Richard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch heads to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend after yet another near-miss at visiting victory lane last Sunday. The #8 Chevrolet Camaro driver might not be a part of the playoffs any longer but he sure wants to win a race before the season ends.
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The upcoming Sunday could be the day it happens but the veteran will have to navigate a track that he considers mentally draining. That’s just navigating the track, winning requires even more patience and mental fortitude.
There are a lot of elements that go into running Talladega Superspeedway. One needs to be patient and alert at all times, much more than other tracks. At superspeedways like ‘Dega’, wrecks can happen anywhere, and being careless will get one caught up in it.
Then there are the technical aspects like finding the right groove, passing, drafting, bump-drafting with just the right force, and fuel management, all of which make the track tough that even grizzled veterans have struggled to master entirely.
“I would say the racing at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway is more mentally taxing than physically demanding. The mental aspect comes in with riding in line, saving fuel, and paying attention to everything going on around you while you’re trying to make the right moves,” Rowdy said in a recent media interaction.
The two-time Cup Series champion has raced at this track 38 times so far but has only been able to win twice. The latest of those victories came last season and Rowdy will hope to replicate the same this Sunday.
Why Talladega could help Busch maintain his 19-year-long win streak
There hasn’t been one season in the last 19 years during which Busch has gone winless. He would not want that to happen this year either. Talladega’s unpredictability could either ruin his day, which has been the case in most races this season, or he could be the surprise winner this time around. However, luck isn’t the only thing Rowdy would be relying upon to get the job done.
It’s no secret that the veteran has struggled in the Next Gen car but Talladega is one of the tracks where he has won driving the seventh-generation racer. The Las Vegas, Nevada native has historically been good at such drafting tracks. His performance while has been dismal for most of this year, his best performances have come at such tracks, with him coming closer to victory during his past outings.
Shoulda had that one, just not the way it used to be. Hate it for my guys, they deserved this one! Everyone at ECR & RCR did a phenomenal job this weekend.@RCRracing x @BetMGM x @TeamChevy pic.twitter.com/bGgXO9OZ5h
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 29, 2024
He has the most top-10 finishes out of anybody in the five drafting track races so far this season. He has also earned over 160 points from them. Does that mean Rowdy will surely perform well on Sunday?
No, it doesn’t. But it certainly makes him one of the drivers to look out for. That scenario is always interesting and exciting. The fans would also love to see the #8 finally get into Victory Lane or at least compete for the race win at one of NASCAR’s most iconic tracks.
