Busch in danger of second straight Cup playoff shutout

On the final day of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, two-time series champion Kyle Busch faces the possibility of missing the postseason for the second consecutive season.

Busch has been winless in his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet since June of 2023. It will take a win Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway to make the playoffs, which his teammate, Austin Dillon, did a week ago.

Coming as no surprise, Busch admits it’s frustrating being in this position, and the fact that he could fail to be championship eligible for two straight seasons, which has never happened in Busch’s career, adds to that frustration.

“It certainly does,” Busch said. “We’ve had the exact year that we had last year. I just looked at the points after Watkins Glen – we have scored three points less this year than we did last year. Literally three after 24 events and everything that could happen, we’re in the same position.”

Busch earned 513 points after 24 races in the 2024 season, which was through the Michigan International Speedway weekend. Watkins Glen, the 24th race of the 2025 season, saw Busch at a point total of 516 points.

The similarities between the two seasons go further than just points earned. Busch had seven top-10 finishes after 24 races last year, and he again had seven top-10 finishes through 24 races this season. He had three top-five finishes in that timeframe last year, and it’s two top-five finishes thus far in 2025.

“We just overall [have] to get better as a group and go to a lot of these racetracks and execute a little bit better on our behalf,” Busch continued. “But also, I don’t know what percentage it is, but it feels like 60 percent of the time I’m getting run over by somebody else and causing chaos. Last week (at Richmond) it was my fault, but more weeks than not, I’m getting run over.”

A victory Saturday night in Daytona would bring a raucous celebration for Busch and company. There would be “plenty of Rebel Bourbon, that’s for sure,” he said.

“I might be worse than Brad Keselowski after a championship.”

Keselowski had a memorable television interview from the championship stage at Homestead-Miami Speedway after winning the 2012 championship. During the interview, he kept drinking his beer.

A win, while it would put Busch into the postseason, is one part of the equation. He does not subscribe to the notion that being in the playoffs is enough, or is a statement for a driver and team. It’s not worth it for someone like Busch to be there if no success comes with it in the final 10 weeks.

“I disagree (with those drivers) because if you 'Harrison Burton' your way into the playoffs and then you’re out in the first round, that doesn’t mean [expletive], you know what I mean?” he said. “A successful season is obviously making the playoffs and making it into the Round of 8. Making it from the Round of 8 to the Round of 4, there are a lot of situations that can come into play that can get you there or get you out of there. A successful season is being in the playoffs, winning races, and being in the final eight.

“Not getting to those levels last year and right now, not this year, that’s definitely frustrating.”