Kyle Busch is in a new car and part of a new racing team this year. Seems he also has some new fans.
During an interview on the ‘Rubbin is Racing’ show released Thursday, Busch was asked about receiving fewer boos than he has in the past.
“It used to be probably 30/70 — 30 (percent) cheers, 70 (percent) boos. Now it might be 60/40 maybe 65/35. We’re heading in the right direction,” Busch joked.
When asked to assess why fans may now be supporting him after viewing him as a heel for the last two decades, Busch shared his best guess, citing “all the unknowns of [his] future and kind of how everything went down (last season)” before adding that “people kind of … felt for me a little bit. There was that show that NBC put together last year … and there was a lot that was kind of revealed in that.”
Busch was referring specifically to his negotiations with Joe Gibbs Racing, for whom he drove from 2008-2022. Following the breakup of that 14-year marriage between driver and team, Busch believes he became more of an underdog story.
He might have a little underdog appeal at age 37, but Busch is driving like a favorite. Not only was he in a position to win the Daytona 500, Busch took the checkered flag at Fontana last weekend and likewise took home the checkered flag in the Trucks Series race in Las Vegas on Friday.
You can watch the clip of Busch’s interview here, though interested readers should be aware there is some sketchy language in the attached video.