The stands at Richmond Raceway felt tense, but the weirdest moment wasn’t just another wreck. It came when Denny Hamlin, a longtime friend and former teammate, started wondering aloud if something was going on with Kyle Busch. One of those nights made even the diehard fans ask uncomfortable questions. How did Busch end up in another bizarre situation, and why does Hamlin, who knows him as well as anyone in racing, sound so worried?
Why Is Kyle Busch Struggling So Much at Richmond Raceway?
Richmond Raceway wasn’t kind to Kyle Busch, leaving plenty of people shaking their heads, including Hamlin. On his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, Hamlin admitted he almost texted Busch just to check in after the race. It wasn’t a jab, just genuine concern from someone who’s watched his friend’s career up close for years.
“I was gonna text him and I was gonna say ‘Are you okay?’” Hamlin explained. “It was so weird. We were under caution and I felt ‘Boom!’, I’m like ‘What the hell?’ I guess he was warming his tires up and just [expletive] doorslammed the [expletive] out of me.”
Denny Hamlin referenced Kyle Busch unintentionally dooring him under caution on Actions Detrimental, so I went back and looked. Looked like Busch had to check up for Alex Bowman just before the Lap 196 restart and Hamlin just happened to be there when he swerved left a touch.
“I… pic.twitter.com/VGnZ7s7hgj
– Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) August 18, 2025
The contact went down on lap 196 of the 400-lap Cook Out 400. NASCAR reporter Steven Taranto explained what happened: Busch checked up behind Alex Bowman just before the restart, and Hamlin was right inside when Busch swerved slightly. This set off a strange chain of events neither driver wanted.
Just two laps later, things got even more chaotic. Busch ended up right in the middle of a 12-car pileup. Big names got caught up in it; Brad Keselowski and Hamlin among them. Busch wasn’t at fault this time, but the accident fit a pattern that’s followed him throughout the 2025 campaign. Aggressive decisions and little mistakes on pit road have been stacking up for Busch week after week.
Busch finished the race in 16th place, while his RCR teammate Austin Dillon took the win and secured a playoff berth. Busch’s ongoing troubles as a two-time Cup Series champion raise questions about what’s happening with ‘Rowdy.’
How Big Is Denny Hamlin’s Concern for Kyle Busch?
Still running the No. 11 Toyota with Joe Gibbs Racing, Hamlin has seen Kyle Busch’s highs and lows firsthand. The two spent 15 seasons as teammates at JGR, battling at the front and picking up hardware. Busch grabbed his two titles in that window, and Hamlin carved out his reputation for consistency.
That long history is why Hamlin’s reaction after Richmond Raceway was different. He seemed puzzled and genuinely worried about what had happened.
“He is hitting everything,” Hamlin said. “He ran into us under caution. Unintentional, obviously. Then, down the backstretch, we didn’t really talk about the big wreck, but I don’t know… I don’t know, man. It’s tough to say, it just, it doesn’t, I don’t know. Doesn’t look right.”
Plenty of fans and some drivers are seeing the same thing Hamlin is. Busch hasn’t looked as comfortable or confident as in his best years. His car seemed unsettled at Richmond, and his decisions kept putting him in tough spots on the track.
Hamlin left Richmond with a 10th-place finish, but his thoughts were on his old teammate. He wasn’t trying to stir up drama, just trying to make sense of a rough night for the driver he’s known so long. Now, Busch gets one more shot at Daytona to turn things around. Still, after the mayhem at Richmond, his path to the playoffs looks shakier than ever.
