Kyle Busch has won nearly everything there is to win at all levels of NASCAR. Well, ‘nearly everything’, because there is one thing the two-time Cup champion has still not won – the Daytona 500. Miraculously, for the Richard Childress Racing driver, winning at the Great American race has always somehow eluded him. Recently, while speaking to the Athletic, Busch revealed what he considered to be his top priority as he moves on with his career at RCR.
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Unsurprisingly, the two-time Cup Series champion picked this over all the other enticing prospects presented to him.
Kyle Busch Chooses Rare NASCAR Achievement Over Tempting Opportunities
Busch was asked by The Athletic, “This is a debate-style question, although only you can debate it. Basically, it’s a personal ranking for you, so let’s say you can only do one of the following things and rank them in order of importance: Win the Daytona 500, get two more Cup titles, reach 85 Cup Series wins, or win Most Popular Driver?”
Subsequently, Busch responded, “They’re in order.”
Gluck then followed up asking, “Oh, really? Interesting. So the Daytona 500 is that important to you?”
Busch then added, “It’s a box that’s not checked. I’ve won a championship; I have won two. I’ve won tons of races; I think I’m eighth or ninth on the all-time wins list, whatever it is (he’s ninth). So to me, winning the Daytona 500 is something I haven’t done and really want to do. I did lead Lap 200 this year under yellow, so I will always carry that asterisk with me forever.”
Busch has never been able to win the Daytona 500
Some drivers can be as successful as they want to be, but there are certain events that they just cannot win no matter what. Call it bad luck or something else, winning the Daytona 500 may remain a dream for Busch.
Looking back at history, Dale Earnhardt Sr. had seven championships to his name but was only able to win the prestigious event once, that too after trying so hard for 20 years. Just like him, Busch, who has championships and numerous Cup Series wins to his name, has never been able to capture a win at the prestigious race.
It’s not that he hasn’t come close. Even this year, fans were on the edge of their seats as Busch led the race at Daytona 500 during the final few laps. Everyone thought that this was it, Busch would finally cherish his Daytona 500 win.
Alas, right as everything looked too good, the RCR driver wrecked out, gifting a wild Ricky Stenhouse Jr the win instead. Luck has always eluded Busch for this specific event, so it makes sense, why he would choose this over any other achievement within the sport.
