CHICAGO — Kyle Busch delivered a tenacious performance at the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 on Sunday, overcoming a self-inflicted spin and a pit road penalty to secure a fifth-place finish at the Chicago Street Course. The Richard Childress Racing driver’s late rally in the No. 8 Chevrolet drew praise from his wife, Samantha Busch, who took to X to celebrate the team’s “awesome fight” on the challenging 2.2-mile street circuit.
Busch’s troubles began on Lap 35 in Turn 7, where, running 12th, he lost grip on older tires and spun without contact, dropping to the rear of the field. A pit road speeding penalty on Lap 38 further derailed his strategy, forcing a pass-through that left him mired in traffic. Crew chief Randall Burnett countered with a bold call, pitting for fresh tires during a Lap 40 caution. Busch capitalized, charging through the field in the final stage, passing nearly 20 cars to claim fifth. X posts hailed his recovery, with one fan noting he was “flying” on fresh rubber.
Samantha Busch, active on X, shared her pride, posting, “P5 after a spin and penalty? That’s Rowdy!” Her post, widely liked, underscored the team’s resilience. The top-5, Busch’s second of 2025, was critical for the No. 8 team, which sits 19th in the standings, 46 points below the playoff cutline with seven regular-season races left.
The race, won by Shane van Gisbergen, saw Michael McDowell and Ryan Blaney claim Stages 1 and 2, respectively. Van Gisbergen’s third career Cup win came after a dominant final restart, outpacing Ty Gibbs. The event, marked by seven cautions, including a Lap 3 pileup and a late crash by Cody Ware, tested drivers’ skill. Busch’s clean final stint secured his best result since a fifth at Circuit of the Americas.
Busch’s rally, his first Chicago top-5, signals momentum heading to Sonoma’s Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 on July 13. Samantha’s X post captured the mood: “From the back to top 5? Let’s go!” With his 76-race winless streak ongoing, Busch’s performance reaffirmed his road course prowess and playoff hopes.
NASCAR got put on blast Sunday for its caution management in the Chicago Street.
Kyle flippin’ Busch baby.
