Kyle Busch Shuts Down Retirement Rumors, Vows to Fight On After Winless NASCAR Streak
Kyle Busch, the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion with a record 232 wins across NASCAR’s top three series, has been at the center of retirement speculation following a challenging 2024 season—his first without a victory in 19 years. The 39-year-old driver, who turns 40 in May 2025, addressed these rumors head-on in a recent interview with TODAY, delivering a resolute message to fans and critics alike: “Going to keep going strong.” Busch’s firm rejection of retirement, coupled with his determination to return to Victory Lane, has reignited hope among his supporters as he prepares for the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend, a track where he last won with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in April 2023.
Busch’s career has been nothing short of legendary, with 63 Cup Series wins and championships in 2015 and 2019 during his dominant tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing. However, his move to RCR in 2023, while initially promising with three wins that year, has since hit a rough patch. The 2024 season saw Busch fail to secure a single victory, snapping a 19-year streak, and his struggles have persisted into 2025. With a current winless streak of 66 races, Busch sits 15th in the 2025 driver standings with 204 points, managing just three top-10 finishes and one top-five in the first nine races. His average finish of 16.5 is a far cry from the championship form he displayed in his prime, leading many to speculate that the veteran might be nearing the end of his career, especially as he focuses on his son Brexton’s budding racing career and the sale of Kyle Busch Motorsports.
Yet Busch remains defiant, pointing to Denny Hamlin as proof that age is just a number in NASCAR. “I’m turning 40. Denny Hamlin’s out there, he’s 44, 45, and he’s winning races,” Busch said, adding, “37 to about 43, you’re in your prime in NASCAR. I still got plenty in the tank.” His optimism isn’t entirely unfounded—Busch showed flashes of brilliance earlier this season at Circuit of the Americas, where he led a race-high 42 laps before finishing fifth, narrowly edged out by Christopher Bell. Talladega, where he has two career wins, offers another chance to break his drought. The superspeedway’s restrictor-plate racing often levels the playing field, and Busch is eager to capitalize, noting, “We raced Talladega this weekend—a great place for us to go win. We won there a couple years ago and are looking forward to doing that again.”
The root of Busch’s struggles lies in RCR’s inability to consistently deliver competitive cars. Former driver and NASCAR analyst Kyle Petty, speaking on GO PRN Live, pinpointed the issue: “They’re asking him to carry it from 12th to the win. If you ask him to carry it from third or fourth to the win, I think he can, but he can’t carry it through a third of the field.” Busch himself acknowledged the team’s inconsistency, reflecting on a strong start to 2025 with top-10 finishes at Atlanta, COTA, and Phoenix, followed by disappointing runs at Las Vegas and Homestead. “Homestead was a complete miss… we were passing each other for 30th on the racetrack,” he admitted, highlighting the performance gap between RCR and top teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing.
Fan frustration has been palpable, with social media reflecting a mix of disappointment and skepticism. After a lackluster showing at the Bowman Gray Clash to start 2025, one fan remarked, “Looks like Kyle Busch is going to suck again this year,” while another predicted, “Kyle Busch isn’t even finishing top 20 in points this season.” The criticism stings for a driver accustomed to elite success, but Busch remains focused, defending his team’s effort: “It’s definitely not due to lack of effort. Everybody works very hard… it’s just work smarter, not harder.” As he navigates this challenging chapter, Busch’s resolve to silence doubters at Talladega could mark a turning point—or a defiant stand against the twilight of a storied career.
