NASCAR: Could Kyle Busch miss Sunday’s Kansas race?

The birth of Kyle and Samantha Busch’s daughter on Tuesday means that the former should be good to go for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.

Prior to this past Sunday afternoon’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway, it was announced that Joe Gibbs Racing had Trevor Bayne on standby for Kyle Busch in case Busch ended up being called away from his #18 Toyota.

With Kyle and his wife Samantha anticipating the birth of their second child, a baby girl, through surrogacy, there was a chance that the couple would be called to be with the surrogate carrying the baby, had she gone into labor.

Bayne, who joined Joe Gibbs Racing as a part-time driver for their Xfinity Series team ahead of the 2022 season, was due to be on standby for Busch again at Kansas Speedway for this coming Sunday afternoon’s AdventHealth 400 at the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) oval in Kansas City, Kansas.

Bayne has competed in three races behind the wheel of the #18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series team so far this year, but he has not competed in a Cup Series race since November 2018 when he drove for Roush Fenway Racing at Texas Motor Speedway.

He likely won’t compete in one this weekend either, as Busch should be good to go for Sunday’s 267-lap race.

Busch took to Twitter on Tuesday night to announce the birth of his and Samantha’s second child. They welcomed Lennix Key Busch into the world early Tuesday morning.

https://twitter.com/KyleBusch/status/1524184581481672704

Samantha also posted the exciting news.

Brexton, the six-year-old son of the couple, added his own excitement.

Kyle Busch is set to enter this Sunday’s race as the reigning race winner, having won at Kansas Speedway last May to secure his first win of the 2021 season and make it his 17th straight winning season.

Through 12 races this year, he sits in a fifth place tie in the point standings with a win in the dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway last month, one which tied him with the great Richard Petty with 18 straight winning seasons.

With Busch not likely to miss a race as a result of the birth of his daughter, it appears pretty safe to say that the playoff waiver discussion can now be set aside.

Tune in to Fox Sports 1 this Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 p.m. ET for the live broadcast of the AdventHealth 400 from Kansas Speedway. Start a free trial of FuboTV now if you have yet to do so!