Kyle Busch struggles with RCR after Pocono Raceway disaster, an issue made starkly clear as he crashed during The Great American Getaway 400, damaging his No. 8 Chevy and sealing his first playoff absence since 2012. The crash and subsequent battle with car handling highlight ongoing difficulties for Busch and Richard Childress Racing this season.
Kyle Busch Faces Difficulties at Pocono After Major Collision
At Pocono Raceway on Sunday, Kyle Busch’s outing took a sharp downturn when he lost control in turn 2 while contending for 24th place. The resulting spin caused significant harm to his No. 8 Chevrolet and swept up fellow drivers Christopher Bell, Shane Van Gisbergen, and Ty Dillon in a multi-car incident. This marked another misfortune for Busch, reminiscent of his early exit at the Mexico City race the previous weekend. Although Busch avoided a full DNF and managed to keep his car on the lead lap, the damage was substantial, and he was unable to make a full recovery in performance.
Despite these setbacks, Busch managed to push his battered car to a 20th-place finish after beginning from 26th. The accident, coupled with a speeding penalty on pit road at the end of Stage 1, left little room for improvement as the team scrambled to keep him in contention.
Busch spoke to the press after the race, reflecting on the challenges faced over the day:
“Our Chevrolet team worked hard today at Pocono Raceway to overcome obstacles. A speeding penalty on pit road put us behind at the end of Stage 1, then we ended up with heavy damage to our Chevy after spinning towards the end of Stage 2. We just lost the air racing in traffic.”
—Kyle Busch
“Crew chief Randall Burnett and the rest of the RCR team worked hard to keep us on the lead lap. Our Chevy was never the same after the spin, and handling was really bad in traffic,”
he added. —Kyle Busch
Kurt Busch Offers Perspective on Kyle’s Continuing Difficulties
Kurt Busch, who is both Kyle’s older brother and a fellow Cup Series champion, commented on the slump facing both Kyle and the Richard Childress Racing organization. Noting the team‘s struggles, he highlighted how quickly fortunes can change in racing. Kyle has not secured a win this season, extending his winless streak to two years, in stark contrast to his successful RCR debut when he claimed multiple victories and reached the playoffs.
Kurt Busch shared his thoughts on his brother’s recent performances:
“Yeah, I’m seeing the slump from the No. 8 car and the No. 3 car this year, but those things happen. I mean, you’re on top of your game one year, you come back to the track next year and you’re like, ‘Why am I P20 on the board. It happens.”
—Kurt Busch, Cup Series Champion
End of an Era: Streaks Broken and Playoff Dreams Dashed
Kyle Busch’s 17-point tally from Pocono was not enough, leaving him 63 points out of a playoff spot and 20th in the standings. His 2024 campaign marks the first time in 11 years he has missed out on NASCAR’s postseason, and the lost opportunity at Pocono officially ended a record 19-season streak of at least one race win per year. So far, his top performance was a top-five finish at The Circuit of The Americas, having led 62 laps during the season but unable to secure a victory, resulting in an average finish of 18.
The visible struggles at Richard Childress Racing, especially for high-profile drivers like Busch, raise concerns over competitiveness heading into future events. The pressure now mounts on the team to address handling issues, inconsistencies, and ongoing misfortunes as the season progresses, with observers keen to see if the organization can regain its earlier momentum or face a continued slide through the NASCAR ranks.
