“Time to cancel this race car”: Kyle Busch’s wife Samantha slams NextGen car after “blah” debacle at Bristol 

Kyle Busch's wife, Samantha, recently expressed her concerns about the NASCAR Next Gen cars following the first playoff elimination race of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Bristol Night Race marked a big drop in lead changes, with only 8 compared to the 54 in the spring race, a historic low in NASCAR Cup Series history.

The 46-change decrease tied the record for the largest race-to-race decline ever at a track, matching the shift from the 1978 to the 1979 Talladega races, which saw lead changes plummet from 67 to 21.

Commenting on the challenges posed by the Next Gen cars at Bristol, which have made overtaking nearly impossible, Samantha Busch voiced her thoughts on X, sharing her perspective on the current racing dynamics:

"Not just saying this bc we didn’t run well but can we all agree the only exciting part of the race was watching Owen celebrate w Kyle. Can’t remember a Bristol race being that blah in long time. Time to cancel this race car."

The spring race at Bristol during the regular season showcased an unusual number of lead changes, primarily driven by tire wear rather than direct passing maneuvers. The cooler temperatures during that season led to significant tire degradation, with visible cord wear forcing both NASCAR and Goodyear into urgent action as vehicles rapidly consumed their tires.

Bristol Motor Speedway's steep banking compounds an aerodynamic challenge for cars following closely behind, creating a "dirty air" effect that hampers the ability to execute a clean pass. Additionally, the design of the Next Gen cars, which generates more downforce than earlier models, intensifies this issue, making it even more difficult for drivers to maneuver around each other on the track.

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Kyle Busch's yet another disappointing race

Kyle Busch's recent return to the NASCAR circuit after his trip to Italy during the Olympic break presented an uptick in performance, placing him just on the brink of playoff contention. In the final four races of the regular season, Kyle Busch secured three top-5 finishes, including two second-place finishes.

However, his momentum did not carry over into the subsequent races. At Atlanta, Kyle Busch managed a top-10 finish, but his performance at Watkins Glen and Bristol fell short of expectations. At Glen, he finished a disappointing 30th after an on-track incident with Corey LaJoie, and at Bristol, he ended the race in 25th place.

Despite not qualifying for the playoffs this year, Kyle Busch is focused on another goal: to secure at least one race victory this season and preserve his record of winning at least one race annually for the last 20 years of his Cup career. Busch will next head into the upcoming race at Kansas, where he boasts an average finish of 15.6 across 33 starts and has two victories.