Kyle Busch not facing ‘additional pressure’ to make NASCAR playoff cut

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series Kyle Busch needs a win at Daytona to secure a playoff berth.

21 Aug 2025

Kyle Busch says he doesn’t feel there is any additional pressure on him to make the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs in this weekend’s Daytona 400.

Busch has endured a difficult campaign so far in Richard Childress Racing’s No. 8 Chevrolet, having failed to finish higher than fifth in the first 25 races.

This leaves him 16th in the overall championship and 19th in the playoff standings with just one more race remaining in what NASCAR calls the Regular Season.

As such, the 40-year-old’s only chance of reaching the playoffs is by scoring a victory at Daytona International Speedway, but he hasn't win a NASCAR race in over two years now.

Should he win this Saturday's race, he will knock out either Tyler Reddick or Alex Bowman.

Asked if the looming threat of elimination adds extra weight on his shoulders, the 2015 and 2019 Cup Series champion replied: “I don’t think so, no. We just know time is running out, but I don’t think the pressure is any greater.

“It’s just a matter of being able to get it done and right now is the best time, you know, so you can go try to prepare for a championship.”

In his 40 Cup Series starts at Daytona, Busch has managed only one win at the Florida oval — the 400-mile race in 2008. His recent form at the track has also been poor.

However, the Las Vegas native doesn’t believe Daytona being the Regular Season finale makes the task any more complicated.

“No, I’m not stressed out over it,” he said.

“I think that we go to each and every single weekend with the mindset to try to go out there and win, and we haven’t put ourselves in that position to be able to score a victory. So, we need to.

“But I wouldn’t say that this weekend puts any added pressure on that.”