Kyle Busch officially completed his first NASCAR weekend as a driver for Richard Childress Racing as he claimed his spot on the podium with a bronze medal hanging around his neck. Next to him stood his former teammate Martin Truex Jr. and current teammate Austin Dillon.
It felt natural to see Busch at the front of the pack at the end of a NASCAR event. The driver of the No. 8 car may not be with the same organization he has been employed by for over a decade but it’s clear he is still here to compete.
However, that was not the case throughout the entire night. Busch was the source of one caution in the second half of the Busch Light Clash due to another driver that has the success that mimics his own.
Related: Richard Childress Racing discusses the rebrand of Kyle Busch’s No. 8 car
Kyle Busch calls out Joey Logano for being “two-faced” after dumping him during the Clash
Joey Logano was the defending Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum winner and coincidentally, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion. After his title in November 2022, Logano become one of two active Cup Series drivers with multiple championships alongside Busch.
The two share the same success and a similar driving style so perhaps, there could be a rivalry brewing ahead of the Daytona 500. Well, it seems like that is certainly the case after the Busch Light Clash.
In the second half of the event, Logano surged forward and dumped Busch which caused a yellow flag. It was not on purpose; however, it does not change what happened to the driver of the No. 8 car.
Busch clearly did not love the situation and went on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio to discuss his thoughts about Logano.
“I definitely am behind on that young buck so one of these days I need to get start getting back on the horse and grabbing it by the horns, I guess you’d say. It’s really unfortunate to be raced by guys that are so two-faced. We were in the TV booth earlier in the night together and when we were all done with that just like ‘Hey man, good luck tonight’…then low and behold, there you go, (Joey Logano) wrecked me. Don’t even talk to me if you’re going to be that kind of a (expletive) on the racetrack.”
Kyle Busch on Joey Logano spinning him during the Busch Light Clash
It should be said that NASCAR doesn’t count the Busch Light Clash as a points-paying event so nothing was truly lost outside of a more polished medal and better finishing position. Yet, it is easy to tell that drivers are still competitive and care about winning.
Just think, the 2023 NASCAR season hasn’t even reached the Daytona 500 and there is already drama among drivers. That is what happens when 27 drivers compete on a 0.25-mile track for fun before the points start to accumulate.
Is this just drama or will it spill over to the race track this season? Who knows, but one thing is guaranteed. NASCAR is officially back.