Observing how Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick successfully transitioned from dirt racing to becoming two top talents in the NASCAR Cup Series, several other drivers, including Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs, decided to dip their toes into the dirt racing scene this past offseason.
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While their dirt-track stints haven’t yet delivered Cup-level results, Busch, now having firsthand experience with dirt racing, shared his perspective on what sets Larson and Reddick apart. He appeared on a recent episode of Door Bumper Clear with Freddie Kraft, Tommy Baldwin, and Karsyn Elledge.
Busch explained, “They are comfortable on the edge. I think when you are a dirt star… you can run the wall at times, right up against the fence.”
He also pointed out that when drivers race at many Midwest tracks where a cushion builds up, drivers are mastering a subtle art that demands real skill. Busch clarified that a driver must ease the right rear tire onto the cushion by backing into it slightly, allowing the car to ride along smoothly. He explained, “Because if you steer into it and you get catch it with the right rear, you just plow over it.”
Expanding on his point, Kyle Busch added that drivers who excel at this are incredibly skilled at placing the car precisely where it needs to be, early enough, so they can roll back onto the throttle through the corner. He noted that drivers like Larson and Reddick “learn a good sense of that on the dirt and being able to do that sideways with not a lot of grip, they’re really figuring out that finesse.”
Anthony Alfredo, the Xfinity Series driver, had shed light on the same concept [of navigating the corners] last year through a video posted on his official X handle. In his explanation, Alfredo described the aerodynamic phenomenon, especially on low-grip tracks such as Homestead Miami, that enables drivers to hug the wall so closely, known as wall proximity.
He narrated that by running high up on the track, a pocket of air forms between the car and the wall, creating additional side force. This aerodynamic advantage allows the driver to carry more speed through the turns and clock faster lap times.
