"Their ears are bleeding" - Kyle Busch on team owner Richard Childress laying into #8 pit crew after Daytona 500 blunder

Richard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch's start to the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season did not go as well as the veteran driver and team hoped. Going into the famed Daytona 500 to win the iconic race, Busch hoped for victory at the tri-oval after trying for 20 years, just like another driver who previously managed to do so at RCR.

Despite being in contention and running up front, Busch failed to claim the top spot as an error by his pit crew meant he was let loose on the 2.5-mile-long track with a loose wheel. Luckily, the #8 Chevrolet Camaro driver managed to limp back to the pits without incurring a loose wheel on track penalty.

The fundamental mistake by Kyle Busch's crew led to team owner Richard Childress blasting his workers over the radio, with an immediate change in personnel for Atlanta the following week. Having performed well at Atlanta, the #8 driver elaborated on how the past two weeks for his team have been in terms of feedback from the owner. He told NBC Sports:

"Trust me, they’ve heard it, not from me, but from Richard (Childress), week in and week out. Their ears are bleeding, but I know they’re trying and I know they’re working hard.”

Kyle Busch also touched on why it has been difficult for RCR to employ pit crew workers and added:

"It’s really hard to recruit and get guys. Especially with where RCR is based and where they’re at. It’s a long drive to get up to Welcome to pit-stop practice sometimes three and four times a week, whatever it might be."

The same personnel from the past week at Atlanta will continue to serve Kyle Busch on pit road this Sunday during his home race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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"Hopefully I don't find Route 66" - Kyle Busch looks forward to upcoming home race with movie reference

Kyle Busch, the driver of the #8 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing, seems to be amped up for the intermediate Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Born in Sin City itself, Busch heads to his hometown for the 2024 Pennzoil 400 at the 1.5-mile-long track after back-to-back superspeedway-style races kicking off the 2024 season.

He previewed his time in Sin City and looked forward to the race with a movie reference from the popular animated film CARS and wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

"Headed home to the Neon City. Hopefully I don’t find Route 66."

The race goes live this Sunday at 3:30 pm ET.