Remember the 2010 NASCAR All-Star race at Charlotte? Battling in the final 10-lap shootout, Denny Hamlin forced then-teammate Kyle Busch into the wall. Over the radio, Busch exploded, “Somebody better keep me away from Denny Hamlin after this race. I am going to kill that m———–. I had this race won. Won.” However, the relationship has evolved since then, and the two aren’t engaged in such fiery situations for the win. And with Busch riding on a winless streak since 2023, several solutions have been offered, and the most recent involves his rival and friend, Denny Hamlin.

It is no secret that Kyle Busch’s 2025 season has been a frustrating one. So far, he has logged just two top fives and eight top tens and has only led 62 laps in 30 races. His best outing came on the Chicago Street course, where he clawed back to 5th despite a spin and penalty, but inconsistency and car issues have plagued his campaign. Still with a fresh contract extension through 2026 with Richard Childress Racing, the veteran insists the focus remains on finding speed and turning his luck around before the season slips away. However, there may be one alternative, and Danielle Trotta thinks that it is time for Denny Hamlin to play the white knight.

Speaking on Rubbin’ is Racing, Danielle Trotta has carved out a path for Denny Hamlin to save Kyle Busch from his slump: “I’ll tell you where I would want to put him if I could. I would put him in that third 23XI car. He has a really good relationship with Denny. They get along great. He knows the Toyota landscape. Riley Herbst is not performing, and he’s got a little money that he brings with him in sponsorship. Like, if I’m Denny, if I’m Kyle, I’m like, ‘Bro, do your boy a favor. Get me in your car.’ Yeah. I want to win again.”

Denny Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI Racing, will have quite a decision to make if this claim comes true. It is no secret that Riley Herbst has had quite a rollercoaster of a rookie season in the Cup Series. Driving the No. 35 for 23XI Racing, he hasn’t cracked the top 10 just yet, but has turned heads with a string of solid performances, a notable 14th at Talladega, 17th at Daytona, Atlanta, and COTA, and 19th at Las Vegas, keeping his nose clean with 343 points.

Moreover, Herbst has only led one lap and is sitting nil on wins, top fives, and pole positions. He has an average start of 27.23 and an average finish of 26.10 with 3 DNFs. But in NASCAR, performance matters, and when you are the only driver in your camp that has not made it into the playoffs, eyebrows are bound to be raised. And who knows, Kyle Busch might actually get a breakthrough with a potential place at 23XI Racing.

However, Trotta believes that Busch has more in him before he decides to call it quits: “Yeah. I don’t know if he, but I don’t think he should hang it up. I hope he is. I mean, I know what you’re saying. Like, it’s hard to watch him run in the back, but I don’t want to see him walk away.” 

And if you think about it, 23XI Racing would be the perfect fit for Busch. The team has benefited from Toyota’s overall dominance in the Round of 16 and circled the wagons around Bubba Wallace and Reddick by avoiding real elimination danger in that stretch. Meanwhile, Wallace had been the stronger contributor for the team; he led all playoff drivers in stage points (35) and continuously positioned himself as a championship threat. Reddick, on the other hand, has hovered near the bubble; after entering the round below the cut line, he has shown flashes like a runner-up at Darlington.

However, currently, the duo sits below the cut-off line as the NASCAR Cup garage heads to Kansas Speedway. Tyler Reddick is positioned 11th in the standings with 23 points below the cut line, and Bubba Wallace is 12th with 27 points. It is going to be an uphill battle for the team to make it into the Round of 8, but so far, they have been delivering. And amid all this, Kyle Busch’s crew chief has left the veteran to be part of Connor Zilisch’s team, abandoning the two-time champion.

But now, when it matters the most, one NASCAR veteran believes in his ex-rival (Busch) more than ever.

Kevin Harvick overcomes his hate and demands hope for a Busch redemption

On the Happy Hour podcast, Kevin Harvick confessed that once he passionately hated ‘Rowdy.’ But hate has faded into something heavier: disappointment. Looking at Busch’s current slump, Harvick couldn’t help but wince: “I can’t imagine Kyle Busch going out like this. It’s bad for everything. It’s bad for the sport. It’s bad for him. It’s bad for everything that says ‘Kyle Busch.’ I hate to see where it’s at.” For Harvick, it’s not about rivalry anymore; it’s about watching a two-time champion stuck in quicksand, with no clear way out.

And it’s not the car to blame, as Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch’s teammate, managed to snag a win this year while Busch continues to struggle. The mystery isn’t just in the numbers but in the pit box too. Crew chief Randall Burnett, who has been glued to the No. 8 team since 2020, is already packing his bag for Trackhouse Racing’s Connor Zilisch in 2026. Harvick’s old buddy Rodney Childers was floated as a replacement, but he is off to JR Motorsports instead. That leaves Busch standing in the garage with more questions than answers. Harvick added, “I don’t believe Kyle Busch is that bad. I have a hard time believing that. So, it’s definitely kind of a mess.” 

Time isn’t exactly his teammate anymore. Retirement whispers are getting louder than before. But before Busch hangs up his helmet, fans and even Harvick are desperate for one last flash of vintage ‘Rowdy.’ The lap-leading, trash-talking, fire-breathing Busch that made NASCAR love and loathe him all at once. For now, though, it feels like the sport is waiting for a comeback that may never come.