To think that there would be a season without Kyle Busch in the playoffs used to be unimaginable. Yet, here we are with two such instances. Ever since finishing P14 in the playoff standings in 2023, the Richard Childress Racing driver has evidently struggled in a way he never had before. But, currently on an 83-race winless streak, the fall from grace is no more accidental. It’s either like the driver alleges (“[The Next Gen cars] suck so bad. Thank you, NASCAR!.. I’m [expletive] stuck!”) or just a simple reminder that the veteran driver is probably close to calling it a day. But whatever be the case, it looks like Busch might not be the biggest loser in the situation.

On August 23, industry insiders Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck sat down for another edition of The Teardown podcast, where their main topic of conversation was the recently concluded Cup Series regular season finale at Daytona. As expected, it wasn’t long before the talk moved toward the highlight of that race: The multi-car pile-up that ended playoff hopes for many. Moving away from the popular sentiment, Gluck confidently stated, “I think it was Larson that caused it. I mean, you people are blaming Bubba and Logano, but…it looked like Larson got into Bubba. Bubba got squirrely. Bubba hits Logano.” 

He then added, “That wreck took out a decent amount of storylines right there. I mean, Kyle Bush immediately misses the playoffs….I really think NASCAR needs Kyle Bush in the playoffs.” Expectedly, the last sentence struck a chord with Bianchi, who doubled down with, “The sport is better when Kyle Busch is better, especially driving for RCR. Like, if Kyle Busch was winning races and and contending, he makes RCR more relevant. People love RCR. They’ve kind of got this rough and tumble image. It’s just , it’s good for the sport all around. And unfortunately, it’s just not the reality. Now he’s, for the first time in Busch’s career, [he] has gone two straight years of failing to make the playoffs, which is just absolutely mind-blowing.” And Bianchi’s not totally wrong.

As a polarizing figure in the NASCAR landscape, Busch’s participation in the playoffs does bring some fanfare. And not to mention, the storyline of a two-time Cup Series driver vying for a third Cup Series victory after a long stretch of lackluster performances, would definitely be enticing. But, unfortunately, all it took was a split moment for the dream to end once and for all. On Lap 27, Stage 1 of the Coke Zero Sigar 400, Joey Logano, Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace were racing three-wide down the frontstretch when a nudge from the #5 pushed Wallace to the left into Logano’s No. 22 and Busch’s No. 8.

The result was a 12-car wreck, including playoff hopeful Alex Bowman, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Austin Cindric, Noah Gragson, and others.

Having said that, while most eyes were fixated on Busch to mitigate both his and RCR’s winless streak, it was Austin Dillon who snatched it for RCR. The twist didn’t end there, as several other drivers punched their tickets to the playoffs in surprising fashion, as Busch was left fuming in the end.

Kyle Busch expresses frustration as Alex Bowman sneaks into playoffs

Busch didn’t hold back on expressing his frustration over how playoff contention has unfolded. “A successful season for me is obviously making the playoffs and making it into the round of eight,” he said, adding, “So not getting to those levels last year and right now, not this year, you know, that’s definitely frustrating.”

The veteran driver then made his feelings clear on the idea of scraping in through points: “If you ‘Harrison Burton’ your way into the playoffs and then you’re out the first round, that doesn’t mean sh*t,” he fired, bluntly dismissing what he sees as hollow playoff entries.

Despite the mounting frustration, Busch maintained a calm, focused approach, showing the poise that has defined his career. “No, I’m not stressed out over it. We go into each weekend with the mindset to try to go out there and win… We need to,” he stated.

Kyle Busch’s absence from the playoffs for a second straight year signals a pivotal moment in both his career and NASCAR’s competitive landscape. While his struggles have opened the door for teammates like Austin Dillon and surprising names such as Alex Bowman to seize the spotlight, the larger question remains whether Busch and RCR can regroup and reclaim their winning form.