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Kyle Busch 216 laps led away from unfulfilling record if winless streak continues

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Kyle Busch has the talent, his Joe Gibbs Racing Car has the speed, but it's the No. 18's execution that is keeping him out of victory lane.

Things haven’t been going well this year for Kyle Busch.

Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, the 2015 Cup champion is winless through 19 Cup races. But it’s been a year since he last won at all, in the Brickyard 400.

It’s not for a lack of speed and competition. Busch is third in the points and he’s led the second most laps at 953.

But the combination of a lack of winning and an abundance of laps led mean Busch’s name has wound up on a list.

Heading into a race he’s won two years in a row, Busch has the second most laps led all-time in a season without a win.

He’s 216 laps behind Harry Gant’s 1981 record. Gant led 1,169 laps that year and never scored a win despite earning 13 top fives, including seven runner-up finishes. He wouldn’t earn his first Cup win until April 1982 at Martinsville.

Busch has seven top fives through 19 of 36 races. Two are runner-up finishes.

Joining Busch and Gant among the all-time leaders in laps led without wins in a season are Jeff Gordon, Dick Hutcherson and Neil Bonnett.


  • Harry Gant, 1,169 laps led - 1981
  • Kyle Busch, 953 laps led - 2017
  • Jeff Gordon, 919 laps led - 2010
  • Dick Hutcherson, 821 laps led; First win at Smoky Mountain Raceway in Maryville, Tennessee, on July 27, 1967
  • Neil Bonnett, 813 laps led; First win in Southern 500 on Set. 7, 1981

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