So the driver who many love to hate wasn’t able to make NASCAR’s Chase for the Championship.
Kyle Busch won four races leading up to the Chase, tying Mark Martin for the most wins in the Cup series. Martin starts the Chase as the top seed, while Busch will be on the outside looking in.
While he may or may not be on your favorite drivers list, Kyle Busch has certainly garnered attention. On the track and off, in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota or in the garage, Busch has been a colorful character who isn’t afraid to speak his mind or wear his emotions on his sleeve. 
Among those who don’t count themselves among the Kyle Busch fans, there will be some who will blame Busch’s failure to earn a chance to compete for the championship on nothing more then ‘karma’, that mysterious unseen force that can be either good or bad depending on the circumstances. Kind of like the saying ‘what goes around, comes around.’
To find the truth however you need look no farther then Busch himself for an explanation.
“We didn’t have the best of years to be consistent, and unfortunately, that bit us,” Busch said Saturday night. “I’ve been struggling a little bit this year with these cars for some reason. Last year I took to them real quick.”
Just like under the old points system, winning a NASCAR championship is all about consistency. Even though wins are awarded bonus points, if you don’t have the consistent finishes to back those wins up, then they really mean nothing if you don’t make the Chase. Busch would no doubt agree with that.
Without the colorful character that Busch is known for in the Chase though, can we look forward to 10 races filled with vanilla drivers tiptoeing around trying to protect their own points?
Of course not, because unlike other sports just because Kyle Busch won’t be in contention for the championship doesn’t mean he will pack it up and head home.
In other sports when their playoffs begin, the teams that don’t make the playoffs are done. Put away your bats and pack up your shoulder pads, better luck net year. In NASCAR though, the teams that aren’t competing for the championship are still on the playing field. And so will Kyle Busch.
All the elements that make Busch beloved or hated, depending on your view will still be in evidence over the next ten races. Just like in 2006 when Tony Stewart shocked everyone and failed to make the cutoff then went out and won three of the last ten races, Busch may win more races and will still be a factor each and every week.
He may not be at the head table at the Championship banquet in Vegas, but Kyle Busch will still make this years Chase something to watch.
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