It’s a tale as old as time—Cup drivers crashing the junior ranks’ party. Weekends are a double whammy, with Cup and Xfinity races sharing the same track. On these weekends, several full-time Cup drivers not only tackle their own qualifying rounds but also dive into Xfinity races on Saturdays before sliding into their usual Cup rides on Sundays. This rampant invasion naturally leads to a lopsided winners’ circle. With their wealth of experience and access to stronger teams and equipment, the Cup drivers seem almost unbeatable.

In 2017, the powers that be decided enough was enough and imposed limitations, reducing the number of Cup drivers allowed to compete in Xfinity races from 15 to a measly 5. Recently, Dale Earnhardt Jr shed light on this development in his podcast, taking a swipe at the winningest driver across the top three NASCAR tiers. However, it seems that the debate over Cup drivers invading the Xfinity Series just won’t let up, and Dale Jr is back in the ring, throwing punches with his words.

Dale Earnhardt Jr makes his stance on Kyle Busch clear: Less mighty team equals less favorable outcomes

A few weeks ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr took to Twitter to shine a spotlight on Kyle Busch’s undeniable talent. In a tweet, Junior weighed in on Busch’s knack for dominating the Xfinity races. He wrote, “I personally liked when we had 15 or so running big events like Daytona and Charlotte. [As an owner] I didn’t like losing to @KyleBusch every week. No disrespect. He’s a wheelman. But that was a LOT of losing.”

Fast forward a few weeks, and it appears Dale Jr‘s stance has taken a slight curve. And this time, he no longer seems to be entirely smitten by it. In a recent episode of The Dale Jr. Download podcast, he revisited the Cup driver dilemma. Uncertain if he still likes it, he pointed out the inherent unfairness, once again using Kyle Busch as an example. But this time, he highlighted Busch’s fall from grace.

Guest star Jamie McMurray didn’t hold back, lamenting, “I didn’t think it was ever fair is that all the Cup guys got in better cars. Like, they got to get in all the Cup-backed cars, on top of them being better drivers.” Junior, never one to mince words, gave a knowing nod to McMurray’s words and chimed in, “Yeah, that conversation comes around every year, and my opinion is like, so Kyle Busch, right? He’s an amazing race car driver, one of the best. Won most of his races driving the Gibbs cars, which are great race cars. And that year where he drove his own cars, he looked regular, normal.”

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Dale Earnhardt Jr continued, “That’s right, and it really drove home the fact for me like if they want to take the limits and the restrictions away, great, but all these guys need to start their own teams. Even if they do have that access, and like we do with Hendrick, like start your own team, run it all out of your own shop. It’s a lot different.”

Double trouble for Kyle Busch amid Playoff woes in Cup Series as Xfinity glory eludes him

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In 2022, Kyle Busch hit a high point in his Xfinity Series career, marking a milestone by securing his 100th win while driving the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra. What’s more, he achieved an astonishing 5-for-5 Xfinity sweep, capping it off with his 102nd Xfinity win in Atlanta. Busch, in a moment of triumph, declared his retirement from Xfinity, bowing out after such a dominating show. And so, the fans bid farewell, thinking they had seen the last of Rowdy in the Xfinity scene.

Fast forward to 2023, this year has brought a whirlwind of changes for Rowdy. In the Cup Series, he quit JGR, taking his talents to Richard Childress‘s stable in pursuit of his third championship title. Not only did he switch teams, but he also made a shift from Toyota to Chevy. His return to the Xfinity Series in 2023 was also marked by a change, as he found himself behind the wheel of Kaulig Racing‘s #10 Chevy.

Many anticipated a repeat of his 2021 dominance, but Busch’s four races in 2023 told a different story. With just one top-5 finish and no wins, he struggled to recapture his past glory. The transition from a championship-winning team’s Toyota to a team on the quest for their championship seemed to take its toll.

As the 2023 season winds down with only Phoenix on the horizon before turning the page to 2024, the big question remains: Will this be the season when Busch finally finds his groove in the Chevy and brings back the old Rowdy we all know? Was leaving JGR his downfall, or is there a comeback in the making?

Falling Short of Playoff Goal, Was Leaving Joe Gibbs a Good Decision for Kyle Busch?