Much of Kyle Busch’s career has been as sweet as the M&Ms he hawked for 15 years driving at Joe Gibbs Racing, a stint that included Cup Series titles in 2015 and ’19.

But it isn’t aging as well of late as the spirit named for him by Rebel Bourbon, the sponsor of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet he’ll drive in the Cook Out 400 on Saturday at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. on the USA Network).

Richmond’s been good to him, though, so it’s reasonable for him to think that is where he can break his 80-race winless streak, a lifetime for a guy who won at least once a Cup-record 19 consecutive seasons (2005-23). If he doesn’t perform his celebratory bow following a victory this week or next, he’ll bow out of playoff contention in consecutive seasons for the first time in his career.

A reason for optimism, in addition to his third place in the Cook Out 400 two years ago, is teammate Austin Dillon’s win in the race last year. Dillon’s victory was controversial, because he intentionally wrecked Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin yards from the checkered flag to get it.

Although Dillon kept the win, NASCAR would not count it toward playoff eligibility. Busch thinks his teammate would’ve won it cleanly if not for a late caution, and he’s taken note.

“Austin was fast here and was going to earn that victory straight up,” Busch told The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press in a phone interview Friday. “We have come back this time with a similar setup to that, and want to make sure that we have the speed we need through the middle of the corner.

“They certainly had that and we want to match that.”

Busch was the center of controversy in one of the most famous Cup races in Richmond Raceway history. He was battling Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the lead, and the win, with three laps to go when he overdrove a corner attempting a pass.

Earnhardt, the sport’s most popular driver at the time, wrecked out of contention and Busch drew death threats following the incident.

“That was certainly a moment for sure in our sport, and especially in my career,” said Busch, who finished second to Clint Bowyer in the race after the incident. “It was nothing malicious.

“Trust me, if it had been on purpose I would’ve made sure I made my way to victory lane.”

He has done that aplenty at Richmond Raceway since. He won for the first time in a Cup car in 2009 and his six victories are the most of any active driver.

“We were just lights out, ran up front all night, led a lot of laps and won the race,” Busch, who competed in a Late Model race at Langley Speedway in 2018, said in comparing the 3/4-of-a-mile D-shaped oval to the weekly tracks he races on several times a year. “I love Saturday night short-track racing.

“(Richmond) always gives me that sense of going back in time and I enjoy that.”

While a Cup championship is unlikely this season, Busch, who turned 40 in May, covets a third.

“That would certainly be special,” Busch said. “There’s (seven) guys that have three championships, so, when you get to that level, it’s another accolade on the books for your (NASCAR) Hall of Fame trip one day.”

Third title or not, no one is a bigger slam dunk to reach the Hall of Fame than Busch. His 232 combined wins in Cup (63), Xfinity (102) and Truck (67) races are the most by any driver in NASCAR history.

“All have their own special meaning, but I would say the 19 years in a row of winning a Cup race means the most,” Busch said. “I hold that on my own over Richard Petty.”

Should Busch start a new streak with a win Saturday at Richmond or next week at Daytona, his hopes of a third Cup title survive. But, for a driver once famous for his “win or you’re a loser” competitiveness, his attitude is aging as smoothly as Rebel Bourbon Kyle Busch 108 Single Barrel as he guides his 10-year-old son Brexton into stock car racing.

“I tell him you’re going to lose a heck of a lot more than you’re going to win,” Busch said. “Lately I haven’t done a whole lot of winning, so I try to give him advice of `When you win a race it’s great, but when you lose there’s always something you can learn from it to get better for the future.”

Originally Published: August 15, 2025 at 4:11 PM EDT