Currently, Carson Hocevar has all the makings of NASCAR’s new villain, given his spats with fellow drivers, attitude, and on-track skirmishes. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin still holds the torch as the current villain, owing to his controversial comments, digs at NASCAR decisions and rule changes, aggressive driving, and even his rapport with the fans. However, before Hamlin, it was Kyle Busch who had unapologetically carried the “villain” tag for a long time.
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Though any kind of attention can keep a driver in the public eye, Busch’s notoriety was one-of-a-kind. Despite racking up victories, he was often showered with boos simply because he wasn’t the crowd’s favorite. Besides, his ruthless racing style made him a target for constant criticism, with fans and pundits alike lining up to take shots.
But things began to shift when Busch made the leap to Richard Childress Racing in 2023. While he cited a conscious decision to tone down his aggression so his son could learn by example, the RCR switch also helped him turn the tide with a fan base that once had him in their crosshairs.
During a recent 12 Questions interview with Jeff Gluck, Busch reflected, “I would say the perception over the years was always the “black hat” thing, right? And now it’s definitely different, where it just automatically flipped because I changed teams (from Joe Gibbs Racing to RCR). So, that’s a little weird. But I’m just taking things more in stride, and I feel like people are respecting that a little bit more.”
He explained that during his time at Joe Gibbs Racing, the expectation was to win; anything less than first place was seen as falling short. That pressure-cooker environment led to outbursts and meltdowns whenever things didn’t go his way, creating moments that fed into his bad-boy image.
Now, with his competitive edge dulled just slightly by circumstance, Busch finds himself in a different headspace. He’s no longer running at the front every week, and with that has come a new approach: focus on progress, not perfection. As he sees it, that change in demeanor hasn’t gone unnoticed and might be earning him a measure of respect he hadn’t enjoyed before.
Busch’s competitive side beyond racing
When Jeff Gluck asked Kyle Busch to recall a moment outside the racetrack where his competitive streak took over, Busch didn’t hesitate. “Everything. Video games, pool, ping pong. Ask Austin (Dillon) about pickleball, yeah. Ask him how competitive that gets,” he quipped, leaving no doubt that his drive to win doesn’t switch off when the engine does.
While the former Cup champion may ease up on his 10-year-old son, Brexton, during family games, the younger Busch certainly doesn’t dial it back. Busch admitted he can still hold his own when it comes to board games, though Brexton isn’t always thrilled about losing.
Still, Busch gave credit where it was due, praising his son’s card game savvy, noting that Brexton has a knack for Rummy and holds his own at the table.
