NASCAR: Kyle Busch has been ‘pretty grumpy’ in 2020
By Asher Fair
Martin Truex Jr. says winless teammate Kyle Busch has been “pretty grumpy” throughout the challenging 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.
After starting the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season off with four wins in 14 races to back up a season that saw him tie his career-high with eight victories, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch has not been performing up to his usual standards.
Sure, he did end up winning the 2019 championship in what was his fifth straight Championship 4 appearance, but his win in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to secure him his second career title is his only victory in the last 14 months, a span which has included 42 races.
Through the first 20 races of the 2020 season, he sits in 10th place in the point standings and 13th in the playoff picture. If the playoffs were to begin today, he would have just two playoff points: one for winning a stage at Kansas Speedway and another one for finishing in 10th in points.
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To make matters worse, teammate Denny Hamlin has managed to win a series-high five races this season to back up what was his first Championship 4 effort since 2014 last year as he seeks his first career title. He has already racked up 29 playoff points and would have 37 if the playoffs were to begin today, as he sits in third place in the point standings.
Teammate Martin Truex Jr., who finished in third place in Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway behind Hamlin in second, has had a season that more closely aligns with that of Busch, having won only one race. Truex has been to the Championship 4 in each of the last three seasons, three seasons during which he combined to win 19 races, and has not had the year many expected him to have.
But while Truex was at least running at the front on Sunday in his #19 Sport Clips Toyota, Busch was riding in a green John Deere vehicle on his way to the infield care center after crashing out early due to a flat tire.
Asked after the race about how Busch has been feeling in team meetings this year, Truex didn’t hold back.
“He’s been pretty grumpy, to be honest with you,” he said. “They’ve had some tough luck for sure, and again today obviously. … So Kyle’s a great competitor and a smart guy. He’s really not been too down on things. I think he knows that he’s got a great team, and they can overcome this. So he’s been a little bit grumpy at times, but for the most part, he’s been pretty typical Kyle.”
Busch sits 94 points above the playoff cut line with six races remaining in the regular season.
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There are two Cup Series races on the schedule this weekend, both at Michigan International Speedway. The FireKeepers Casino 400 is set to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 8 while the Consumers Energy 400 is set to be broadcast live on the same channel beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 9.