Following comments from Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron, Kyle Busch has now weighed in on the beloved Darlington tradition of showcasing paint schemes that nod to NASCAR’s history. Amid rising skepticism from peers like Elliott and Byron, Busch has come out swinging in defense of the Throwback Weekend.
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The 2025 running of the stock car racing tradition has become a topic of hot debate, stirring diverse feelings among fans and drivers, particularly as only 19 of the 38 Cup Series entries have confirmed their participation. This has sparked a dialogue regarding the event’s ongoing relevance and charm.
Nonetheless, Busch firmly believes that the fans hold the Throwback Weekend in high regard, refuting any claims that it has lost its allure with time. While some drivers like Elliott and Byron argued that the tradition has become a bit much, Busch underlined that the Throwback Weekend is a show for the spectators, not the competitors.
“When I look at fan reception, I feel like the fans really love it. And even if some of the drivers may think it’s a little overblown or whatever, like it’s not for us. It’s for the people that are in the grandstands and for their pure joy in just seeing some of the older, cool schemes that come back to life in this day and age,” opined the Las Vegas native.
However, given that Busch isn’t personally sporting a throwback scheme on his car, he clarified that the decision ultimately rests with the sponsors. Most sponsors prefer not to alter their logos or color schemes as they are focused on maximizing the return on investment from their branding on the car.
While Busch may not be honoring any past drivers with a retro livery this weekend, the race still holds intrigue for him as he seeks to break a winless streak of 64 races. Busch boasts an average finish of 13.4 at the track, including one win, seven top-5 finishes, and fifteen top-10s. It remains to be seen how well he can finish on ‘The Track Too Tough to Tame’ as the green flag drops at 3:00 pm ET.
