Kyle Busch: Talladega crash, Chase elimination was ‘heartbreaking’

Even in moments of happiness, Kyle Busch still can’t help but think of the wreck two weeks ago that knocked him out of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Busch was unexpectedly eliminated from the Chase when he was collected in a multi-car crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Needing to just finish 24th or better to advance, Busch was being conservative when the wreck occurred in front of him. Although he slowed, Austin Dillon ran into Busch from behind, sending him into the inside wall on the backstretch.

After extensive repairs Busch returned to the track multiple laps down. From there he needed another sizeable wreck involving other Chasers to occur. That never happened and Busch finished 40th, seven points below the cutline.

“It is what it is,” said Busch after winning the Camping World Truck Series race Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway. “We put fate in other people’s hands there at Talladega. You have 42 other racers and sometimes it doesn’t work out for you. Obviously, it didn’t for us.”

In years past Busch has typically struggled in the Chase, but this season appeared to be different. Finishing in the top 10 in all three races, Busch easily advanced out of the first round. In Round 2 he rolled off consecutive finishes of third and fifth, and was second overall in points entering Talladega.

The strong start to the Chase led Busch to believe that perhaps he had avoided the misfortune, which in previous years plagued the No. 18 team. Unfortunately, his luck hadn’t changed.

“It’s disheartening, it’s heartbreaking,” Busch said. “You pour every single season into the Chase and to get eliminated the way we did was very unfortunate. There’s no other way to put it, quite frankly.

“That seems to be my every single year. Mark it down as Talladega, Martinsville or Kansas where I tend to get crashed in the Chase and knock ourselves out. I guess until they get rid of those racetracks in the final 10, I’m doomed.”