So far, the 2020 NASCAR season has been one Kyle Busch would like to forget. The defending Cup Series champion has yet to win a race this season, his longest winless streak since 2014-15 when he went 37 races without a victory.
Busch’s misery continued on Sunday when he blew a tire and hit the wall on the 16th lap in Sunday’s Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He finished last. Brad Keselowski, who was a 12/1 pick to win the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, captured the checkered flag.
After the crash, the team talked about the damage to Busch’s car, and the driver was heard saying, “Just go home.†He drove the car directly to the garage.
.@KyleBusch will have to wait another week for another chance to win in 2020.
He's out after crashing hard into the Turn 3 wall at @NHMS. @NASCAR is live on NBCSN: https://t.co/wKDI0aNMYn pic.twitter.com/WiGLgR7f6y
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 2, 2020
Busch tried to explain the crash, but wasn’t quite sure what happened.
“I blew a right-front tire for some reason. I have no idea why,†Busch said. “Way too early in the going for anything to be wrong or even to build enough brake temp or brake heat. I don’t know. Just hate it for our Pedigree team and the fight that we’ve been having this year seems to be continuing. Last time I was here in a Pedigree car, we blew a right-front tire for no reason as well too. Just seems to be our luck with the Pedigree scheme for some reason here at New Hampshire.â€
Busch Winless, Still High on Odds Boards
Despite being winless this year, Busch remains one of the top picks in Cup Series races. He’s been the favorite in six of the Cup Series races, the last one the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 on June 10.
Busch Results/Odds to Win
| Race | Odds to Win | Result |
| Daytona 500 | 10/1 | 34th |
| Pennzoil 400 | 5/1 | 15th |
| Auto Club 400 | 5/1 | Second |
| Fan Shield 500 | 3/1 (favorite) | Third |
| Real Heroes 400 | 5/1 (favorite) | 26th |
| Toyota 500 | 11/2 (favorite) | Second |
| Coca-Cola 600 | 6/1 (favorite) | Fourth |
| Alsco Uniforms 500 | 6/1 | 29th |
| SuperMarket Heroes 500 | 7/2 (favorite) | Fourth |
| QuikTrip 500 | 8/1 | Second |
| Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 | 4/1 (favorite) | 19th |
| Dixie Vodka 400 | 5/1 | Sixth |
| Geico 500 | 12/1 | 32nd |
| Pocono Organics 325 | 5/1 | Fifth |
| Pocono 350 | 5/1 | 38th |
| Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 | 9/2 | Sixth |
| Quaker State 400 | 11/2 | 21st |
| NASCAR All-Star Race | 5/1 | Second |
| O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 | 6/1 | Fourth |
| Super Star Batteries 400 | 15/2 | 11th |
| Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 | 11/2 | 38th |
Sources: William Hill, DraftKings
Busch’s odds haven’t slipped much despite not winning. The lowest odds he’s had were 15/2 at the Super Star Batteries 400 two weeks ago. He finished 11th at Kansas Speedway.
His results haven’t been horrible, either. He has 11 top-10s, including four second-place finishes.
Winless Season Taking Toll
Busch is trying to remain positive, but not winning has definitely affected his mood. Teammate Martin Truex Jr. said last week in a press conference that he’s noticed a change in Busch’s demeanor.
“He’s been pretty grumpy, to be honest with you,†Truex said. “They’ve had some tough luck for sure, and again today obviously. So Kyle’s a great competitor and a smart guy. He’s really not been too down on things. I think he knows that he’s got a great team, and they can overcome this. So he’s been a little bit grumpy at times, but for the most part, he’s been pretty typical Kyle.â€
Busch said after crashing on Sunday that he’s trying to stay positive.
“The fight that we’ve been having this year seems to be continuing,†Busch said. “It’s still 2020, but sooner or later we have to turn this stuff around.â€
