We’re nine races into the season, and Kyle Busch, affectionately known as “Rowdy,” has only really shone in Atlanta, snagging a third place in a thrilling photo finish with Daniel Suarez and Ryan Blaney. Other than that, he’s only managed a couple of top-10s including the Circuit of the Americas and Texas. But even with a decent finish in Texas, the rest of his races haven’t done much to boost his standing. Right now, he’s stuck in 15th place in the Cup standings, neck and neck with his rival Joey Logano, both sporting the same points. So, what’s up with Kyle Busch? Has he lost his mojo?

Why is Kyle Busch having such a tough season?

While he’s tearing up the Truck Series with two wins out of four races, his Cup Series game has evidently been off. Despite the same tracks, he hasn’t managed better than third place. What gives? Is it the car or the crew? Well, this is the car setup that took him to three victories last season and into the playoffs. This year, though, he’s not hitting the same stride with the Next Gen cars.

Besides cars, sometimes, it’s the pit crew messing up. Additionally, sometimes Busch just couldn’t get a good qualifying spot, or his car felt tight on the track. However, even with these bumps, Kyle hasn’t thrown his team under the bus in any interviews. Notably, his pit crew has seen a lot of changes, swapping out three times in just the first four races. But steering clear of blaming his team seems to be costing him, especially when he’s trailing behind a big rival like Joey Logano.

Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are neck and neck with 217 points each this season. However, Logano has a slight edge, having completed more stages; he’s crossed the finish line in 35 stages compared to Busch’s 26. Plus, even though Logano had a couple of DNFs, he’s managed to lead for 177 laps, far surpassing Busch’s 63 laps at the front of the pack.

Despite this, when asked recently about his pit crew’s performance and mishaps, Kyle Busch took a protective stance, defending his team’s efforts.

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#8 RCR driver opens up about pit crew pressures

Kyle Busch knows his pit crew is under the gun to perform flawlessly and swiftly, but sometimes, they’re the ones who might slip up and cost him track position. Still, Kyle stands firmly behind his team, rain or shine.

At a recent pre-race chat in Texas, Kyle was asked about Joey Logano’s thoughts—that pressure varies whether you’re gunning for a top-five finish or just trying to survive mid-pack. Kyle agreed, emphasizing the extra pressure that comes with a high-profile driver’s name. “I feel like, sometimes, just the nature of a driver’s name might put added pressure on a team. Because they’re looked at a lot more and they’ve got eyeballs on them a little bit heavily. The teams that I’ve had in the past have done phenomenal jobs of living up to the pressure,” he explained.

He praised his pit crew for rising to the occasion, especially during critical season finales at Homestead-Miami, showcasing their ability to handle the heat. 

What’s your take? Could there be another reason why Busch hasn’t hit his stride this season in the Cup Series?