Kyle Busch has finally let go of the past. Memories of the Lap 40 incident at the Circuit of the Americas were still on Rowdy’s mind going into this year’s iteration of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Christopher Bell spun out the Richard Childress Racing driver on the road course in 2024, resulting in the No. 8 Chevy driver losing several positions. What followed was an on-track confrontation between the two racers, forcing the Oklahoman to acknowledge his mistake.
However, it seems like Busch is finally willing to let bygones be bygones. The two drivers were engaged in a heated battle during the closing laps at COTA this time around, with Bell making a clean pass and earning his rivals’ respect.
Kyle Busch gives credit where it’s due
Despite earning a reputation as a fairly ‘clean’ driver, the Oklahoman was determined to earn redemption at the Circuit of the Americas after the events that transpired in 2024. The Joe Gibbs racer was at the receiving end of Rowdy’s wrath last year, as the Nevada native told his rival, “Have I ever wrecked you? It’s f—— coming” after being spun on the track.
This time around, Christopher Bell, whose No. 20 Toyota was not just faster but had the better grip, knew it was only a matter of time before he would find an opening to make the pass cleanly. Giving credit where it’s due, Kyle Busch said in the post-race interview, “I’ll give Christopher credit. He ran really hard, and I was a complete b—head. He did a great job working me over and just doing it the right way. So congrats to him, congrats to the 20 bunch. But I wish it was us.”
Ultimately, Christopher Bell’s patient approach paid off at COTA. The racer took the lead from Kyle Busch in Turn 1 on Lap 91 of 95 by simply outmaneuvering his rival, who struggled with worn-out tires. Such were Rowdy’s struggles that after being overtaken by the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, he was also passed by William Byron, Tyler Reddick, and Chase Elliott, going first to fifth when the checkered flag was waved. But how did he get passed by them all?
Well, he can direct his attention toward Bell’s teammate, Denny Hamlin. The JGR #11 lost grip entering Turn 6A and slid nose first into Busch’s teammate, Austin Dillon, which brought out a caution. Busch had a two-second lead, and it was all squandered as his competitors pitted for fresher tires, and he got put under pressure on the restart. Busch said after the race, “Was just trying to protect my tires… Then when you get a yellow and get bunched up, it’s complete defensive mode.”
Last year the #20 was the butthead. This year it was me. GG @CBellRacing. pic.twitter.com/SUrAWYo34v
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) March 3, 2025
However, Kyle Busch can take plenty of positives from the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Despite starting the race from 8th place, the Nevada native turned back the clock at COTA by taking the lead from road-course ace Shane van Gisbergen on Lap 27. Given how hard he drove at the road course, another incident with Bell would have completely taken him over the edge this time around. However, it all worked out well for the two racers, with the No. 20 Toyota driver saying, “I wanted to pass him clean.”
Has Kyle Busch mellowed down with age?
The last year hasn’t been easy for Kyle Busch. The Richard Childress Racing star was forced to go winless in 2024, despite coming agonizingly close to securing a triumph at Atlanta, Darlington, and Daytona. Missing out on victory at COTA was another major blow for the Nevada native, whose winless streak has now extended to 60 races at the highest level.
It’s not that the clash with Christopher Bell was entirely without controversy. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was seen making contact with the two-time Cup Series winner, which may have something to do with the No. 8 Chevy seeing a significant drop in performance. Reflecting on the incident, Busch said, “The contact we made with the 20 there between 2 and 3 bent the right rear, and it was a completely different race car after that.”
The late caution after Austin Dillon’s wreck initiated by Denny Hamlin didn’t help matters either, as Kyle Busch lost the significant advantage he had built throughout the race. Soldiering on with worn-out tires, it was always going to be an uphill task to secure a race win while struggling for performance. However, despite facing one setback after another, ‘Rowdy’ didn’t have an anger outburst on the team radio and was gracious towards Bell in the post-race interview. Perhaps he has mellowed down with age and experience. Or maybe he’s saving it for a different race? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
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