Kyle Busch’s hopes in the Viva Mexico 250 at Mexico City were dashed early after an unfortunate spin on Lap 8 caused a collision involving multiple drivers, including Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger, and Zane Smith. This incident ended Busch’s race prematurely and added a second DNF to his 2025 season.
The early spin—centered around losing control following a tire strategy switch—left Busch frustrated with himself, as the Las Vegas native struggled on the wet track conditions. During the race restart, most drivers opted for wet tires, but this choice backfired on Busch when his No. 8 Chevy lost traction and collided with Justin Haley’s car, sparking the multi-car wreck.
Reflecting on the crash later, Busch openly took responsibility for the incident.
“I went to the brakes and just ice. Maybe it was a little bit too heavy of a brake spike. Just turned around backwards and spun out backwards. Hate it for all the guys that got involved because it was, obviously, purely my fault. I don’t know what I could have done differently,”
he said.
He further explained the moments leading up to the spin:
“I broke at the 10 marker. It’s not like I was trying to break at the six. I was in trouble for a good second or two and then I was like, ‘I am going to nail some people so I better turn around backwards, and at least try to soften the blow.”
Despite efforts from Busch’s team, the damage was too severe to fix, forcing him out of the race. With 44 points separating him from the playoff cutoff, this DNF is a significant setback in his pursuit to secure a spot in the postseason. Winning a race remains Busch’s critical pathway back to playoff contention.
Currently, Kyle Busch holds 323 points, placing him 18th in the championship rankings amid a 73-race drought without a victory—the longest streak of his Cup Series career.
Looking Back on Busch’s Last Victory at the Mexico City Track
Prior to the Viva Mexico 250, Kyle Busch was notably the last NASCAR driver to claim victory at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit. His previous win there came in 2008, when he was behind the wheel of the No. 20 car for Joe Gibbs Racing during the NASCAR Nationwide Series event, then called the Corona Mexico 200.
That race saw Busch triumph atop the podium, with Marcos Ambrose and Scott Pruett finishing within the top three. Remembering that win, Busch posted on X (formerly Twitter),
“I know y’all remember the last time we raced in Mexico.”
Upcoming Race and Broadcast Information
Kyle Busch now prepares for The Great American Getaway 400, scheduled for June 22. This 160-lap event will be available for streaming live on Amazon Prime Video starting at 2 PM ET, while fans can follow along with radio updates via MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.