Kyle Busch Confident Heading Into Atlanta As He Reveals Secret Sauce

Kyle Busch is optimistic as he readies himself for the weekend races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. As a driver for Richard Childress Racing, Busch’s confidence stems from his team’s rich legacy of success and his own impressive performance in the spring race earlier this year.

RCR has an enviable track record at this venue, boasting a total of 15 combined victories in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. For a team’s press release, he was asked whether his recent success has lined him up for this weekend with more confidence.

“Absolutely it does. We had a game plan on what we needed to be better. We came back with more speed and a lot better car for the spring Atlanta race this year. I’m hoping that that same amount of notes and success translates to the race this weekend,” Busch remarked, underscoring the team’s strategic approach.

RCR’s history at Atlanta Motor Speedway is studded with victories. In the Cup Series, the outfit has secured nine wins: Kevin Harvick’s emotional victory in 2001 and Dale Earnhardt’s dominance with eight wins spanning from 1984 to 2000. Their impressive record includes four pole awards, 31 top-five finishes, and 62 top-ten finishes, with a remarkable 3,008 laps led.

In the Xfinity Series, RCR continues to shine with six wins. Austin Hill has been a standout performer for the team, claiming victories in three consecutive races between 2022 and 2024. Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick have also contributed to RCR’s success at Atlanta with multiple victories and high finishes.

This historic performance sets the stage for the upcoming races: the Focused Health 250 on Saturday, September 7, and the Atlanta 400 on Sunday, September 8.

“Atlanta now takes a lot of speed, but also a car that handles well. You have to pick the right line at the right time to get yourself in a spot where you can log some laps, especially in the middle stage of the race, and not get caught up in a crash when cars start to handle differently and mistakes are made,” Busch explained.

The Nevada driver also touched on the rarity of exceptional performances in qualifying rounds, particularly at speedway events.

“I would think that qualifying and picking up speed from round to round is very rare. When you’re in speedway qualifying scenarios, it’s a little easier to pick up because all the oils and bearings get hot and everything just moves a little bit more freely, so you should go a little faster on the second round.

“Tire wear and fall off is not something that you’re worried about with the newer surface yet,” he finished.