Kyle Busch Explains his Terse Reaction to Finishing Second at Charlotte

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Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Pedigree Petcare Toyota, sits in his car during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway on June 3, 2017 in Dover, Delaware. Photo – Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Kyle Busch’s post-race press conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway last Sunday was six words long and ended with a mic drop.

After winning the pole for Sunday’s AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway (1 p.m. ET on FS1), Busch explained his surly reaction to finishing second in the Coca-Cola 600.

Busch was going for a sweep of the Monster Energy All-Star Race and the 600. He was hoping to add the trophy from the race he considers one of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ three majors, along with the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400.

“There were a lot of things riding on the line that meant a lot to me, that would have been special to me,” said Busch, who already has a Brickyard victory to his credit. “I guess I should care less about those things and not show that sort of emotion.

“All in all, that’s what was on the line for us, and we weren’t able to achieve, so it was pretty disappointing.”

It’s not that Busch isn’t self-aware. Like it or not, he simply shows what he’s feeling in an unfiltered way.

“Certainly, different people show their emotions in different ways, and unfortunately for me, mine has never been very gracious, and I don’t know that it ever will be,” Busch said on Friday after time trials at Dover. “I’m kind of learning that as the days go on, when my son is two years old, I see where that came from. It’s genetic. I’m sorry, that’s just who I am. That’s what I was given. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s probably the guy upstairs.

“I can probably get better and go to training and classes and everything else, but I don’t know. It is the way it is. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been blessed to be in the opportunity that I’m in. I’ve got great partners and sponsors that are with me, and they’ve stuck with me through a lot worse than what happened this week. That’s through relationships.

“Those people that are close to me understand me and know me and know who I am outside the race track as a personable person, as a friend. That’s why I’m able to continue to have the relationships and the sponsorships that I do.”