Well, First off, Kyle, you're about
two months into the 2022 season.
Obviously the big headline going
into this year was the next Gen car.
Where do you feel like?
You're at with that and and what have
you learned so far this year about it?
Yeah, exactly. The biggest thing
is is I feel like we've had some
races where we've shown good speed.
We've been fast, and really,
there's only been one that I
would say was kind of a struggle.
Phoenix was our biggest struggle of the year.
We weren't that great there,
but everywhere else we've been pretty good.
We've shown pretty good speed.
We just have absolutely 0
results to show for it,
so we're just not doing a good enough
job executing and being able to run
up front all day long and and get the
stage points that we need to get the
race finishes that we need or we deserve.
It's just kind of been a lot
of bad luck after bad luck.
So again, this weekend,
you know we struggled early at
at COTA and we worked on the car.
We got it a lot better.
We were in contention there
towards the end of the day.
It felt like we had a 5th place car
and trying to pass a teammate got
hit in the door and spun out and you
know ruined our day there again.
So just a lot of missed opportunities.
I know you mentioned the the bad luck
that you have had but when you look
at the six points races you have
had three top ten finishes so you
kind of can put that in the positive
but but what is the number 18 team
working on right now to kind of.
Help prepare for this this
upcoming stretch of races. I mean
the biggest thing right now is,
you know at Phoenix.
Phoenix is really close to Richmond,
so setup wise car wise how we've
always kind of done things there.
So with Phoenix being the biggest struggle
race that we've had so far this year,
we're trying to re philosophy everything
of what we did at Phoenix and think
of different ways that we can make
a race car go fast for Richmond.
So hopefully those things will
will come true and and we'll have
a good day at Richmond where we can
get ourselves back in position we.
Always run well at Richmond so
it would be nice to go back to
a really comfort zone right?
A place where you're you.
You know you've got a real nice
soft pillow that you can go there
and and relax a little bit.
Have a good race and then move
on to the next one.
Right? You mentioned Richmond.
That's up next.
Then you head to Martinsville.
Then it's back to Bristol for
a dirt night race. This time.
So just looking at these next three races,
can you kind of breakdown the
thoughts that come to mind?
You just explain Richmond,
but when you think about
Martinsville and Bristol,
what are the thoughts?
Yeah, to me I look
at. I look at Martinsville
similar to the Ellee Coliseum.
Very short, very flat. You know?
We ran well at the Coliseum.
We qualified on the pole.
We ran top three.
All race ended up getting a P2 there,
so I would like to think that some of
that can transfer over to Martinsville
to help us have a good day there.
So looking forward to to
making the most of that one.
And then I don't think anybody
has any clue what to expect.
Going to the Bristol dirt with
this car and and what what
everything on this thing is like.
You know I've heard some of the
horror stories from the test session
that was done on the dirt with
this car that didn't go very well.
So be interesting to see what
exactly happens when we get there,
right? I want to kind of switch
now to your role as a father.
Now you have Greg Student Racing
and winning and you're sharing
those moments and you're spending
time with them with the track.
What has that been like for you?
It's been fun, really fun.
Just a great experience for him to kind of
come into his own now and obviously him.
He's six years old and it's hard
to remember that sometimes 'cause
he is bigger in size than some of
the other kids that he's around.
But he's the youngest one out there.
One meant. One of the youngest ones out
there in the class is that he's racing
and so he's doing a really good job.
You know, he's now.
Learn how to really pass guys race guys.
Be aggressive with guys and
have fun while he's doing it.
Winning races,
beating some of the best competition
in the country and so it's been nice
to continue to go out there and see
his growth and his pattern of what
he's been able to do as a driver.
Continue to evolve and I'm looking
forward to to more time with him and
seeing what he's got in store for him.
So another race tonight up at Millbridge
and then you know he'll run some
different cars this weekend with some
quarter ******* and I'll be back and
forth traveling to to see him do that.
That is crazy. He's only six,
but out there killing it so good for him.
I know you and Samantha recently
just shared on social media you're,
you know, welcoming your latest
addition to your family,
your baby girl and you just had
a nice welcoming baby shower
and party to celebrate that.
So what does it mean to finally
have that moment come to fruition?
After everything you've been through?
Yeah, it's been. It's been a struggle.
I mean, you know,
sometimes you forget even us.
It has been 10 years that we've
been trying to continue to to
finish off our family dreams and
and what we've all wanted to have.
And so you know, fortunately we,
we did have Braxton through IVF
and Samantha was able to carry but.
Unfortunately,
we had a miscarriage with Samantha
for the baby girl then.
Same thing with a a surrogate and
then the next cycle didn't even
take with Samantha and so now
we're back with the surrogate again
and it's it's coming and the baby
will be here in just a few weeks.
So very excited about that.
You know we've had a lot of love
and support from a lot of family
and friends over these last few
years and so they've been right
there by our side and we had a good
celebration of that the other day
and looking forward to welcoming
baby Bush here in just a few weeks.
How hard is it for you?
Or you may be able to manage it well now,
but between like you just mentioned,
like breakston races, now you're
going to have a newborn all like.
How hard is it to be, you know?
Kyle Busch, the NASCAR driver.
But Kyle Busch, the dead.
That's the toughest spot is
my schedule and his schedule.
And now throw a baby into that mix you know?
So that's definitely kind of where we're at.
And I was just looking over breakston race
schedule that I built out for the year.
And, you know,
looking at what things we should do,
what things we should probably not
do because the baby will be here.
In that time frame,
and so you just don't really know.
But you gotta play it safe anyways
and do the simple things so you know
really looking forward to that though,
I mean it's going to be a challenge, nothing.
Just like anything else.
And we're we've got a a stretch in
the summer months where we raise 18
days out of 15 day or no 15 races in
18 days and the baby and Samantha
will be right along with it for it.
Also, you know we'll have to make
it work
absolutely well. Thank you for your time.
I appreciate you talking about
both things with me and.
Hopefully I'll see you at the track soon
and good luck with all the family stuff.
I'm super pumped for you guys.
There you go.
Yeah, I appreciate you very much.
Yeah thanks have a good one. You too.