Kyle Busch tired of getting ‘our ass kicked’

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 17: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 17, 2019 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

You’d think a driver who started 31st and finished fourth at Bristol would be pretty happy, or at least satisfied. But in the case of driver Kyle Busch, you’d be wrong.

Busch clawed his way through the field Saturday night emerging from the typical Bristol chaos to finish in the top five.  One of the most intense competitors in all of NASCAR however didn’t even seem satisfied.

“I was just too loose at the end,” Busch said. “The car just wasn’t there really all weekend long. I just never really found what I was looking for. We were kind of all over the place. Early on, we were so loose that I was just barely hanging on and trying to make up time there. We finally got it tightened up enough there when I was racing with the 2 (Brad Keselowski) and got the lead from the 2 before that caution came out. Then we tried to make it a little bit better for exit after that because we were going to go a long ways on tires we figured and just made it too loose. I just had no rear traction getting into the corner. We salvaged a hard-fought day for fourth. That’s about it.”

Despite being locked into the Playoffs and leading the points, Busch took a little comfort in where he’s at, but with two races before those Playoff start, realizes he still has a way to go.

“It’s better than some other situations for sure,” Busch said. “Obviously Adam (Stevens, crew chief) and the guys do a really good job of being able to work on the car and constantly improve it and constantly make it better, but flat out getting our ass kicked right now by our teammates, so we’ve got to get better.”

Greg Engle