Kyle Busch knows what it takes to win on NASCAR’s toughest circuits. From his 2009 triumph at Bristol’s high-banked bullring to his three wins at Richmond, the two-time Cup Series champion has proven time and again that he can adapt to any oval. Add in victories at marquee venues like Charlotte and Talladega, and Busch’s résumé reflects a career built on conquering tracks. But when asked about the schedule shake-ups, he turned that experience into a damning critique, aimed squarely at his hometown track.
No driver has waved the Vegas flag louder than Kyle Busch, who has spent two decades making the desert track a personal stage. But in a season where NASCAR’s schedule is being reshaped to fit packed grandstands and stronger markets, Busch is not shying away from stating his belief. One that puts him at odds with the very track that helped launch his career.
Kyle Busch challenges NASCAR’s Vegas schedule
“As much as I love Vegas, and Vegas is my hometown, I don’t think Vegas needs two dates,” Kyle Busch told Frontstretch on X, expressing his candid take on NASCAR’s current scheduling decisions. The Richard Childress Racing driver, known for his outspoken nature and analytical approach, weighed in on the ongoing debate about multiple race dates at key tracks, emphasizing fan turnout and the importance of packed grandstands as a metric for scheduling. His comments highlight a rare moment where a driver critiques his own hometown track while advocating for a broader, more balanced calendar across the sport.
While acknowledging his love for his hometown track, Busch emphasized the value of audience attendance to the races, which should be taken into consideration for scheduling plans. He stated, “If you’re not packing the grandstands and selling out every single time, then you only need one date.” He believes that reallocating a second race date from Las Vegas to another venue could invigorate the sport by introducing fresh challenges and attracting new audiences. This would give other tracks that attract more audience a fairer opportunity. His comments reflect a desire for a dynamic and responsive scheduling approach that prioritizes fan engagement and the sport’s long-term health.
“I don’t think Vegas needs two dates.” –@KyleBusch doubles down on his one date philosophy.
Presenting Partner: @MyPlaceHotels pic.twitter.com/MxKwZND7QL
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) August 15, 2025
The Las Vegas Motor Speedway has definitely experienced some fluctuations in attendance over recent years. At its peak, the track boasted a capacity of up to 140,000 seats, but this was reduced to approximately 80,000 in 2017 and further decreased in subsequent years. In the 2023 South Point 400, the grandstands appeared to be only about 50–60% full, with estimates ranging from 40,000 to 48,000 attendees. This was also a decline from the previous years’ patterns, which saw the average attendance being more than 100,000. This surely gives an idea about the fan engagement associated with the track, which made Busch make his honest claims about its scheduling.
Kyle Busch’s history at his hometown track, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, is a blend of nostalgic milestones and solid competitiveness. He earned his first NASCAR Cup Series victory there in a dramatic 2009 win, racing from the back of the field to Victory Lane and even ending it with a finish-line kiss, a defining moment in his early career. While that remains his only Cup Series triumph on the 1.5-mile oval, Busch has had respectable consistency in recent years. Although winless at Vegas since 2009, he’s recorded three top-6 finishes in his last seven starts, including a podium in the 2022 spring race before a late-race caution derailed his chances. So, his insights on the dates do hold value.
His criticism boils down to the racing product itself, where he argues that on tracks like Las Vegas, “dramatic passes are all but eliminated” due to the aero dependency and narrow racing lines. That context makes his remarks about alternatives even more telling: “I would say maybe, I don’t know, maybe another Bristol, but honestly, people would say that Dover’s another Bristol, and that hasn’t lended itself to the best of racing over the years. It’s just so aero-dependent there, and the fastest way is always the bottom.” By leaning toward multi-groove, action-heavy venues such as Richmond, Bristol, Darlington, or Loudon, Busch underscores his belief that the schedule should reward tracks where driver skill, not just track position, dictates outcomes.
Kyle Busch fastest in Richmond practice but starts low while Preece takes his first pole of the season
Kyle Busch had a great practice session at Richmond, where he posted the quickest average speeds over runs of 5, 10, 15, and 20 laps, showing pace. Unfortunately, he could not convert that into a good starting position, as he starts on P28 on the grid. Busch did a lap time of 22.679 with the best speed of 119.053 mph.
Meanwhile, Ryan Preece delivered a statement performance in Friday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Richmond Raceway, securing the second Busch Light Pole Award of his career. Preece clocked a blistering lap of 22.244 seconds at 121.381 mph, narrowly edging out 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick by just 0.087 seconds. The result not only marked his first pole of the 2025 season but also put Stewart-Haas Racing in the spotlight during a pivotal stretch of the regular season.
“I hate losing — it eats at me,” Ryan Preece admitted after Watkins Glen, where his fiery reaction turned heads. Just a year ago, the former Stewart-Haas driver faced an uncertain future. Now with RFK Racing, he’s riding momentum from a strong qualifying run and sits only 34 points away from locking into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Ultimately, Busch’s critique reminds the sport that filling grandstands and showcasing the best racing product should remain the top priority. Whether or not NASCAR heeds his advice, his voice adds weight to a broader conversation about how the schedule can evolve to serve both the fans and the future of the sport.
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