Kyle Busch’s post-Bristol prediction that he would be eliminated from the Cup playoffs after the Round of 12 came closer to becoming a reality Sunday at Talladega.
The defending champion finished 27th Sunday and left the track 21 points behind Joey Logano for the final spot to advance.
Busch remains the first driver outside the top 12 after entering the race trailing Alex Bowman by nine points. Busch is tied with Austin Dillon
Busch was involved in three wrecks, including one in overtime that started when he was turned by Tyler Reddick and started a chain reaction.
“Car was just real slow after all the damage obviously, so I’m just holding up the line trying to draft off the guys in front of me,” Busch told NBCSN. “I’m pushing too much backwards on the guys that are trying to push me forwards and it creates a wreck. ... I hate it when I’m right.”
After he finished second at Bristol in the first round, Busch said “We’ll be eliminated in the next round.” Busch is winless through the 31 races.
They didn't make it to the finish line!
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Busch’s misfortune began with three laps left in the first stage when he was collected in a multi-car wreck that involved Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman and Aric Almirola.
Then, soon after the start of Stage 2, his left front tire shredded causing further damage to his No. 18 Toyota. He was then involved in the largest wreck of the race.
Busch kept the final cutoff spot thanks to bad races to the other drivers below the cutline. Almirola and Clint Bowyer were eliminated in wrecks and Austin Dillon finished 12th.
Busch’s result Sunday is his worst of the postseason after he finished in the top 10 in each of the first four races. Two of those results came after he started from the rear as a result of inspection failures (Richmond, Bristol).