Kyle Busch’s appearance at Kansas Speedway this weekend could have spelled an end to the NASCAR veteran’s 50-race-long winless streak in the sport. However, the Richard Childress Racing driver could not round out what looked like a definitive victory at the track this Sunday.
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Busch managed to lead 26 laps during the 2024 Hollywood Casino 400 before spinning out from the lead of the race with 31 laps to go. The same happened as Busch fought Ross Chastain for track position while Chase Briscoe, a playoffs driver tried his best to stay on the lead lap by keeping the RCR driver behind him.
Briscoe’s defense meant the #8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver found himself in an aerodynamic pinch, ultimately spinning the car and finishing in P19. Despite the heartbreaking result for the 2-time champion, his outing this Sunday put him on an exclusive list of drivers with names such as Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt accompanying him.
Kyle Busch has now led 200 laps in the last 20 CONSECUTIVE seasons
He is only the 5th driver in NASCAR HISTORY to accomplish this
Richard Petty – 25 seasons
Jeff Gordon – 23
Dale Earnhardt – 22
Rusty Wallace – 20
Kyle Busch – 20 pic.twitter.com/qw5vQopIpB— Trey Ryan (@TreyRyan99) September 29, 2024
The Las Vegas, Nevada native becomes only the fifth driver in NASCAR history to have led 200 laps in the last 20 consecutive seasons in the sport, falling in behind names such as Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, and Rusty Wallace. While ‘The King’ tops the list with 25 seasons of leading 200 consecutive laps to his name, Gordon, Earnhardt, and Wallace 23, 22, and 20 seasons respectively.
Busch’s appearance on the list ties him with stock car racing legend Rusty Wallace. Despite being only a statistic, the same showcases the former Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s longevity in the sport, along with his continued performance behind the wheel despite his recent struggles this year.
“I don’t know what to do”
Elaborating on the loss he suffered this weekend after spinning out from the lead at Kansas, a dejected Kyle Busch was seen summing up his emotions to the media after the race.
He said, “Running ten-tenths all the time and trying to make up speed to cover the #1 car, make sure I could stay ahead of him and the #14 turned down the hill in order to get clean air from the guy in front of him so I went to his outside and plugged a whole and then, just air. Felt nothing off the corner. Busting my butt, hate it for my guys.”
Busch further elaborated in heartbreaking fashion when asked about keeping his winning streak of 20 seasons alive in the sport, to which he responded, “I’m numb. I don’t know what to do.”
