Kyle Busch’s ongoing difficulties with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) were thrown into sharp focus as the NASCAR Cup Series season approaches its final races. Busch’s hopes for turning the season around are dwindling, with disappointing statistics and evident tensions surfacing at a critical point, reinforcing the grip of his longest-ever winless streak and escalating the urgency for fundamental changes inside the team. The focus keyword, Kyle Busch NASCAR frustrations, is at the center of discussions as the two-time champion calls for major improvements ahead of the season’s end.
Lackluster performance and mounting pressure for the No. 8 team
Since joining RCR, Busch has won three times, but those victories came early in his tenure at Auto Club Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and World Wide Technology Raceway, all within his first 15 appearances for the team. Since then, the drought has persisted. His quest to regain top form has been marked by only two Top-5s and eight Top-10s in 31 races this season, with just 62 laps led. Busch’s average starting position is 17.74, while his average finish sits at 18.29—figures that do not reflect the standards of a two-time champion. These numbers have raised questions within the NASCAR community about what measures RCR can implement to support their embattled star driver.
Challenges have been compounded by crew chief changes and outside opinions, with insiders like Denny Hamlin being suggested as sources of guidance. With only five races remaining, optimism persists but is undoubtedly under strain. As the garage prepares for the elimination round at Charlotte Roval, Busch’s position is under the spotlight. His frustration is apparent; as he addressed the situation with Frontstretch, his dissatisfaction was on full display.
Some consistency, you know, just some more of knowing why we’re doing what we’re doing instead of some sort of shooting from the hip, if you will. I would say the short answer is yes. It’s everything, you know. You’ve got to have, in this day and time, right now with this car and everything, you’ve got to have every little detail absolutely perfect.
— Kyle Busch, Driver
Mechanical woes and missed opportunities deepen Busch’s struggles
The 2025 season has been marred by a series of high-profile misfortunes for Busch. Notably, the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway saw his No. 8 Chevrolet forced out after only 35 laps, due to a detached wheel—a costly mistake resulting in a two-race suspension for his jackman and rear tire changer. This incident underscored persistent mechanical gremlins that have plagued the team. Last year, Busch finished 14th in the playoffs. This year, he again misses out, for the second consecutive season.
Further trouble befell the team at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, where Busch was swept up in a significant multi-car crash on lap 246, leaving him 37th. The inability to place inside the top 10 for any of the final 10 playoff races is amplified by an average finishing position of 22.1 during that stretch. These setbacks have left Busch 21st in the points standings. Speculation is swirling about his future at RCR if performance does not improve. Bob Pockrass commented on the rumors linking Busch’s possible future with Spire Motorsports.
I think Spire would like to have him and see what they could do with him. It’s, you know, sounds like he’s, you know, as they’ve all said, staying for next year, but I mean, you know, he can’t be happy. And, you know, if they continue to run the way they’ve been running, uh, he’ll want to leave.
— Bob Pockrass, NASCAR Insider
Battling a winless drought now stretching to 854 days—the longest in his over-15-year Cup career—and with only five races left to salvage some pride, Busch faces mounting impatience and questions about his tenure at RCR. Still, contractual obligations appear to keep him with RCR heading into 2026, as speculation mounts and the window for a turnaround narrows.
Team leadership shakeup further complicates No. 8’s prospects
The season’s instability was heightened with the confirmation that long-time crew chief Randall Burnett will exit RCR at year’s end. Burnett is set to join Trackhouse Racing to lead Connor Zilisch’s 2026 campaign. In the interim, Burnett remains as a team advisor for the last five races, while Andy Street, previously successful in the Xfinity Series, takes over crew chief duties temporarily. The leadership transition adds another layer of complexity to an already unstable situation for the No. 8 car.
Teammate Austin Dillon calls for RCR to rally around Busch
As the team faces turbulence, there is vocal support from within. Austin Dillon, Busch’s RCR teammate and the organization’s grandson, has publicly emphasized a renewed organizational focus on elevating Busch back to the winner’s circle and restoring collective morale. Speaking during media availability at the Charlotte Roval, Dillon was direct:
I think the main focus for RCR is to get Kyle Busch, a two-time champion, back to the winner’s circle in any way possible. To make him happy and to make the rest of the organization happy, and to go fast because that’s what we want in the end. We all want to go fast and win races, and that’s where we think we should be. So, we’ve got to make the best hire for both, for whatever Kyle needs and RCR needs for from a competition standpoint to be competitive each and every weekend with the No. 3 [Dillon’s car] and the No. 8 [Busch].
— Austin Dillon, Driver
Dillon’s own playoff run was cut short, but he is steadfast in his determination to see RCR step up for Busch. The message is clear: success for the team requires getting the most out of both cars.
What the future could bring for Kyle Busch and RCR
With mechanical issues unsolved, personnel changes in flux, and a season of underwhelming results weighing heavily, Kyle Busch’s partnership with RCR stands at a crossroads. The next several races will be pivotal, not just for salvaging results on the track, but for shaping the future direction of the RCR-Busch alliance. As speculation surfaces about potential moves to teams like Spire Motorsports, the pressure mounts on RCR to deliver improvements—and for Busch, to rediscover the competitive edge that made him a multiple-time Cup champion.
For now, the spotlight will remain on Kyle Busch’s NASCAR frustrations, as fans, insiders, and the entire garage watch to see if a late-season turnaround is possible, or if dramatic changes will be required in the seasons ahead.
"The short answer is yes." @kylebusch on what's been holding the No. 8 team back this season. #NASCAR
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— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) October 4, 2025
