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2019 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch's remaining time at Joe Gibbs Racing does not seem to be going as smoothly as he would've liked after being disappointed in the last NASCAR Cup Series playoffs race. The Bass Pro Shops Night Race saw the #18 Skittles Toyota Camry TRD driver face an engine failure after being one of the biggest names to contend in the 2022 season's playoffs.
Lap 269 of the race on a steeply banked Bristol Motor Speedway saw Busch's car engine give up, ending his hopes of winning a third championship this year. The Las Vegas, Nevada native's campaign in this season's playoffs has not been the easiest, with his last two appearances also ending in disappointment. Busch had already lost an engine in the first playoff race at Darlington Raceway and continued to spin out of contention in the second race at Kansas Speedway.
Kyle Busch looked strong during the early stages of the night race in Bristol, Tennessee, scoring 14 stage points, only to have yet another engine failure. He elaborated on his emotions as his engine gave away after getting out of his car, and said:
“Absolutely devastated, just unfortunate circumstances obviously. Another engine failure this week. Obviously we’re already in a hole, this just puts us in a deeper one. I can’t stress it enough just how much I feel for my guys, the ones that are out there pouring their souls into this effort and opportunity for us to go race for a championship. It’s not fair to them. I just hate it for those guys and Rowdy Nation and M&M’s and Interstate Batteries. I mean, we all want better and we all should have better. It’s just not coming to us right now.”
Busch also emphasized the amount of bad luck the #18 crew and himself have endured during the last three races and did not look too hopeful of further contention in the 2022 playoffs.
Toyota Racing releases statement on Kyle Busch's departure from Joe Gibbs Racing
Toyota Racing recently released a statement after Kyle Busch publicly announced his affiliation with Richard Childress Racing for next year, leaving his Toyota career behind. The 37-year-old driver has been driving Toyota-manufactured stock cars in the sport since the age of 18 and has also won two championships with the multi-national brand.
The brand wished Busch well in his future endeavors and expressed gratitude for the brand's first Cup Series win with the Camry.
Read the complete statement below:
Watch Kyle Busch take on Texas Motor Speedway next weekend for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500.
