Anytime the NASCAR Cup Series visits Dover Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch knows he has a real chance to win or at least perform very well.
But with six races left in the regular season and Busch on the wrong side of the playoff cutline, the timing of Sunday’s event at the Monster Mile couldn’t be more perfect for the two-time Cup Series champion.
Will Busch make the most of the opportunity?
Kyle Busch Is Laser-Focused On Points All While Eyeing End To Long Drought
A win at Dover would be ideal for Kyle Busch, as it would punch him an automatic ticket into the playoffs. At a bare minimum, though, the Richard Childress Racing driver needs to use Sunday’s race to keep chipping away points-wise.
Currently the second driver on the wrong side of the playoff cutline, Busch trails bubble man Bubba Wallace — currently the last driver in — by 37 points. Meanwhile, Busch is 34 points in arrears of Ryan Preece, the first driver past the cutoff for playoff entry.
With a strong Sunday at Dover, Busch could make up considerable ground and leapfrog both Preece and Wallace in the standings, even without going to Victory Lane. Just a solid afternoon at the high-banked concrete oval would set the Las Vegas native up nicely for the final stretch run of the regular season when the full 16-driver playoff field will take shape.
As much as Busch wants to win and is certainly capable of winning at Dover, where he leads all active drivers with three victories, he knows there’s no guarantee that in the next six races he’ll break a drought dating back more than two years. So his main focus right now is his position in the playoff standings.
“You’re obviously looking at it every week,” Busch said on Saturday at Dover, where he will start 10th in Sunday’s race after the NASCAR rule book set the starting grid when rain washed out qualifying. “I think we leave probably the fifth race of the year looking at points, like where we’re at and, ‘What are we doing?’ But, honestly, points take care of themselves when you run good. Results are what matters.”
History And Momentum Are Both On Former Champ’s Side At Dover
Kyle Busch is certainly trending in the right direction where points are concerned. Over the past two races, he’s moved up five spots in the overall standings and pulled within striking distance of the final playoff transfer spot.
Following a fifth-place finish two weekends ago at the Chicago Street Course, Busch came home 10th last weekend at Sonoma as the Cup Series made its second trip to a road course in as many weeks. Collectively, the two outcomes breathed new life into his fading playoff hopes.
However, Busch can potentially make even bigger gains at Dover. He owns an impressive 14 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes there. And like his three wins at the Monster Mile, his number of top-10s and top-fives at Dover leads all active Cup Series drivers in those categories.
“Here at Dover, winning three times has certainly been the highlight,” said Busch, who in 2024 endured his first winless season as a full-time Cup Series driver. “And we’ve had some really, really good runs as well, too, of being close to winning. … It’s just been a great track for me over the years. Same as Richmond, Bristol, a bunch of places.
“It’s a great place to race. It’s fun, and it’s really challenging but yet lends itself to really good drivers and really good cars.”
If Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet has the speed to contend for the win at Dover on Sunday, the driver will almost certainly be up for the challenge.
