"NASCAR needs Kyle Busch in playoffs": Insiders rue RCR driver reaching an unfortunate career first at Daytona

Kyle Busch saw his hopes of winning Daytona and advancing to the playoffs come to an end after an early race wreck in Stage 1. Busch, who entered Daytona below the cutline, found himself in a position of a must-win, something he hasn't done since Gateway in 2023.

On the latest episode of the Teardown podcast, co-hosts Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck spoke about Busch not making it to the playoffs in 2025. Gluck said:

"NASCAR needs Kyle Busch in the playoffs." [9:50]

Bianchi highlighted that for the first time in his illustrious career, Busch has failed to make it to the playoffs for two years in a row. He added:

"The sport is better when Kyle Busch is better. Especially driving for RCR. Like if Kyle Busch was winning races and contending, he makes RCR more relevant. People love RCR. They've kind of got this rough and tumble image. It's just good for the sport all around. And unfortunately, it's just not the reality. Now he's for the first time in Kyle Busch's career, by the way, he's gone two straight years of failing to make the playoffs, which is just absolutely mind-blowing." [10:00]

But while Busch failed to make it to the playoffs, his RCR teammate did it with his redemption win at Richmond. Talking about Dillon, the Teardown co-host Jordan Bianchi mentioned the #3 team has been 'running better' as of late.

The insider highlighted Dillon's qualifying results and his good run at Iowa as he looked back on Richard Childress' radio message at Dover which 'chastised the team'.

Bianchi added that Dillon is a driver who has surprised people in the playoffs as well with some notable runs.

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Kyle Busch spoke about his definition of a successful season ahead of Daytona

Ahead of the final race of the season at Daytona, Kyle Busch shared his opinions on making it into the playoffs. He claimed that if a driver wins the last race of the regular season, makes it into the playoffs, and then gets out in the very first round, it means nothing.

"For me, a successful season is making the playoffs, and making it into the Round of 8. Making it from the Round of 8 to the Round of 4, there is a lot of situations that can come into play that can get you in there, or out there," he said.

Busch emphasized that a successful season for him was being in the playoffs, winning races, and advancing to the final eight.

As for his season so far, the two-time Cup champion said his 2025 has been 'the exact same' with him being 'in the same position' as his 2024. He remarked that the points he scored after Watkins Glen, was around the same as last season.