What’s Happening?

Any way you slice it, 2024 has been a miserable year for Kyle Busch and his fans. For the first time in his 20-year career, Kyle Busch went an entire season without winning a single race. The boils down to one thing: just a general lack of speed on the number 8 car’s part. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve had a couple of decent runs. There were even a couple of races he had a pretty good chance of winning but couldn’t quite get there. Is 2024 an anomaly? We here at the Daily Downforce think so. So, with that being said, let’s look ahead to next here. Here are 5 races that Kyle Busch could potentially win in 2025.

Kyle Busch’s 2024 Season Breakdown:

• In 2024, Kyle Busch finished in the top-10 only 10 times and in the top-5 only 5 times. His top-5 finishes include two 2nd place finishes at Daytona and Darlington respectively. As his stats indicate, it was rare to see Kyle running up front this year and, even when he did, something horrible would typically happen, such as getting dumped by Corey Lajoie.
• He’s had a couple of close calls this year. As referenced above, he was leading the Southern 500 late but was eventually beaten out by Chase Briscoe. He was also involved in a historic 3-wide photo finish at Atlanta in the spring. Unfortunately for him, he came away with the bronze medal.
• This list is mostly going to be chronological. It is not a strict countdown from less likely to most likely. Now, with no further ado, let’s get to it.

#1: The Clash

To start this list off, we’re going to take a look at the Busch Clash. Rather than being a West Coast event like it had been the last 3 years at the L.A. Coliseum, the 2025 Busch Clash will be a “home game”, taking place at the historic Bowman Gray bullring. In years past, this race hasn’t been the best pre-season test to indicate how well a team will or will not do throughout the season. It’s typically an outlier race, an anomaly, and that’s why I think the RCR number 8 has a decent chance of showing up and winning.

I know, I know, the RCR short-track package has been trash in recent years. But, if the racing at Bowman Gray is anything like how it was at the Coliseum, it won’t race like a typical short track. The corners are tighter, and it’s mostly whoever can survive the night and not get punted out of the way standing in victory lane at the end of the night. Take a hungry Kyle Busch and put him anywhere near the front, I like his chances.

#2: The Daytona 500

Kyle Busch is undoubtedly one of the most talented drivers to ever be behind the wheel. He has accomplished almost everything there is to accomplish during his NASCAR career. However, one trophy he is missing from his collection is the coveted Harly J. Earl trophy. When the average fan thinks of Kyle Busch, most of the time it isn’t superspeedway racing that initially comes to mind. In his now 20-year career, Busch has only won 3 races at superspeedway-style tracks. Those wins came at Talladega (2008), Daytona (2008), and Talladega again in 2023.

All that said, in 2024, most of his stronger performances came at superspeedway-style drafting tracks. Let’s face it: Richard Childress Racing’s bread and butter are Daytona and Talladega, and Busch has come so close numerous times to winning them in that number 8 Chevy. In the 2023 running of the Daytona 500, Busch was leading the race on Lap 200 when a poorly timed caution flew, triggering a GWC finish. After all his pain and misery in 2024, could 2025 be the year he finally wins the “big one”? Hey, stranger things have happened. Remember: Dale Earnhardt went winless in 1997 for the first time in his career. Then, in February 1998, he finally captured his lone Daytona 500 win. It’s not crazy to think that history could repeat itself.

#3: Atlanta (either one)

As I said in the last entry, superspeedway-style races are RCR’s bread and butter and they’re about the only place either of their drivers were legit contenders all throughout 2024. With Atlanta now being a superspeedway, it’s not crazy to think that he could potentially win one of the Atlanta races next year. Heck, he was part of a 3-wide photo finish coming to the line in the spring Hotlanta race this year.

What does Busch have going for him when it comes to Atlanta Superspeedway? Well, that RCR power for one thing. But Atlanta differs from Daytona and Talladega in a few ways. Those two tracks, especially Talladega, somewhat worship chaos and are sometimes random just for the sake of being random. Meanwhile, Atlanta is more of a driver’s track. If the car is handling and you have a good driver behind the wheel, they can get it done, no problem. Kyle Busch is more than capable of wheeling his number 8 Chevy to lead the pack at Hotlanta. If he can keep it there, there’s no doubt that he could be driving it into victory lane.

#4: Bristol (Night)

Again, I know…RCR’s short-track package is complete and utter garbage. I get it. But if anyone can overcome that and win on a short oval, it’s Kyle Busch. Bristol is one of Busch’s best racetracks historically. He has won there a total of 8 times, matching his car number. Realistically, he could win at either race, especially if they have tire issues as they had in the spring of this year, causing the experience to come more into play. I just put the night race because of its prestige.

And who knows, maybe RCR will have their short-track kinks figured out by the time the series returns in 2025.

#5: The Southern 500

We will end this list with another Crown Jewel: The 2025 running of the Southern 500. Richard Childress Racing is a classic team, and Darlington is a classic racetrack. It’s a real driver’s track that ultimately highlights skill above anything else. Busch almost won this race in 2025. In fact, he was leading late, and the laps were winding down. Unfortunately for him, Chase Briscoe was able to chase him down and pass him in a hard-fought battle.

In 2025, the Southern 500 will be in the NASCAR Playoffs. So, if Busch doesn’t win before this race, odds are he will miss the post-season for the 2nd year in a row. But, even if that turns out to be the case, a win of any kind would be a great consolation prize to end his possible final year with RCR. Can he get it done in 2025? Only time will tell.

Conclusion:

That does it for us, Daily Downforce readers. What did you think of our list? Do you think Kyle Busch will return to his winning ways in 2025? If so, how many wins do you see him snagging? Be sure to let us know!

Just because the 2024 season has wrapped doesn’t mean that we’re done here at the Daily Downforce. Be sure to keep checking the site for all the latest news and breaking stories throughout the offseason. February will be here before we know it!