Kevin Harvick on Kyle Busch is taking on a new tone as the 2014 Cup Series champion openly addressed the recent struggles faced by the two-time NASCAR champion. On his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick revealed on September 23, 2025, that Busch’s career-worst winless streak is not just a personal hurdle but a significant issue impacting the broader NASCAR world.
What began as one of the sport’s most volatile rivalries has mellowed into a mutual respect, with Harvick candidly discussing the evolution of their relationship and the deep concern he now holds for both Busch’s career and NASCAR’s competitive balance.
A Rivalry Turns Into Mutual Respect and Concern
The transformation in the dynamic between Harvick and Busch is striking, considering their fraught history on the track, where tempers frequently boiled over and post-race confrontations became legendary. Reflecting on these changes, Harvick shared emotional insights about their former rivalry and present camaraderie.
“We all want to see Kyle Busch win,”
said Kevin Harvick, 2014 NASCAR Cup champion.
“As much as I’ve gone through moments where I hate Kyle Busch. I’ve hated Kyle Busch with a passion at moments. That’s all come full circle, and we’re very much able to communicate and have a good relationship,”
continued Harvick, addressing the complexity of their journey from adversaries to mutual supporters.
This maturity is underscored by both drivers’ length of service in NASCAR’s national series. Kelly Crandall, a respected motorsports journalist, highlighted the podcast moment, quoting Harvick’s remarks about wanting to see his former rival back in victory lane.
“But I can’t imagine Kyle Busch going out like this. It’s bad for everything. It’s bad for the sport. It’s bad for him. It’s bad for everything that says Kyle Busch. I hate to see where it’s at,”
stated Kevin Harvick, elaborating on why Busch’s ongoing struggles resonate beyond just one competitor or team.
Kyle Busch Grapples with a Prolonged Winless Streak
Beneath Harvick’s emotional statements is the stark reality of Kyle Busch’s performance downturn. The current drought now surpasses 80 races since his last Cup Series win at Gateway Speedway in June 2023. Throughout the 2024 season, and well into 2025, Busch has failed to secure another victory — a scenario unprecedented in his acclaimed career.
Busch’s previous track record remains remarkable: from 2005 to 2023, he recorded at least one win in every season, totaling 63 Cup Series triumphs. Yet, with only two top-five finishes and eight top-tens out of 30 races in the 2025 season for Richard Childress Racing, the 40-year-old driver currently averages an 18th-place finish, numbers that fall well short of his own expectations and those of his fans.
Busch’s Team Responds with Determination
Responding to speculation about the reasons behind his slump, Busch made it clear the issue is not a lack of dedication from his crew or support system.
“It is not due to lack of effort, that’s for damn sure,”
emphasized Kyle Busch, two-time NASCAR Cup champion.
“Everybody at RCR, back there at the race shop, they’re working as hard as they can. Engineers are trying to figure it out and look at all the notes and figure out where the speed’s at,”
Busch added, praising the relentless pursuit of solutions by his team, including their engineers and staff.
High Stakes for NASCAR and Its Veterans
With each passing race, pressure grows for one of the sport’s elite drivers to reclaim his former glory. The fallout from Busch’s difficulties reaches far beyond his own record. Harvick’s comments highlight a sentiment shared by many: having prominent stars like Busch struggle can dampen fan engagement and influence the competitive landscape of NASCAR itself.
Busch’s fellow veterans, including Harvick, understand what is at stake for the wider sport — as icons fade or falter, the ripple effects are felt everywhere from the track to the race shop, including among engineers, teams, and passionate fans that follow every cup series event.
Looking Ahead: A Sport in Need of Its Champions
Harvick’s very public concern over Busch’s future comes from a place of evolved respect and shared experience. Both have weathered dramatic shifts within NASCAR, from streaks of victories to difficult slumps. As their rivalry fades into history, their united hope for stronger competition represents the challenges and turbulence facing NASCAR in this era of transition. The sport, its drivers, teams like Richard Childress Racing, and fan bases tied to legends and rivalries alike wait anxiously to see if Kyle Busch can reverse his fortunes — and in doing so, reaffirm NASCAR’s tradition of redemption and resilience.
Kevin Harvick on the Happy Hour podcast: "We all want to see Kyle Busch win. … as much as I've gone through moments where I hate Kyle Busch. I've hated Kyle Busch with a passion at moments. That's all come full circle, and we're very much able to communicate and have a good…
— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) September 23, 2025
Kevin Harvick on the Happy Hour podcast: "We all want to see Kyle Busch win. … as much as I've gone through moments where I hate Kyle Busch. I've hated Kyle Busch with a passion at moments. That's all come full circle, and we're very much able to communicate and have a good…
— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) September 23, 2025
