Kyle Busch’s career, once the standard for “never give up,” has lately shown strain under the weight of high expectations and slipping results. In 2024, he broke his 19-year win streak, the longest active streak in NASCAR history, ending a run of at least one win per season since 2005. As 2025 rolls on, the glimpses of Busch’s old dominance have been few and far between. He remains winless, extending the drought past 60 races. At Circuit of The Americas, he led 42 laps and seemed poised for a breakthrough, only to finish fifth after late fading.

He’s found some road course speed (COTA, Chicago, Sonoma) but has been inconsistent at intermediate and short tracks, especially at places like Martinsville, where with RCR, he has yet to finish better than 16th in multiple starts. The result: the legacy of a driver who once set the bar so high is now in danger of being remembered more for what he used to do than what he is doing right now.

Kevin Harvick, though, isn’t throwing in the towel. On his Happy Hour podcast, the four-time Cup champ defended Busch’s fire, arguing that a fresh start, like a new crew chief, could reignite the Rowdy magic. As fans fret over Busch’s fading shine, Harvick’s take offers hope that the two-time champ’s best days aren’t behind him.

On the latest Happy Hour episode, Kevin Harvick dove into the rumors swirling around Kyle Busch’s No. 8 team at Richard Childress Racing. “…we’ve all heard that Randall Burnett could possibly be leaving… rumored… to be Connor Zilisch’s crew chief… I think when you look at the performance of the 8 the last couple weeks, it probably reflects… something going on,” he said.

The buzz about Burnett heading to Trackhouse Racing for 2026’s No. 99 with Zilisch has garage tongues wagging. Busch and Burnett, together since 2023, delivered three wins and playoff berths, but late 2025’s slumps with multiple 16th-or-worse finishes hint at tension. Harvick sees it as a sign that the pairing’s run its course, but he’s not writing off Busch.

Harvick looked back, “And I think back to my time at RCR, the best thing I ever did was walk into Richard Childress’s office and tell him that I was leaving… We won races last year in that position.” His 2013 RCR exit to Stewart-Haas Racing was a bold move after a winless stretch, but it sparked a championship in 2014. Harvick’s suggesting Busch might need the same shake-up.

Leaving RCR could be the reset to end his drought. “As late as this one has come up… think about the position that that puts RCR in… to go find a crew chief… performance… doesn’t feel to me like its handled well… there’s too much chatter… there’s conversation being had,” he added. The rumors, fueled by RCR’s new technical director, John Klausmeier’s hire, have the team scrambling, with Busch’s winless 2025 extending the pain.

Fans speculate on Busch’s next move

Reddit’s been a powder keg of takes on Burnett’s rumored exit and Busch’s future. “RIP Zilisch’s 2026 playoff hopes,” one fan quipped. Zilisch, the 19-year-old phenom set for Trackhouse’s No. 99 in 2026, inherits Burnett’s experience, which includes an Xfinity title with Reddick in 2019 and strong Cup runs, but fans worry the Busch baggage could stall his rookie year.

“I guess that means Swiderski is out and they’re rebooting the 99 team completely, unless he moves to one of the other cars,” another said. Matt Swiderski, the No. 99 crew chief with Suárez, might get reassigned if Burnett arrives, shaking up Trackhouse’s lineup.

“Not thrilled if true, but Randall isn’t to blame for the struggles of KB imo. May actually be a decent pairing,” a user noted. Burnett’s peak with Reddick, which included six Xfinity wins and a 2022 Cup playoff run, marks him as top-shelf, but Busch’s inconsistency since 2023 has fans split.

“I wonder where Burnett would go. When he and Reddick were together, I thought he was a top 5 crew chief. For whatever reason, it hasn’t clicked with him and KFB. Probably best to try something different for both sides,” one pondered. A split could free Burnett for a better match and Busch for a fresh voice.

The pressure’s mounting. “Stress probably got to him. And for the love of God, please do not start a Rodney Childers chant.” Crew chiefs face insane scrutiny, and Burnett’s short-track admissions show the toll. Childers, Harvick’s ex-champ, is the dream hire, but fans beg for realism.

RCR’s budget favors value leaders like Brian Pattie. “He needs to leave RCR or he will be forever Ozymandias, Buried in the sand of time,” one dramatic fan warned, fearing Busch’s legacy fades without a change.