Kyle Busch‘s recent performance at Phoenix Raceway brought a 17th-place finish, but the underlying difficulties made the day far more troubling. Plagued by five tire failures and losing a lap early on, he was unable to regain the form that once established him as one of NASCAR’s most successful drivers. These ongoing struggles with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) have sparked debate among insiders about whether this partnership can continue.
Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi, two respected voices in the NASCAR community, recently discussed the deteriorating situation. While Bianchi offered some optimism, emphasizing that salvaging a 17th-place finish from such adversity was notable, Gluck rejected any rosy interpretations, highlighting how Busch’s race was marred by constant setbacks and frustration.
Race Troubles Reveal Deep-Seated Issues Within Busch’s Team
The troubles that unfolded during the Phoenix race were severe. After qualifying 29th, Busch fell a lap behind early and faced multiple tire blowouts, including one late in Stage 2 that set him back several laps. Though the lucky dog rule briefly helped him regain track position, a penalty for an early pit stop forced him to start the final stage from the rear.
Frustrations ran high on the radio, with team members urging Busch to conserve tires and manage the situation more carefully. One crew member expressed exasperation:
Image of: Kyle Busch
“All we had to do was limp to the freaking caution,”
and
“I’m trying to get him to conserve, take care of it. There’s only so much I can do. I’m holding a headset, not a steering wheel.”
This tension underscored the growing discord within the No. 8 crew.
This race extended Busch’s winless streak to nearly a year, dating back to June 2023, with the team’s internal struggles becoming harder to ignore. According to Gluck, citing NASCAR analyst Eric Estepp,
“His car is slow and he’s abusing the tires,”
and
“He’s driving his butt off and he’s still 33rd or whatever. That’s tough. I don’t know how to fix that for Kyle at this point because it doesn’t look like he’s having any fun.”
Is It Time for a New Direction for Busch and RCR?
The biggest question looming is whether Kyle Busch and RCR have reached an irreparable impasse. Bianchi raised this concern:
“Is it an RCR thing? Is it a Kyle thing?”
noting that Busch’s issues seem tied to the car’s performance. With statistics showing continued poor results, Bianchi suggested,
“Is a change of scenery best for everybody?”
Currently working with his third crew chief at RCR, Jim Pohlman, Busch enters his home race at Las Vegas under mounting pressure as his struggles persist. The pattern of tire failures and mid-pack runs has become unmistakable, pointing toward a pivotal moment ahead.
Bianchi predicted,
“It’s going to come to a head at some point,”
adding
“There’s going to have to be some decisions made. It felt like a powder keg ready to blow up.”
For a driver with Busch’s accolades—a two-time Cup champion and future Hall of Famer—the ongoing slump is especially disheartening. Gluck summed up the situation bluntly:
“You hate to see Kyle Busch, a legend, in this position.”
Kyle Busch was in the free pass but had to pit early for a flat tire so will still be stuck a lap down.
Someone on the radio is frustrated with the driver:
"All we had to do was limp to the freaking caution. I'm trying to get him to conserve, take care of it, there's only so…
