Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch went from highest of highs to lowest of lows this weekend. The 63-time Cup race winner picked up a victory in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race on Saturday at the EchoPark Speedway.
On the Cup side, it didn’t pan out as well for the driver of the No. 8 on Sunday. Midway through stage two, Busch collided with the inside retaining wall on the backstretch, suffering massive damage to the front end of his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
The crash ended Busch’s day as he posted a 34th-place finish. As he spoke about post-crash, the 40-year-old wasn’t pleased with the role of Front Row Motorsports driver Noah Gragson in the crash.
Kyle Busch on contact with Noah Gragson: ‘Kids these days’
On the 125th lap of Sunday’s Autotrader 400, Busch made an attempt to jump to the outside line coming off of turn two. Busch maneuvered his No. 8 Cheddar’s Chevrolet in front of Gragson’s No. 4 TitleMax Ford.
In that moment, Gragson slightly got into the back of Busch, which caused the latter to spin down to the inside of the racetrack and slam into the inside wall head-on.
When speaking to FOX motorsports reporter Josh Sims following the wreck, Busch didn’t seem thrilled with the bump from Gragson. Busch said he didn’t get the best of exits off of turn two, but tried to straighten things out as he made his way up to the outside wall.
Unfortunately for Busch, that’s when he got the bump from Gragson.
“He [Gragson] never checked up. Just ran me as hard as he could to get me back going to get my momentum back going again. When a guy’s a little out of shape, you’ve got to give them a second to collect it before you just ram them, or at least try to check up and push gently. That’s kids these days,” Busch said.
Busch doubled down in another interview following the crash as he said his move was “perfect timing” for Gragson to plow through his No. 8 machine. As frustrated as Busch was, he said it’s par for the course.
“It’s just what they all do. They just all run through you. It doesn’t matter if you’re aimed the right way or not,” Busch said.
Gragson, meanwhile, went on to finish 14th on Sunday to record his second straight top-15 finish. He is currently 12th in the Cup Series points standings, while Busch is mired back in 24th.
Kyle Busch won Saturday’s Truck race at EchoPark Speedway
While Busch’s Cup race on Sunday at EchoPark Speedway ended in disappointment, he was a victor the day before. Already the winningest driver in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Busch picked up his 68th career victory in the series by winning the Fr8 Racing 208.
It was a shortened race that went 125 laps after rain delayed the beginning of the event. Busch wheeled the No. 7 truck to victory in his third straight Truck win at EchoPark Speedway.
Busch is amid his 22nd full-time season of NASCAR Cup Series racing and his fourth season with RCR. He hasn’t found victory lane in the Cup Series since June 2023 at St. Louis.