Kyle Busch Faces Must-Win Situation at EchoPark Speedway

HAMPTON, Ga. — Two-time Cup champion Kyle Busch is determined to keep his playoff hopes alive as he prepares for Saturday night’s race at EchoPark Speedway. Busch, who missed the playoffs last year and has been winless in his last 74 Cup starts, insists that his team needs to execute their strategy effectively to secure a spot in the postseason.

As Busch enters the race, he finds himself 63 points below the cutline with just nine races remaining in the regular season. Despite the challenging situation, Busch believes he can still make it to the playoffs, stating, “I would say if you find another winner outside (a playoff spot), then I would say you’re in a must-win situation. But pointing your way in, with no more new winners, is certainly doable.”

Busch has struggled to accumulate stage points this season, managing only 19 thus far. He acknowledged that the team’s biggest hurdle has been their inability to score key points during stages. “Our biggest fault is just not being able to get stage points,” he admitted. He noted that his best performance came at the Circuit of the Americas in March, where he secured 14 stage points, although his total ranks 26th among the 36 full-time drivers in the series.

In his last nine races, Busch has logged just one top-10 finish. However, he remains hopeful as he approaches a familiar track—Atlanta, where he has achieved five consecutive top-10 finishes since joining Richard Childress Racing in 2022. “It starts here this weekend,” Busch said, urging his team to hold each other accountable and perform at their best.

Despite the setbacks in his performance, including a disappointing P37 finish in Mexico City and a P20 finish at Pocono, Busch remains optimistic. “Mexico is on me. I take full accountability on that one,” he stated. He emphasized the need to capitalize on their strengths as they head to Georgia.

If Busch can secure a good performance at EchoPark Speedway, it might give him a crucial boost in the points and potentially keep his playoff aspirations alive. The pressure is on, and with the stakes high, all eyes will be on Busch this weekend.