Kyle Busch on the importance of being 'one of the cool kids' as RCR driver eyes maiden Daytona 500 victory in 2024

Two-time NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Busch is setting his sights on securing his maiden Daytona 500 victory in the upcoming season opener. He also emphasized the importance of being among the 'cool kids' at the 2.5-mile oval.

The Daytona 500 is the most prestigious race in the NASCAR season calendar but the close-pack superspeedway racing brings with it multiple pile-ups.

The key to mastering such drafting tracks is to work together with teammates to draft and navigate through traffic. This helps avoid pile-ups and capitalize on opportunities to move forward through the pack.

As Kyle Busch gears up for the season opener, he was asked to explain his strategy to avoid the big pile-ups. The veteran driver suggested that no position in the racing pack was safe, as one had to dynamically adapt and work with the cars surrounding him.

The #8 RCR driver elaborated on the significance of building trust and confidence with his colleagues around him over the 500-mile race. He told Speedway Digest:

"I don't know if you're safe anywhere. I think the biggest thing is to just build that confidence in your car and build that camaraderie with other drivers around you to give them the confidence that you're fast and your car is fast, that they can work with you and that sort of helps you as the race closes."

Busch gave an analogy, comparing draft racing to high school, where aligning with the 'cool kids' assured safety, much like working with the right cars in the pack. He explained:

"Where opposite of that, if you're a guy who hangs out in back all day and then you're there at the end, nobody knows anything about you so they don't want to hang out with you. It's like you've got to be one of the cool kids and sit at the cool kids table. But if you're not in the cool kids club, then they will not work with you as well."

The synergy between teams under common manufacturers will be on display in the Daytona 500, as teams try to run similar strategies.

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Kyle Busch eager to check the box and bring home the Harley J. Earl trophy

The Daytona 500 victory continues to elude the two-time Cup champion, who has won all the remaining crown jewel races in NASCAR. Kyle Busch was on course to take the dub last season but a late race caution ruined his race.

Making his 19th entry in the 'Great American Race', Busch hopes to take home the Harley J. Earl trophy this weekend.

"It's certainly a race that's high on my bucket list. We were leading last year at mile marker 500 but it didn't work out. I've been so close to winning that race. Maybe one of these days we can check the box and bring home the Harley J. Earl trophy," he was quoted by Speedway Digest.

Catch Kyle Busch live in action at the Daytona International Speedway this Sunday, February 18, at 2:30 PM ET.