Busch on the Brink: Why a Crew Chief Change is Just the Beginning
Let’s cut to the chase. Being Kyle Busch right now can’t be easy. The two-time Cup Series champion, a man synonymous with victory lane, is in a slump that feels less like a dip and more like a freefall. And when you’re in a results-driven business like NASCAR, something’s gotta give. This week, that “something” was crew chief Randall Burnett.
Andy Street is now the interim boss on the pit box for the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, starting at the Charlotte Roval. It’s a move that feels both sudden and long overdue. Burnett, who’s been with Busch since his dramatic move to RCR in 2023, is already looking toward his future, set to join Trackhouse Racing in 2026 to mentor rookie Connor Zilisch.
With Burnett’s exit already on the calendar, RCR decided to rip the band-aid off early, reassigning him to a support role for the rest of the season. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but the numbers don’t lie. The initial partnership between Busch and RCR was electric. Three wins in the first 15 races at Auto Club, Talladega, and Gateway felt like the start of a new dynasty.
It was vintage Rowdy, silencing critics and proving he could win anywhere, with anyone. But that fire has fizzled out. With just five races left in the 2025 season, Busch has a career-low two top-five finishes, a paltry eight top-10s, and has led a mere 62 laps. For a driver of his caliber, that’s not just underperforming; it’s a crisis.
Busch Speaks on the Shake-Up
When asked about the change, Busch didn’t mince words. There’s a raw honesty in his tone, a mix of frustration and resignation that tells the whole story.”Obviously, I mean, we’re not getting the results, right?” Busch stated bluntly on Saturday. “Results are what matters. We’re in a performance-based business and not getting the results.
It’s got to fall back on someone, and they re-signed me for another year. So that kind of gave me the notion of they’ve got my back. And we needed to find a change somewhere.”It’s a stark admission from a driver who has always worn his heart on his sleeve. The pressure is immense, and he knows it. But he was also quick to point out that this isn’t a one-man problem. Swapping the crew chief isn’t a magic wand that will instantly fix everything.
More Than Just One Man’s Job
Busch knows the inner workings of a championship team better than almost anyone. He understands that success is a complex machine with many moving parts. He compared the team’s struggles to a football staff, where every coach, from the head coach down to the position specialists, has to be in sync for the team to win.
“I mean, it’s not just going to be a crew chief that comes in and fixes the whole program. I’m going to put that out there,” Busch cautioned. “We’ve got to have from top to bottom, from inside out, an opportunity of being able to orchestrate the proper personnel to go out there to execute.”
This isn’t just about one person on the pit box; it’s about the entire organization. It’s about the engineers, the mechanics, the pit crew—everyone who has a hand in getting that No. 8 car to the front. The fire that burned so brightly at the start of his RCR tenure has been reduced to embers, and it’s going to take a team effort to get it roaring again.
What Comes Next for the No. 8 Team?
With Andy Street in for the rest of the season, the immediate focus is on finishing 2025 with some semblance of momentum. But the million-dollar question is: who will take the helm in 2026? Busch is leaving that monumental decision to the front office. He’s putting his trust in team owner Richard Childress and president Mike Verlander to find the right leader to steer the ship.
“I would say they’ve got to have a Rolodex,” Busch said, acknowledging the urgency. “And whoever they can pinpoint to have an opportunity to come inside and do the work… it’s about leading us in the right direction.”He hasn’t completely removed himself from the process, but he knows the clock is ticking.
Prime candidates are getting locked into deals now. “It’s not that I don’t want any input or to be in those conversations, but they’ve got to put together their list… So once that’s together, then you kind of go over that and say yea or nay.”For Kyle Busch, this is more than just a personnel change. It’s a crossroads.
Final Thoughts
The move signals that RCR is still invested in him, but it also puts immense pressure on the entire organization to deliver. The coming months will be critical, not just in finding a new crew chief, but in rebuilding the confidence and chemistry that once made the No. 8 a weekly threat to win. The clock is ticking, and for a driver as fiercely competitive as Busch, the wait for results is the hardest race of all.
