Kyle Busch Issues Blunt 1-Word Response to Richmond Mayhem

Richmond Raceway delivered chaos under the lights, an 11-car wreck of seismic proportions that set the NASCAR world buzzing. In the aftermath, Kyle Busch briefly flipped the script, offering an uncharacteristically sincere apology to Chase Elliott, whose night and championship hopes were abruptly derailed. Busch has now doubled down, making it crystal clear that this isn’t behind him yet.

Kyle Busch admits to plowing fellow drivers at Richmond

A nudge from Kyle Busch to Chase Briscoe set off a chaotic chain reaction at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, igniting an 11-car pile-up that took out the NASCAR Cup Series race just after the Stage 2 restart. The trouble erupted on lap 198 as the field thundered three-wide down the backstretch of the 0.75-mile short track. Busch’s contact with Briscoe’s rear-right corner sent the No. 24 spinning into Turn 3, directly into the path of oncoming traffic.

In seconds, the wreck collected a host of contenders, including Denny Hamlin, who had already fallen back after two sluggish pit stops, along with Justin Haley, Brad Keselowski, and more. Chase Elliott, who was running second in the points standings heading into Richmond, tried to sneak through the chaos but got clipped in the right rear by Kyle just as he cleared the worst bit. The impact sent the 2020 Cup champion nose-first into the outside wall, heartbreakingly ending his night and marking his first DNF of the season.

Reflecting on the fresh accident, Busch said, “Chase and whoever was in front of him, Briscoe, and whoever was in front of him checked up way earlier than I expected them to. Like my line for getting into turn three on newer tires especially, my braking marker is the line, the white line that runs across the racetrack. And if you go back and watch the film, they were two car lengths before that white line where they hit the brakes.”

From Chase Briscoe‘s seat, the crash came as a violent surprise, but he was more focused on staying composed than pointing fingers. The wreck forced him into damage control mode, ultimately placing 13th. For Elliott, the stinging was even sharper. Entering the race, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native had completed all but one lap in 2025 and had placed inside the top 20 in every event since Watkins Glen. Instead, he left Richmond, scored dead last, and collected just one point. Both Elliott and Justin were evaluated and released from the infield care center, bringing a better end to what had started as a promising night for several drivers.

Kyle Busch added, “So I just plowed them, I mean, unintentional, but just rammed them and spun them out. And then the aftermath of that was just, you know, as I got through the crash, I saw the 24 car upstairs and I didn’t know if he had damage and was going to start veering down. So I kind of started veering down just to stay away.”

Richmond’s Cook Out 400 was a combustible mix of strategy, aggressive miscalculation, and gritty recovery. Busch’s contact with Briscoe created fireworks while Briscoe’s resolve played out in real time. Even Dale Jr.’s co-host dropped a blunt verdict against Kyle Busch regarding the wreck.  

Brad Keselowski gives his take amid a feud with Kyle Busch

Brad Keselowski has put to rest the long-standing rumor about a feud with Kyle Busch, directly addressing the topic during a recent NASCAR Reddit AMA video. The question, posted by a fan, revisited a saga that dates back to Keselowski’s infamous 2010 Bristol Motor Speedway Driver introductions remark about Busch, a line he later admitted came from a dare by a fellow driver, Juan Pablo Montoya. Busch went on to win that night, while Brad finished further down the order, sparking years of curiosity about their on- and off-track exchanges.

When asked in the MMA if his feelings towards Busch had changed, Keselowski was candid. He doubled down on his point, saying, “Kyle and I have had an interesting relationship over the last decade or so. Probably more lows than highs. Here’s the thing about rivalries. You cannot have a rivalry if the two drivers are not running in the top 10. It’s not a rivalry. It’s just petty argument at that point.”

Over the years, the two drivers have crossed paths in intense moments, including a memorable incident at Texas Motor Speedway when he admitted to causing contact with Kyle after losing control of his car late in the race. Calling it a dumb mistake, he acknowledged fault but didn’t shy away from the competitive edge that often defines NASCAR relationships. He added, “Until either one of us are consistently running in the top 10, there is no room for me to worry about Kyle Bush. So, I don’t think about him being an a– or not an a–. If Kyle Busch and I are both in the top 10, yeah, he’s an a–.”

With that, Keselowski made it clear: there is no active rivalry between the two unless they are competing at the sharp end of the field. For now, his attention is fixed on RFK Racing’s performance and working with figures like rookie crew chief Paul Wolfe, prioritizing results over personal drama.