The Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway was supposed to be a playoff turning point, but for Kyle Busch, it turned into a nightmare from the jump. Starting 28th, the Richard Childress Racing veteran’s No. 8 Chevrolet barely made it past Turn 1 before chaos struck. Carson Hocevar’s No. 77 clipped him, sending Busch slamming into the wall and spinning out on Lap 1.

The damage was brutal, with the right side mangled and the race done before it really started. Over the radio, Busch’s voice cut through the static: “We’re junked,” he said, eyeing the wreckage. “The 77 wrecked us.” Hocevar’s contact wasn’t the first bump for Busch, but in a playoff elimination race, it felt like the final nail in a season that’s had fans whispering “washed.”

Busch’s 2025 has been a grind, no doubt. With just two top-5s and 62 laps led through 31 races, he’s sitting 21st in points, his worst mark since his rookie year. The Charlotte wreck, a Lap 1 DNF, dropped him further, extending his winless streak past 60 races.

It’s the kind of start that kills momentum in the Round of 12, where every position counts toward the Round of 8 cut. Busch, a two-time champion with 63 Cup wins, is no stranger to adversity, but this one stung extra hard coming off the first lap itself.

The Roval’s hybrid layout, with road course twists meeting oval banking, has always been a crapshoot, and Lap 1 wrecks are its calling card. Back in 2018, a restart sparked a multi-car pile-up that took out Busch and others, showing how quickly things can go sideways.

Hocevar’s move, while aggressive, fits the Roval’s unforgiving nature, but for Busch, it’s another chapter in a season of near-misses and mechanical gremlins. RCR’s mid-season crew chief swap from Randall Burnett to Andy Street was meant to spark a turnaround, but with Burnett heading to Trackhouse for Connor Zilisch in 2026, the timing feels off.

Busch’s radio call, “We’re junked,” echoed the team’s frustration, a far cry from his 2008 dominance when he won three races as a rookie.

Fans on X are piling on, with “washed” memes flying as the 40-year-old’s legacy takes hits.

Fan reactions to Busch’s Roval flop

“Carson gotta get em cargo shorts out,” one user quipped, poking at Hocevar’s aggressive bump that sent Busch spinning. Hocevar’s bold style, typical of young guns making their mark, fits the Roval’s chaotic Turn 1 reputation, but for Busch, it was a race-ender that fueled the narrative of a fading star.

“Car sucks….Corey Day hit the same spot much harder yesterday and just had a tire rub,” another fan jabbed, pointing to the No. 8’s fragility. Corey Day’s truck took a similar hit with minimal damage, while Busch’s Chevy was toast, hinting at setup issues or bad luck. The Roval’s brutal layout exposes any weakness, and Busch’s immediate exit had fans questioning RCR’s prep.

“I want to feel bad for the guy, but it’s almost like this is karma for him being a shit head his whole career,” one comment read. Busch’s 63 wins and two titles come with a rap sheet of feuds, wrecks, and heated moments. Some see the Roval crash as payback, though Lap 1 pile-ups hit even the cleanest drivers.

“Bro so washed that it’s all just water ATP. If things go like this, Pop Pops Childress himself gotta to come & drive,” a fan teased, leaning into the humor. Busch’s 22nd in points and 60-race winless streak, his worst since 2005, feeds the “washed” taunts, even if his Kansas grit showed flashes of the old Rowdy.

“Scheduled post,” another quipped, suggesting Busch’s crashes are now expected. The Roval’s history of chaos makes it less personal, but with Busch’s season unraveling, fans are ready to call it a pattern.