Kyle Busch says making NASCAR playoffs “doesn’t mean s***” if you’re out in the first round

One year ago, Harrison Burton came from outside the top 30 in points to win at Daytona and make the playoffs. He ended up being eliminated in the first round, ending the year 16th out of 16 playoff drivers.

While that was a huge moment for Burton, who had never won before at the Cup level, a two-time up champion like Kyle Busch approaches the “win and you’re in” mentality differently. In fact, Busch was the driver who finished second to Burton at Daytona last summer.

While fellow Cup champion Brad Keselowski believes that securing a playoff spot means a lot no matter what, Busch disagrees.

What defines a successful season?

“If you Harrison Burton your way into the playoffs and then you’re out the first round, that doesn’t mean shit,” said Busch in a media scrum at Daytona International Speedway. “For me, a successful season is making the playoffs, and making it into the Round of 8. Making it from the Round of 8 to the Round of 4 — theres a lot of situations that can come into play that can get you in there, or out there.

“A successful season is being in the playoffs, winning races, and being in the final eight.”

For Busch, none of those three things were true for the No. 8 team in 2024. He did make the playoffs in 2023, but exited in the Round of 12, and while he also made the playoffs in 2022, Busch was a first round exit there. The last time he checked all three of those boxes was in 2021, while still driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“We’ve had the exact same year as we had last year,” said Busch about the performance of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. “I just looked at the points after Watkins Glen — we have scored three points less or more than last year. Literally three after 24 events and everything that could happen, we’re in the same position.”

So while Busch is eager to put an end to the longest winless streak of his career, he’s not overly concerned with a playoff berth if he doesn’t expect to make it very far. His teammate, Austin Dillon, won last weekend at Richmond, which vaulted him from the 28th points position to inside the playoffs as the 14th different winner of the 2025 season.