Kyle Busch is one of the best drivers in the modern era of NASCAR. The Richard Childress Racing ace is a household name for the fans. Still, after he won his first Cup title in 2015, he had to wait for four years to get a second championship in 2019. Now, in the current scenario, it seems a driver with a similar caliber may need even more time to achieve a similar feat. And this is something that comes straight from the horse’s mouth.

In a recent revelation, Busch spoke about how the increasingly competitive sport has made it harder to win championships.

Appearing as a guest on The Residency Podcast, Kyle Busch made his opinion known about stacking up championship trophies. While doing so, he also gives us a list of the faces from NASCAR that would make his Mount Rushmore.

Kyle Busch Discloses Hot Take Involving Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson, and Richard Petty

It is true that, in many aspects, the trends in NASCAR have changed. And this is what keeps the competition in check. From having countless changes in vehicle mechanics to a lot stricter penalties for on-track incidents, the sport has come a long way. Busch addresses the same in the interview. The initial question was regarding Busch’s opinion about who the 4 best drivers in NASCAR history could be.

When asked what his Mount Rushmore of NASCAR is, he replies, “Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and Jimmie Johnson, and I put all 3 of them on there because they have all the seven championships.”

But Kyle has a different perception of the argument of championships. Speaking about a change in the difficulty and limitations of NASCAR over time, he said, “So yeah, I don’t think the championships are the same in this day and age as they once were. Races are way harder to win; Championships are way harder to win. Now, more than ever. A few other guys also agree with that.” 

Returning to his incomplete list of the cream of the crop, Busch adds, ” So who’s the fourth one? I want to say Jeff Gordon because he’s really high up, and he’s got 4 championships. So he would probably be another one.” 

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The Change That Separate Modern NASCAR From Old NASCAR

With NASCAR celebrating its 75th anniversary, it acts as a reminder of how far the sport has come and evolved. In the last few decades, everything about the motorsport has changed. With technological advancements continuing to aid younger drivers, every driver is capable of sticking it up to the other one.

One of the events that was responsible for the implementation of wide-scale changes is Dale Earnhardt’s death. After one of the most heart-breaking incidents in the history of the sport, safety became the need of the hour. But needless to say, the approach to driving was far less cautious than it is now. Dale Earnhardt himself was one of the more feared rivers owing to his aggression on the track. Perhaps Dale Jr could see the difference after having observed two generations of drivers race in NASCAR.

Another change was the increase in facilities to make NASCAR well-known. The wave of motorsports in America spread at a rapid rate and, due to this, enough institutions have been raised to facilitate people with that. Using these, the drivers have managed to make their way up to the top league and with some qualities as well. If you look at it close enough, the reasoning behind Busch’s statement might make more sense now.

Finally, with Next-Gen cars, NASCAR is looking to take more steps forward. One of the more recent projects at Le Mans, which was a huge success, suggests that for NASCAR, the only way is up now.

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