Kyle Busch’s name has long been synonymous with short-track mastery, a driver who could seemingly will his way to victory on the tightest circuit. However, the 2025 season has painted a different picture for the two-time NASCAR series champion.

In Iowa, he finished 37th after a mechanical issue sidelined him early. In Bristol, he managed a 14th-place finish, and at Martinsville, he ended up 17th. These results contrast sharply with his previous dominance on such tracks, underscoring the difficulties he has encountered this year.

As fans and analysts watch closely, questions rise about what is behind the struggle and whether Kyle Busch can regain his footing on these demanding tracks. Busch has previously acknowledged the issues, stating that the Next Gen car’s short track package hasn’t improved as anticipated. He mentioned, “No, releasing has definitely not gotten better with the Next Gen at short track. Why is that? I don’t know,” reflecting his frustration with the current state of short track racing. And now, Kyle Busch has finally opened up about the reason behind it.

Reflecting on his short-track dismay in a recent episode of the NASCAR LIVE podcast, Kyle Busch didn’t hold back. He said, “Yeah, I mean, last year we were saying about short tracks is we all kind of struggle about turning the center at the short tracks, you know, just aren’t able to roll the mid-corner speed. That’s where Austin was really, really good last year. He was super fast through the middle of the corners, maybe struggled a little bit on the drive off of the corners. But we’re trying to work on some of those things and making that better this time around and getting ourselves in the ball game. So, you know, he’s been faster than us at a couple of short tracks, and so, you know, might as well head more towards the (number) 3 car’s direction and what they’ve been doing.”

Austin Dillon faced a challenging race at COTA last year. He started at 25th and finished 27th out of 35 cars, driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. He completed all 95 laps but was involved in an accident that led to his low finishing position. Despite the setback, Austin’s performance was consistent with his overall season, which saw him finish 32nd in the final standings with an average finish of 22.56 and one win at Richmond Raceway.

Kyle Busch, despite his struggles this year, did put on a strong performance in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin. Driving the No. 8 Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, Busch led 42 of the 95 laps, demonstrating his road course prowess and the team’s improved setup. However, a late race caution and tire wear allowed Christopher Bell to overtake him in the final laps, resulting in a fifth-place finish.

The race highlighted Kyle’s ability and the team’s progress since the previous season. Although he did not secure the win, the performance at COTA was a positive indicator of his potential to compete at the front in upcoming races. The team’s focus on refining their road course setup, and Busch’s consistent feedback will be crucial as they aim to convert strong runs into victories and future events.

Looking ahead, the upcoming races at Richmond and Bristol present opportunities for Kyle to turn his fortunes around. With continued collaboration and adjustments, there remains hope that he can recapture his competitive edge on these challenging circuits. Amid Busch’s complaints about the Gen 7 car, his overall season with NASCAR’s second-tier racing is also taking a hit.

Kyle Busch’s Struggles Aren’t Just Limited to the Cup Series

Kyle Busch will be the first to acknowledge that his performance has dipped noticeably in recent years, and the stats back it up. One glaring metric is his ongoing winless streak in the NASCAR Cup Series, now stretching to 80 races. Some attribute Busch’s decline to the introduction of the Gen 7 car or his move from Joe Gibbs Racing to Richard Childress Racing. However, those arguments fall short since Kyle still managed three wins last year, driving the Gen 7 for RCR. The drop-off clearly isn’t just about the car on the team change.

Busch’s struggles extend beyond the Cup Series, echoing in the Xfinity and Truck Series, where he is the all-time wins leader. In 2021, his last full season with JGR, he won all five of his Xfinity starts and scored two wins in the Trucks for his KBM team, finishing runner-up in three others. But from 2022 onward, his winning momentum slowed.

After skipping Xfinity races in 2022 and winning once in the Trucks, Husch returned to Xfinity in 2023 with Kaulig Racing and failed to secure a win, his first winless Xfinity season since 2012. Meanwhile, he managed a couple of Truck wins in KBM’s final year.

This season has been more of the same. Kyle Busch hasn’t raced in Xfinity yet and has only five Truck starts, starting strong with a strong win at Atlanta but following up with just one top five, two top tens, and a pair of finishes outside the top 15, including a last-place finish at Watkins Glen due to steering issues. This mark is his lowest count of top-five finishes in a season since 2004. Taken together, Busch’s Cup Series decline is aligned with a broader downturn in performance across all series.