No matter how you try to “spin” it — pardon the obligatory NASCAR pun — Kyle Busch has sputtered through a disappointing 2025 season.
How disappointing has it been? Well, the two-time Cup Series champion has finished no better than fifth — doing so twice — in 24 starts. He’s also on the cusp of missing the playoffs for the second year in a row. If that’s not bad enough, here’s perhaps the most painful stat of all: The 63-time Cup Series winner and all-time wins leader among NASCAR’s three national stock car divisions hasn’t been to Victory Lane since June 2023.
Couple all of that with the fact that Busch has led only 62 laps all year, and it’s quite fair to say that 2025 has been a dud of a season for the driver of the No. 8 Chevy.
The only good news at present for Busch? Saturday night’s Cup Series event is at Richmond Raceway, a track that Busch once dominated and one where he’s probably more capable of winning at than just about any other.
Just How Good Is Kyle Busch At Richmond Raceway?
Practically unbeatable at Richmond for many years, Kyle Busch undoubtedly knows how to navigate the three-quarter-mile Virginia oval. As part of Joe Gibbs Racing, where he spent 15 seasons before heading to Richard Childress Racing in 2023, Busch prevailed a now Cup Series-high six times at the facility.
Busch also leads the series in runner-up finishes (seven) and top-10 finishes (28) at Richmond. In fact, from September 2017 to August 2022, Busch ripped off 10 consecutive top-nine finishes at the D-shaped track. And during earliest days in the Cup Series, which he spent at Hendrick Motorsports, Busch recorded a top-five finish in his first five Richmond starts.
But Busch hasn’t prevailed at Richmond since 2018. His best finish at the track since leaving JGR for RCR is third.
Still, Busch greets Saturday night’s race with a fair amount of confidence. Even though he’ll start 28th.
“Richmond’s one of my best tracks, statistically,” Busch said. “So I would like to think that we could be good.”
He's looking quick, Rowdy Nation. 👀@KyleBusch was the fastest in the first practice group. pic.twitter.com/VQw7b6YyQt
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 15, 2025
Busch’s teammate, Austin Dillon, who isn’t typically a frontrunner, led 35 laps last year at Richmond and went on to score his only win of the season — albeit in controversial fashion.
“That’s definitely something to look at, with as good as Austin Dillon and the No. 3 team were at Richmond Raceway last year,” Busch said. “The No. 8 team has had some good speed there, both last year and in the year prior. But in the fall race last year, Austin was much better than we ever were.
“Austin, being as good as he was and driving to the front and being deserving of that victory, gives us a lot to look forward to and try to replicate.”
Veteran Driver Not Throwing In The Towel On Reaching NASCAR Playoffs
Currently 102 points behind Chris Buescher, the driver holding the final playoff transfer spot, Kyle Busch needs to win at Richmond or in next weekend’s regular season finale at Daytona to have a realistic shot of making the playoffs.
While his season thus far suggests that getting to Victory Lane at Richmond or Daytona will be an uphill climb, Busch isn’t giving up.
“I think every week there is a chance of being able to go out there and be better,” he said. “Or go out there and be different than you were before.”
With six Cup Series wins at @RichmondRaceway, could this weekend be @KyleBusch's path to the NASCAR Playoffs? pic.twitter.com/BpX35OzzXc
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 14, 2025
