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Kyle Busch, who joined Richard Childress Racing for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, scored the first win with his new #8 Chevrolet in just his second start last Sunday at Auto Club Speedway.
Busch defeated Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott in the final stage of the Pala Casino to become the first driver to win at least one race in 19 consecutive NASCAR seasons. The win all-but locked the two-time Cup Series champion into the 16-driver playoffs in the 2023 season.
Since NASCAR implemented the playoff system, teams that have won early in the season have focused more on preparing for the playoffs. However, Kyle Busch wants to challenge for more wins as he feels that he has a car capable of doing so.
In a recent interview, Busch said:
"I would say that we need to continue on and pour the gas on the fire right now and go out there and continue to get wins and have fast cars and run up front. We want to get those playoff points."
Kyle Busch, who won the NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2015 and 2019, spoke about the importance of scoring playoff points and said:
“Playoff points is a big deal for the end of the year. I’ve won a couple championships having a lot of playoff points, and the couple of years I haven’t had a lot of playoff points, I haven’t made it very far. I know what’s important, so hopefully we can get some more of that.”
“The Cup Series is where our focus is” - Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch had a tumultuous season last year during which he found himself in the unusual position of finding a new ride in the Cup Series. But the win in Fontana proved why he is one of the great stock car drivers. The early win showed Busch can make this season a special one.
Busch said:
“The Cup Series is where our focus is, and we need to be able to go out here and win races. If this can be a fantastic year of knocking off five, eight wins, whatever, that would be phenomenal, and all we could really ask for being with a new team and having a new chance.”
Catch Kyle Busch in action at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5, 2023.
