"Dirty and greedy": Kyle Busch decodes NASCAR's "vicious cycle" following Denny Hamlin's controversial win

Offering his insights on the different dynamics of racing, Kyle Busch explained the "greedy" formula that the up-and-coming drivers come instilled with.

In an exciting Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway last weekend, Denny Hamlin emerged as the victor, securing his 50th career race win. However, his achievement was shrouded in controversy due to the contentious nature of his victory, particularly a significant incident involving Kyle Larson's car being nudged into the wall.

The incident has sparked a broader debate about the changing dynamics of racing in the current era, with veteran driver Kyle Busch shedding light on what he calls a "vicious cycle" that is transforming the sport.

Speaking candidly to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Kyle Busch expressed his views on the incident and the changing face of Cup races. He acknowledged that Hamlin could have raced differently, choosing a cleaner and more respectful approach to secure the win.

"Could Denny have done it differently and raced it out and raced it clean? Sure. There's a way where you could run clean and you could race side by side but all you're gonna do is draw in the rest of the competition behind you and everybody is so close that if you're stuck side by side you're gonna allow the third-place to jump into the picture," he said.

However, Busch pointed out the unique challenges presented by the current competitive landscape, emphasizing the proximity of the competition, the modern-day dynamics and the close-quarters racing.

"You have to mess up the guy you're racing. You have to push him out of the groove. Its just a different form of racing. I don't know whether you call it dirty or whether you call it greedy. I think its both of those things," Busch stated.

The younger generation of drivers came under scrutiny during Kyle Busch's remarks. He noted that this new breed of racers has been adopting a different approach to racing, one that involves more aggressive tactics seen in the ARCA, Truck Series, and Xfinity competitions.

As these young talents progress to the pinnacle of the sport, the Cup Series, they carry with them the "vicious cycle" of aggressive racing, where maintaining track position becomes paramount.

"I have been seeing it a lot out of the younger generation. The kids do stuff like that who're coming up through the ranks and how they do it in ARCA, how they do it in the Truck series, how they're doing it in Xfinity, and now it's come up to the Cup Series. It's just a vicious cycle of how to race," he added.

Kyle Busch calls the modern style of racing "a lot more exciting"

Though he pointed out the "dirty and greedy" manner of racing, Kyle Busch did not back away from acknowledging that the current style of racing is undeniably more thrilling and exciting for both drivers and fans.

The constant battle for track position and the intense competition often lead to thrilling on-track action, but came at the expense of the more gentlemanly racing of previous generations.

According to Kyle Busch, gone are the days of giving each other room and showing mutual respect to faster cars.

"It's a hell of a lot damn more exciting than it once was in the Jeff Gordon/Mark Martin/Rusty Wallace/Bobby Labonte era where the racing was a lot cleaner," he said.

Busch stated that the focus has shifted to holding off competitors as long as possible, even if it means employing aggressive tactics.

"If a faster car caught you, you'll let him go and you'll hope for the same favor later. Now it's if they catch you you try to hold them off for as long as you can and screw them up so they don't go by you because track position's everything," he added.

As NASCAR officials grapple with finding the right balance between preserving the sport's integrity and catering to the evolving tastes of fans, incidents like Denny Hamlin's controversial win at Pocono Raceway serve as a catalyst for reflection.