On Monday, NASCAR announced The Chase format is returning to decide its three series’ champions. Tuesday, several drivers were at North Wilkesboro Speedway during a test session utilizing the 750 hp package for short tracks.
During a break in the action, Kyle Busch was brought into the Media Center to talk about The Chase returning, how racing might be different going forward and his new Crew Chief.
Throughout his years, the driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing has seen his share of on-track aggression from both the giving and receiving ends.
Don’t Look for Dump and Run to Vanish
With the former Playoff format, the goal was to win a race and automatically make the post season. Now, the top-16 drivers in points after 26 races will be eligible to make a championship run with or without a victory. Many times, one driver would dump another to gain position or, even more valuable, a victory in prior years.
With the “win and in” eliminated, drivers could earn checkered flags and valued points without having to be as aggressive in season’s past. However, according to Busch, it’s still game on.
“Maybe this new format will keep it even because everyone was getting wrecked in the final 10 races,” said Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. “I feel like the last two years we were knocked out of the bubble because of winners behind us who would not have been there otherwise.
“I feel like it gives us an opportunity to talk about 16th, but there is no reason why I need to be talking about 16th place.”
Busch was asked if the days of a driver saying they ‘had to do what they had to do’ for a win or good finish to gain or remain in a playoff position would be diminished with The Chase returning, he was pretty blunt.
“No, no and no,” Busch said with a smile. “When you watch all the other children who race in the ARCA, Late Models and other series, you see that happening already. They are taught from a very young age to dive bomb, run into them and door that guy.
“As a racing dad, I’ve heard those words and maybe I’ve said those words once or twice. I don’t think the new format will change things a whole lot.”
Busch is a Proven Winner
Throughout his career, Busch has been a winner at all three levels of NASCAR competition and a champion in two.
In the Cup Series, the Las Vegas native has won 63 races in 750 starts earning championships in 2015 and 2019. From 2005 to 2023, he won at least one race in every season.
His O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career garnered 102 wins in 367 starts with a championship in 2009. As a driver and owner in the Craftsman Truck Series, he went to Victory Lane 67 times in 180 starts.
However, he has been winless the past two NCS seasons. That’s not something a driver of Busch’s caliber is used to happening. Thus, a change was made in the off season atop the No. 8 RCR pit box bringing in Jim Pohlman as crew chief. During his tenure at JR Motorsports, Pohlman led Justin Allgaier to a NOAPS championship in 2024.
This is the first on-track outing for the new driver and crew chief combo at RCR.
“It’s early, very early,” Busch said. “We’re just working through everything and trying to get some familiarity for him with the race cars, set ups and what we do and how we do things.
“We’re going through his lists of understanding the (Cup) race cars, changes and the feel to get back into the swing of things.”
The swing will continue when the NCS takes to the track at Daytona International Speedway the second week of February.
NASCAR Driver Says Aggressive Tactics Will Continue