbolize the relentless pursuit of victory that defines their sport. The renewed verbal sparring ensures that all eyes will remain on their next encounter, as fans and commentators alike anticipate how their rivalry might further shape the NASCAR season and the legacy of two of its most prominent drivers.