If you call yourself a NASCAR fan, you know that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch wrote one of the sport’s great rivalries in the 2000s. Since Dale Jr. hung up his helmet, the feud has largely settled into mutual respect, until a recent off-track moment rekindled old tensions. It all started when Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 88 crew chief, Mardy Lindley, was suspended, forcing Dale Jr. into the pit box for the #88 team and Connor Zilisch at Pocono Raceway.

As fans cheered his unexpected debut, Kyle Busch quipped, “It’s all publicity, but spin it how you want. He’s just going to be a warm body sitting on top of the box.” That throwaway line dug up memories of Busch’s persona from their 2008 clash at Richmond, where Busch spun Earnhardt Jr. out in the spring race. And who can forget the 2011 WinStar World Casino 350K, when Busch deliberately spun Ron Hornaday Jr. under caution, earning a rare cross-series parking and a $50,000 fine, cementing Busch’s villain role for years to come?

Even Dale Jr. acknowledged the history. “We were sort of pitted against each other … a bit of a war of words that went on for quite a while.” And when everything seemed settled down between them, Busch’s recent comments may be stirring a whole new arc in his on- and off-track persona.

Kyle Busch’s comments stir the pot again

As NASCAR insider Large questioned? “What about Kyle kind of pulling a fucking blanket off of this whole myth that Dale actually won that from the pit box? Is that a d–k move?” The question from the podcast cut straight to the heart of the controversy. That “blanket” refers to Busch’s implication that Earnhardt Jr.’s one-off crew-chief role at Pocono was more about optics than strategy. An attack rooted in a rule change after the Nashville lug-nut penalties that netted two loose lug nuts on the No. 88 in post-race inspection.

Large mentioned that by challenging the narrative “that Dale actually won that from the pit box,” Busch reopened a debate about the fairness and legitimacy of sudden crew-chief fill-ins under NASCAR’s suspension rules. Spider joined in the debate and made his feelings clear that he was for the team Dale Jr. on this one. “I just feel confused… I’m personally happy for Dale Jr.… F–k Kyle Busch. Just kidding. I actually love Kyle Busch, but when it comes to this circumstance, I’m Team Dale Jr.”

Logano was so convinced of Earnhardt Jr.’s genuine impact that he pivoted from betting on Chase Elliott to placing a last-minute wager on Connor Zilisch, who pulled off his first oval victory under Jr.’s guidance. That swing highlights the competitive respect Earnhardt still commands, even over Busch’s critique. Light pressed on the mechanics of suspension relief. “If you’re going to pull the wool off the idea that crew-chief suspensions are bu—it… Won’t NASCAR just lock them up all weekend?”

Podcast analyst Moonhead brought the conversation back to intent. “I don’t think he meant to discredit anything Dale was doing. I think he just looked at it as if he was in the same situation, he wouldn’t be useful up there. But Dale seemed to take it pretty serious. And I think he brought Steve Laarte with him or something too.” Earnhardt Jr. had prepped with veteran crew chief Steve Letarte on the pit box and actively communicated strategy over the radio, making his role more than symbolic. It was a historic moment as Jr. joined Lee Petty and Junior Johnson in a special group of people who won a NASCAR race as a driver, team owner, and pit crew.

Rowdy Busch was seen as a NASCAR villain for some time, but ever since that switch to RCR, his critics have gone soft on him. But, given that his shenanigans led to an unnecessary controversy, Large feels that Busch will get the good old treatment with boos during the driver introduction at Atlanta Motor Speedway. “There aren’t more boos when they introduce him. I don’t know if this is one of those things that he misses it. So the easiest way to get people to boo you right now is probably to sh– on Dale. I don’t know if he want to wear that black hat again, but it was kind of d— move.”

Hey, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano are showered with boos, and guess what? One is racking up wins, and the other is racking up championships. So, the boos and jeers just might do the trick for Kyle Busch and fuel the fire in his belly to turn around his season.

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Kyle Busch embraces NASCAR’s expansion project

The NASCAR community is divided when it comes to expanding the sport from the traditional ovals. We had Richard Petty call out Shane van Gisbergen’s win in Mexico City. He even stated that road course racing isn’t NASCAR, and meanwhile, we have reports about the Cup Series heading to San Diego and other international venues next year. Well, Busch has also joined the discussion, and unlike Petty, he doesn’t mind NASCAR experimenting with new markets.

“I think the schedule variation is really cool. I think that’s great. I think it gives you a little bit more diversity within your fan base in the areas of the country that you can go race in, as long as you can kind of spread it around a little bit, like if you go run Charlotte, Rockingham, Darlington and North Wilkesboro are all within two months. You’re recruiting the same people right now, but going to Mexico is obviously new people, you know, being able to go back to Chicago land. Maybe if that’s on the table, that would be cool. San Diego would be cool,” he said in an interview.

NASCAR is likely to cut ties with the Chicago Street race; therefore, they need to shift this event to another city. The Southern California market is a good spot for NASCAR to position itself and have a points race for the first time since Fontana’s closure. And this vision sits well with Rowdy.