In the latest episode of his podcast Actions Detrimental, Denny Hamlin expressed his perplexity over Kyle Busch’s performance in NASCAR, suggesting that his era may have come to an end. Hamlin points out that it has been three years and over 100 races since Busch’s last victory in the NASCAR Cup Series, a drought that has become evident since his move to Richard Childress Racing.
Recently, his teammate, Austin Dillon, has achieved two consecutive victories at Richmond Raceway, while Busch has struggled to keep pace with the competitors. Hamlin believes that a driver of Busch’s caliber should be outperforming his more rookie teammate, and the fact that this is not the case is concerning.
Hamlin states that the last years at Joe Gibbs Racing were not satisfactory for Busch, and that his lack of speed with the NextGen car has been a constant problem. “Competition has increased, and now drivers need to make a difference,” adds Hamlin, emphasizing that expectations around Busch need to be readjusted.
The veteran driver compared Busch’s current situation to Jimmie Johnson’s decline in competitiveness, warning that these types of transitions in a driver’s career can occur unexpectedly. Hamlin stated that he doubts Busch will find a new team once his contract with Richard Childress Racing ends, indicating that if he does not consistently outperform Dillon, options will be limited.
Furthermore, Hamlin suggests that Busch needs to change his approach regarding car setup. Instead of being overly involved in his team’s decisions, he may need to focus more on the driving feel of the vehicle.
The situation of one of the most charismatic drivers in motorsport raises concern among fans, and Hamlin laments seeing a talent like Busch struggling at the current level. He comments that without a significant change in the situation, Busch’s followers will have to adapt to this new reality.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
