Kyle Busch crashes out early in Mexico City NASCAR race after losing control during wet conditions on Sunday, June 15, marking his first DNF of this Cup Series season and derailing his playoff chances at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The incident, coming in the opening laps, sparked critical fan responses and cast uncertainty over the two-time champion‘s postseason hopes.
Busch’s Crash Sparks Reactions and Alters Playoff Outlook
Kyle Busch’s outing in the latest NASCAR Cup Series round ended abruptly on lap seven when his Richard Childress Racing Camaro spun at the heavy braking zone into turn one. Navigating behind several cars on a damp track, Busch triggered a multi-car crash that involved drivers such as Kyle Larson, both leaving the circuit in the aftermath and forcing an early retirement for the former Cup champion.
This early exit did not go unnoticed by NASCAR fans, who were swift and vocal in expressing their disappointment and criticism towards Busch’s mistake and its implications for his already precarious playoff pursuit, especially after the driver missed the postseason last year.
“Kyle Busch Tokyo drifted into the corner ,”
one fan wrote. —fan
“Kyle Busch is washed ,” one X user said. —user
“Time to hang it up,” one fan stated. —fan
“Wow they got all confused cos they had to turn right,”
another X user commented. —user
In addition to comments directed toward Busch himself, some fans questioned NASCAR’s decision to start the race on a rain-soaked road course, suggesting the risky conditions contributed to the chaos.
“So stupid. Go all that way and race in the rain in front of empty grandstands. What a joke,”
one X user wrote. —user
Currently standing 15th in the points tally, Busch faces the possibility of dropping out of the playoff cut-off line because of the DNF in Mexico City. Drivers such as Carson Hocevar, AJ Allmendinger, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are vying for postseason spots, while Austin Cindric and Josh Berry have already clinched their places with wins earlier this season.
Busch, whose last Cup win was at World Wide Technology Raceway two years prior, recently extended his contract with Richard Childress Racing for another year. However, his struggles to contend for victories at RCR have become more prominent with the latest incident.
Reflections on Busch’s Historic Success at Mexico City
In the days before the Viva México 250, Busch reminisced about his prior winning performance at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on social media, reminding fans of his previous success at the iconic track. He noted that he was the last NASCAR driver to claim a win in Mexico City, a feat he achieved in the 2008 Corona Mexico 200 Nationwide Series event, now called the Xfinity Series, when he drove the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Denny Hamlin, his former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, retain the distinction of being the only active Cup drivers with victories at the Mexico City track. Hamlin previously secured a win there in the Telcel-Motorola 200 back in 2006, further highlighting the significance of Busch’s presence and history at this venue.
Significance of the Crash and What Lies Ahead
Kyle Busch’s early crash in Mexico City not only delivered a severe blow to his current playoff campaign but also reignited discussions about driver performance on road courses and NASCAR’s decisions about racing in wet weather. As attention turns to the remainder of the Cup Series season, Busch will need a quick turnaround to recover lost ground, while rivals like Carson Hocevar, AJ Allmendinger, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. sense an opportunity to move up. The coming weeks will determine whether Busch can rebound from this setback or if his championship aspirations remain out of reach.
