NASCAR insider shades Richard Childress Racing during abysmal Kyle Busch outing at New Hampshire

Kyle Busch has struggled throughout the 2024 campaign, but you could argue he hit a new low during Sunday’s USA TODAY 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Sure, Busch has had some DNFs this season — both self-inflicted and unlucky — but this is different. Busch went down a lap during Stage 1 and then another during Stage 2. Yep, that’s a two-time Cup Series champion two laps down at a racetrack he’s won at three times during his near two-decade career.

After watching Busch fall well off the pace, Jeff Gluck of The Athletic offered a scathing review of Richard Childress Racing.

“This is sad to watch for Kyle Busch, who just went two laps down,” Gluck wrote on X. “He’s 39 and has to spend one of his remaining prime years in a situation where they just don’t seem close to winning at the moment. Sucks for NASCAR to have one of its few needle-movers be irrelevant, too.”

Busch, who entered Sunday’s race 31 points below the playoff cutline, will only fall more behind Bubba Wallace and Joey Logano in front of him. With just eight regular season races remaining, Busch is officially in danger of missing the Cup Series playoffs for the first time since 2012. Busch, after winning three races in his first 15 starts last season, is riding a 39-race losing streak, the longest of his career. He’s in jeopardy of failing to score a regular season win for the first time since 2004.

Kyle Busch continues to struggle as talk about his future heats up

Through this stretch of now six consecutive starts without recording a top-10, Busch’s future has been one of the biggest talking points within the sport. Though he just joined RCR last season after 14 years with Joe Gibbs Racing, it’s fair to wonder if Busch wants to spend the remainder of his prime years with a race team that’s been non-competitive.

Busch does remain under contract with RCR for 2025, meaning any move would have to happen in 2026 at the earliest. Speaking this past week about his future, Busch appeared open to a potential reunion with Hendrick Motorsports or JGR.

“I would say anything is possible, always,” Busch said. “Certainly, if I was welcomed, I would go back, if Hendrick welcomed me back, I’d go back. But right now, I’m at RCR with my group of guys and the deal I have right now in place. So, we’re trying to work and build this program and make RCR great again.”