After Kyle Busch earned his first career win with Richard Childress Racing at Auto Club Speedway this past weekend and his 61st career win, he received high praise from NASCAR champions Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott.
Following the race, FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass was speaking with runner-up Chase Elliott, and began to ask a question about Busch and his strength early this season where he finished in the Top 3 at the Clash and challenged for the win at Daytona before winning at Fontana.
Elliott interrupted Pockrass and told him, “Why is anyone surprised by this? I mean that’s just mind-boggling to me that anyone is surprised that Kyle’s a fantastic, one of the best racecar drivers to ever do this.”
He added, “That didn’t change overnight. I’m not surprised, and anybody who is should rethink their NASCAR knowledge, in my opinion.”
Larson, Elliott’s teammate at Hendrick Motorsports shared his praise for Busch on Twitter.
He tweeted, “Couldn’t be more happy for Kyle Busch. The guy is one of the best race car drivers of all time and will always be. I’m glad it only took him 2 races to remind the world.”
RELATED: Kyle Petty Calls Kyle Busch’s Move To Richard Childress Racing “A Move In The Wrong Direction”
One of Kyle Busch’s biggest critics of his move to Richard Childress Racing was Kyle Petty. Before last year’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Petty shared his thoughts saying, “Welcome to Kyle Petty’s world and accept the hate when it come. This is what I’m going to say. It is not a move forward and it is not a lateral move. It is a move in the wrong direction for a guy like Kyle Busch, I believe.”
Petty elaborated, “It’s a move backwards. Here’s a team, who since Kevin Harvick left at the end of 2013 and took his 23 wins with him, they’ve only won seven times. Seven times. In that same amount of time — and this is a little bit of apples to oranges — in that same amount of tie Kyle Busch himself has won two championships and 32 races. That’s with a totally different type of organization.”
He further explained, “He’s going to an organization that he’s going to have to build. He’s going to have to build it back. He’s 37, 38 years old. He’s just past his prime. I’m not saying that he’s not still in his prime a little bit, so don’t hate me that bad, but his prime years were spent with Toyota and with the Gibbs organization. These are just facts. You can’t deny this.”
Petty then declared, “The thing is Kyle Busch needs to look at Brad Keselowski and see the year that he’s having because that may be his future more so than looking at Denny Hamlin or somebody like that and having that type year.”
After winning at Auto Club Speedway, Busch admitted he didn’t expect to win so quickly after joining Richard Childress Racing.
He said, “Truthfully, no. I felt like there was going to be a little bit of a learning experience, a little bit of a growth pattern, but also on the flip side of that I always just kind of looked back and watched some of their results and success that they had last year with Austin, he ran second here last year. And Reddick was super, super fast. And so they were fast at The Clash before they broke. The 8 car was.”
“It’s just been really, really cool and it’s been a great piece of — we’re making history — but a great piece of opportunity to go out there and continue to win races at a new team with RCR. I can’t say enough about Austin giving me a call, first and foremost, but then Richard and Judy giving me this opportunity to go out here and race for wins. And thankful to be a part of our Lucas Oil Chevrolet team today,” he concluded.
Busch’s victory is seemingly the last at the Auto Club Speedway in its current formation. Much of the property where the track currently stands was just sold to Hillwood Investment Properties and CBRE Investment Manager. However, Auto Club Speedway still retains ownership of 90 acres and plan “to reduce the size of the [existing] two-mile track to develop a smaller ½ mile ‘Next Gen’ short track, and to make room for the ACS Logistics Center.”
It was also a record-breaking win as Busch broke Richard Petty’s record for most consecutive wins with a season. Busch has a win in 19 consecutive NASCAR seasons.
What do you make of Elliot and Larson’s comments regarding Kyle Busch? How successful do you think Busch will be this year?
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