Kyle Busch gives take on the challenge of maximizing speed in Next Gen car racing 

Kyle Busch recently gave his opinion on how much harder it’s become to push a NASCAR Next Gen car to its limit. In a video interview with Frontstretch, Busch broke down what it takes to stay competitive with this new generation of vehicles and how much effort it takes to extract speed from them.

According to the 40-year-old, the ability to run on the edge—without crossing it—is what defines success in the Next Gen era. He said that some drivers are pushing harder than others, and he's among them. Kyle Busch further explained that while he used to dominate races with top-tier equipment at Joe Gibbs Racing, he now fights to keep his car inside the top 10 at Richard Childress Racing.

“I'm trying to make our stuff go faster than it's capable of going,” Busch said. “That has what has gotten me to 63 wins in this sport… just destroy everybody, right? And so now we're trying to do that with where we're at to get ourselves into the top 10.” [3:57 onwards]

He later added, "It’s the nature of this car."

"It is certainly more to the edge, and all the drivers, everybody, when we all built this thing or when we all started driving this thing, we were like, ‘Yeah, this is cool.’ Because, you know, you're going to see more wrecks. You're going to see guys pushing it to the limit and stepping over the limit and crashing more,” he further mentioned.

The Next Gen car demands a different kind of precision. With its independent rear suspension, sequential gearbox, and composite body, the car responds more sharply and is more sensitive to driver input. That sensitivity, while offering better control in certain areas, also makes it much easier to overstep.

While the car may be better in some technical areas—braking, shifting, and handling through infield corners—it is also more unpredictable. Multiple drivers have pointed out how “twitchy” the cars feel, especially on ovals. Busch agrees. He’s said that on road courses, the movement is manageable, even enjoyable, but on oval tracks, the balance isn’t always predictable. That unpredictability limits a driver’s ability to make clean passes or hold a line consistently.

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What Sunday at Indianapolis means for Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch will try to break his winless streak this Sunday at the Brickyard 400, marking his 22nd start of the 2025 Cup Series season. Despite the slump, he’s heading into Indianapolis with optimism—and history on his side.

Kyle Busch has had success at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before. With two wins, three top-fives, and seven top-10s, the 2.5-mile oval has often played to his strengths. He told The Pat McAfee Show that he enjoys the track and feels confident about his chances this weekend.

“I love Indy. Coming to Indy is a lot of fun,” Kyle Busch said. “I've really gotten pretty good over here over the years. I won the race in 2015, 2016; should have won in 2017, but we got wrecked out. I feel pretty good about me here at Indy.”

Currently in his third season with Richard Childress Racing, Kyle Busch hasn’t won since June 2023 at World Wide Technology Raceway. That win was his first with RCR and Chevrolet, and since then, he’s struggled to replicate those results. In the current season, he sits 15th in the standings with 461 points—just inside the playoff cutoff.

This Sunday presents a chance to secure a postseason spot without relying on points. A win would give Busch breathing room and restore momentum heading into the final stretch.

Kyle Busch also pointed out that Chevrolet teams—like Kyle Larson’s, who won at Indy last year—have done well at the Brickyard in recent years. That gives him added confidence that the baseline setup will be competitive.

So far in 2025, Busch has managed only two top-fives and seven top-10s. It’s not the kind of season he’s used to—but Indy could be the race that changes the narrative.