Kyle Busch finds it amusing to see Denny Hamlin portrayed as the antagonist. Hamlin, along with Kyle Busch, has been a key figure in Joe Gibbs Racing. However, during the latter part of the 2023 season, Busch’s move to Richard Childress Racing and his transformation into a good guy left a void in NASCAR for a villain, which Hamlin gladly filled.
Hamlin’s reputation as a disliked driver, due to his numerous clashes with fan favorites, made it easy for him to embrace the role of the villain. Kyle Busch, in an interview with a former racer on YouTube, praised his former teammate for taking on this new persona.
As a result of his transition to a good guy, Busch has enjoyed a reprieve from criticism and finds it entertaining to see Hamlin in the role he once occupied. Hamlin, driving the No. 11 Toyota, has done an impressive job as the villain, and it remains to be seen if he will have a redemption arc similar to Busch’s before retiring.
During the same conversation, Kyle Busch discussed his recent struggles with Richard Childress Racing and their underwhelming performance on short tracks. He acknowledged that he is currently performing at an average level and cited his failure to reach the podium at the Las Vegas Truck race as evidence of a decline in his own performance.
The No. 8 Richard Childress Racing team has been underperforming since the start of the 2024 season. One concerning aspect of their performance is the number of mistakes made during races. To regain competitiveness, they need to address these issues and provide Busch with a capable car, considering his skills on the track.