Despite Two Winless NASCAR Seasons, Samantha Busch Reveals the Side of Kyle Busch Fans Don’t See

Kyle Busch has hit a rough patch over the past two years. He hasn’t tasted victory since Gateway in June 2023, and he owns only four wins since the Gen-7 car rolled out. This season too, he has logged just a pair of top fives and eight top 10s, a steep slide for the two-time Cup champion. Yet while his form on the track has dipped, he keeps home life on an even keel, especially after Brexton and Lennix arrived, as Samantha Busch revealed.

On the latest episode of the Certified Oversharer podcast with Busch, the subject of carrying track frustration home came up. Busch first joked, “Yeah, and I take it out on Samantha in the bedroom. That’s what everybody wants to hear,” but then admitted that before kids, life was different, as he used to get frustrated when he had a bad weekend.

Samantha quickly clarified, noting that things have changed now, and even when his racing fortunes waver, his switch flips when he walks through the door, contrary to popular perception.

“But you come home, and it’s amazing to me that it’s almost, I don’t want to say a light switch, but you’re engaging with the kids. You spend time with me. Like you have a really good demeanor and personality. I’m not lying or just saying this.”

“I mean, I told you I said it during prayer last night. For as hard as it’s been for you on the track the last two years, I feel like you’ve been an amazing father and husband,” she added.

Busch explained that the change stems from his children. He said he makes the effort because he is teaching Brexton, now racing Legend cars, that there will be far more days of defeat than success, and learning to stomach the losses is part of the deal.

Busch added that it isn’t about forgetting and moving on, but about knowing family is not the place to dwell on setbacks. Samantha echoed that view, pointing out that Brexton and Lennix likely never notice any shift in his mood despite the Cup struggles.

With Bristol Motor Speedway up next, the No. 8 RCR driver now intends to sharpen his edge. Though he is out of the playoffs this year, the race will give him a chance to turn the tide and set a stronger tone for 2026.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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