80 races. That’s how long Kyle Busch’s winless streak has extended to after the 2025 Iowa Corn 350. For a driver of Rowdy’s calibre, a two-time Cup Series winner to go this long without entering Victory Lane would be considered unfathomable a few years ago. But here we are, with the Richard Childress Racing driver running the risk of not qualifying for the playoffs once again. With three races remaining before the postseason begins, the clock is ticking for the veteran to turn his fortunes around.

But despite the odds stacked against him, a prominent NASCAR insider is optimistic about Busch’s chances. With Richmond Raceway on the horizon, could the No. 8 driver finally break his longstanding streak at ‘America’s Premier Short Track ’? Time will tell.

Does Kyle Busch still have what it takes?

Whatever could go wrong, did go wrong for Kyle Busch at Iowa Speedway. After posting the second fastest lap in Group A during Saturday’s practice session, Rowdy lost control of his Chevy during his 18th circuit of the session and drove hard into the outside wall, slamming nose-first. With his vehicle destroyed, he was forced to start at the rear in the backup car, a less-than-ideal situation with the playoffs looming large. However, he did manage to salvage a 20th-place finish, an impressive outcome under the circumstances.

Impressed by his performance at Iowa Speedway, The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi said on ‘The Teardown’ podcast, “Honestly, let’s talk about Kyle Busch. What a day for him. Starting in the back in a backup car, crashes hard. Now, was in the mix, running well at times. You’re going to Richmond, a place he does really, really well at, and if you can take from today and apply it there. I feel like Richmond is gonna be one of those things that comes out of nowhere and surprises people.”

Kyle Busch is a real force to be reckoned with at Richmond Raceway. He has the most wins (6) amongst active drivers at the 0.75-mile track, and holds the record for the highest average finishes with 7.0. However, he hasn’t won at the venue since 2018, and even failed to break into the top-10 in his last two appearances. If he can turn back the clock at the Cook Out 400, there’s no reason why the 40-year-old can’t enter Victory Lane again.

That’ll be easier said than done, though. Kyle Busch has struggled with consistency all year and only has two top-five finishes to his name. While there were some encouraging signs at Iowa Speedway, winning the penultimate regular-season race will be a whole different challenge altogether. However, if there’s one driver who can secure a win at Richmond, it’s ‘Rowdy’, and with just a few races remaining before the playoffs, the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been for the veteran racing driver.

It’s now or never for Busch

Kyle Busch has his work cut out for him. With just three races remaining, the Richard Childress Racing driver continues to trail RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher for a playoff spot, with 73 points separating the two drivers. That’s a pretty big deficit to overcome, and nothing but a victory will be enough to salvage his season under such circumstances. However, tracks such as Watkins Glen, Richmond, and Daytona International Raceway present pretty good opportunities.

While Shane van Gisbergen will be a favorite at the upcoming ‘Go Bowling at The Glen’, Busch is also a formidable road course driver. He finished fifth at the Circuit of the Americas earlier this year and 10th at Sonoma Raceway. Richmond has always been a happy hunting ground for ‘Rowdy,’ while anything can happen at the Coke Zero Sugar 400, a fixture he finished second at last year, narrowly missing out after Harrison Burton’s last-lap pass.

As things stand, 13 drivers are already locked in, which means only three spots are up for grabs. Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, and Chris Buescher occupy those spots, while Ryan Preece is just outside the cutline, 23 points behind. This means Kyle Busch has no other option but to do what he has struggled to do since the last two years. Win a race. But perhaps once that winless streak is finally broken, the Nevada-native will revert to his old self and challenge for the Bill France Cup once again.