Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick have transitioned successfully from dirt racing to become two top talents in the NASCAR Cup Series. Seeing this, several other drivers, including Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs, decided to dip their toes into the dirt racing scene this past offseason.
Advertisement
Well, their dirt-track stints have not delivered Cup-level results yet. But Busch, having had firsthand experience in dirt racing, now understands what sets Larson and Reddick apart. He appeared on a recent episode of Door Bumper Clear with Freddie Kraft, Tommy Baldwin, and Karsyn Elledge to share his perspective.
“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,” Busch said. He then pointed out that when drivers race at many of the Midwest tracks where a cushion builds up, they are mastering the subtle art of riding the wall 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. “Because if you steer into it and you catch it with the right rear, you just plow over it,” explained Busch.
Expanding on his point, Busch said that drivers who excel at this are incredibly skilled at placing the car precisely where it needs to be early enough that they can roll back onto the throttle through the corner. He added 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.”
Xfinity Series driver Anthony Alfredo had shed light on the same concept of navigating the corners last year in a video posted on his X handle. Alfredo described the aerodynamics behind it, especially on low-grip tracks such as Homestead-Miami, which enables drivers to hug the wall closely. It is known as wall proximity.
Alfredo 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.
