NASCAR: Is Kyle Busch approaching G.O.A.T. status?

NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch continues to find victory lane. Is he putting his name in the discussion as greatest driver of all time?

One thing commonly seen in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is hatred for someone who wins often. Jimmie Johnson is hated because he used to win all the time. Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick each face heat because they seem to win often. The same can be said for Kyle Busch.

No matter which side of the fence you’re on Busch is slowly inching his way into the discussion as the greatest NASCAR driver of all-time.

Whether it be in the Camping World Trucks Series, Xfinity Series or Cup Series, winning seems to follow Busch everywhere he goes. The same can be said for his “haters” from week to week. To be honest, I for one can’t decide each week if I like the guy or if I don’t.

Just when I start to feel the #18’s mojo, he goes and says something ridiculous and changes my mind. However, when it comes to winning and driving the wheels off the car, he is in a category of his own.

Busch has made it clear to all that he couldn’t care less if you don’t like him. His post-race comments and antics do make it hard to like the guy. But at the end of the day, you have to respect what he does behind the wheel. He’s a favorite at every track that any of the three series travels to. It simply doesn’t matter if it’s a restrictor plate track, road course or any other style of track; Busch will be in contention to take the checkered flag.

The facts and numbers don’t lie

The 33-year-old Busch has a long way to go to be remembered as the greatest NASCAR driver of all-time, but with seven years to go until he hits the 40-year-old mark, he still has plenty of time left to make his mark. The way drivers are progressing in physical fitness and overall physical health leads me to believe that he could be a factor into his mid-40s if he chooses to continue driving.

So…what factors am I going off of that say he is in the running to be considered the greatest of all-time? I am glad you asked.

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For starters, last weekend at Richmond Raceway, Kyle Busch found victory lane for the 50th time in his Cup Series career. This win tied him for 11th on the all-time Cup Series wins list. I believe that there is absolutely no way that he will catch the King, Richard Petty. However, with competition tighter than it’s ever been, it’s entirely possible we see him hit the 100-win mark before his career is done.

Another factor to consider is Busch’s overall success in the top three NASCAR Series. We already addressed his 50 win total in the Cup Series. Add to that number a total of 92 Xfinity Series wins and 51 Truck Series. If my calculator is telling the truth, that is 193 wins for him in NASCAR’s top three series.

One of the biggest arguments against my theory is the fact that he has only earned one Cup Series championship to this point. Trust me when I say that he will win at least five before he retires. Heck…he has a legitimate shot at winning the championship this year, and even if you hate his guts, you would be a fool to disagree.

Overall, I am not saying that Busch is the greatest NASCAR driver of all-time at this moment in time. What I am saying is that when his career is all said and done, don’t be surprised when the discussion happens and all you have are solid facts proving that he may be one of the best to ever strap into a race car.

When it’s all said and done, do you feel that Kyle Busch will be remembered as one of the greatest NASCAR drivers if not the greatest NASCAR driver of all-time? What, in your eyes, does he have left to accomplish to be in consideration?