Kyle Busch enters the next round of the Cup Series with an eye on the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), where his fortunes on road courses have outpaced his struggles elsewhere. Even as team results at Richard Childress Racing have dipped—his average finish falling to 18.3 in 2024 and 17.9 in 2025, marking the lowest points in his 23-year Cup career—Busch’s determination and competitive edge shine on road circuits. Ahead of Sunday’s race, he remains optimistic that his established prowess will translate into a strong result, especially with a strategy focused on tire management amid a new NASCAR horsepower era.
Strong Road Course Record Fuels Confidence for Busch
Busch’s performances at COTA provide a foundation for his confidence. In 2024, he secured a ninth-place finish at the challenging Texas circuit, then improved to a top-five result the following year. His road course capabilities are further highlighted by leading 42 laps on these tracks in 2025, a number only surpassed by Shane van Gisbergen, who dominated with 301 laps up front. With four career Cup Series road course victories—two each at Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International—Busch has shown that his skill set matches the unique demands these tracks pose.
Last season, COTA gave Busch his most impressive outcome across all track formats. Despite running strongly near the front late in the race, he ultimately finished just inside the top five. This performance, along with his history, keeps his spirits high as he prepares to tackle COTA again.
Horsepower Increase Puts Tire Strategy in the Spotlight
For 2026, NASCAR has introduced a horsepower increase, bumping engines on short tracks and road courses up to 750. Busch believes this change will amplify the importance of tire conservation and pit stop timing throughout the race. As he told Speedway Media:
“Tires are going to be more paramount this weekend,”
Kyle Busch, Driver
With the added horsepower, Busch predicts more drivers might gamble on tire changes late in the race, especially if a caution flag appears within the final ten laps. He expanded on the potential strategic plays teams could make:
“You might see guys, if there’s a late caution with 10 to go, that got three or four laps old tires might come, pit, and try to drive back through the field and hope that the front guys burn their stuff up. Fresher tires more times than not, especially with more horsepower, you’re going to want them.”
Kyle Busch, Driver
Recent COTA Experience Highlights the Value of Tire Freshness
Busch’s COTA result a season ago underscores how critical tire timing can be. Starting eighth, he surged forward, cycling into the lead six different times. He held the top position with just six laps to go, while Christopher Bell, William Byron, and Tyler Reddick mounted pressure from behind.
However, a caution—the result of teammate Austin Dillon’s incident—caused the field to regroup and forced a restart. Busch found himself restarting on tires slightly older than some competitors. At COTA, even a two-lap difference in tire age can have a significant impact. When the green flag waved, Bell was able to use his fresher rubber to outpace Busch on corner exits, ultimately relegating Busch back to fifth at the finish in a race where his pace could have delivered more.
Horsepower and Tire Freshness Will Shape Sunday’s Showdown
Looking ahead to this season’s edition at COTA, Busch expects tire wear to play an even greater role. The combination of increased horsepower and fresh tires offers more grip, which can affect every aspect of the race—from late braking and accelerating out of corners to controlling the pace over shorter runs. In Busch’s view, this edge can surpass even track position, making these elements the likely key to victory.
With road course specialists like Christopher Bell, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, and Shane van Gisbergen also in contention and teams like Richard Childress Racing seeking rebounds, Sunday’s race promises strategy, speed, and unpredictable turns—all shaped by the decisions drivers and crews make on pit road as they chase the edge around the Circuit of the Americas. The focus on Kyle Busch COTA strategy may well be the difference-maker under NASCAR’s new rules.
